Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT807
2006-03-09 09:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQI SUNNIS,

Tags:  PARM PREL PGOV ECON IR IZ KU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3188
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #0807/01 0680924
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 090924Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3381
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3051
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000807 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV ECON IR IZ KU
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQI SUNNIS,
HAMAS, AND AMRE MOUSSA

REF: A. KUWAIT 748


B. KUWAIT 678

C. KUWAIT 677

D. KUWAIT 676

E. STATE 27174

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000807

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV ECON IR IZ KU
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES IRAN, IRAQI SUNNIS,
HAMAS, AND AMRE MOUSSA

REF: A. KUWAIT 748


B. KUWAIT 678

C. KUWAIT 677

D. KUWAIT 676

E. STATE 27174

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: During a March 8 meeting with Ambassador,
Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem Al-Sabah
repeated a request he made to the Secretary soliciting U.S.
support for a nuclear-free zone in the Gulf in addition to a
proposed anti-bigotry resolution at the UNGA. Shaykh Dr.
Mohammed also discussed Kuwaiti-Iranian relations, saying the
recent visit to Kuwait by the Iranian President did not
produce any positive results. He emphasized GOK engagement
with Iraqi Sunnis, noting calls by Iraqi Sunni visitors to
Kuwait for representation in the new government that does
more than reflect their vote count in the last election. The
FM predicted Hamas could signal acceptance of the peace
process in connection with the next Arab League Summit,
perhaps by accepting the plan proposed by then CP Abdullah
last year. As for the new Secretary General of the Arab
League, the GOK would only support Amre Moussa were Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak to make a "very passionate plea," and
this only because Mubarak is held in high esteem in Kuwait.
The FM advised that Amir Shaykh Sabah will make a tour of GCC
countries starting next week. (End summary)


Call for U.S. Support on Nuclear-Free Zone, UN Resolution
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Repeating a message he personally delivered to the
Secretary when she met recently with GCC Foreign Ministers in

SIPDIS
the UAE, Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem
Al-Sabah told the Ambassador March 8 that the GOK would like
the U.S. to support a GCC initiative to establish a
nuclear-free zone in the Gulf. He also said it was important
that the U.S. enunciate more vocally its support for an
overall WMD free zone in the Middle East. This would

demonstrate that the U.S. has no double standard on the
issue, and make arguments against the Iranian actions easier
to make.


3. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed also renewed his call for the
introduction of a UNGA resolution to admonish against bigotry
and xenophobia. Since the U.S. has been active to fight
anti-Semitism through the UN's "Holocaust resolution," the
Foreign Minister added, why not protect all religions (in the
context of the Danish cartoon controversy). "We want to see
the U.S. champion this idea," he concluded. Dr. Mohamed said
that no particular religion would need to be named in the
resolution. The Ambassador reiterated arguments that DAS
Gray had made against such a resolution in a meeting with the
Kuwaiti Ambassador. (Note: It was clear that Dr. Mohammed
felt strongly about the efficacy of such a resolution and is
not prepared to drop the matter.)

Shaykh Sabah Schools Ahmadinejad on Leadership
-------------- -


4. (C) The FM reported that Iran's nuclear program was the
GOK's top agenda item during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's
February 27 visit to Kuwait (ref C). Amir Shaykh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, according to Shaykh Dr. Mohammed,
was "blunt" during conversations with his Iranian counterpart
and urged Ahmadinejad to exercise wisdom in handling the
nuclear issue. The Amir reportedly said that Ahmadinejad,
despite his popular support, should now lead and not be led
by people on the street who do not see the totality of the
situation. Ahmadinejad responded that it was within Iran's
rights to develop nuclear technology and that his government
would share such technology with its neighbors and the
Islamic world. The Iranian President proposed establishing a
nuclear joint venture with its Gulf neighbors to allay their
fears. The GOK, the Minister recounted, did not respond to
this "preposterous" idea. The Iranians "cannot play politics
of extortion with us," Shaykh Dr. Mohammed commented.


5. (C) Dr. Mohammed noted that no progress was made on the
Kuwaiti/Iranian disagreement about the offshore continental
shelf boundary. He hoped that recent gas discoveries in
Kuwait would indirectly prod the Iranians to stop stalling in
negotiations on the continental shelf issue.


6. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed reported that the only
minister-level representative in Ahmadinejad's delegation was
Minister of Energy Parviz Fattah. He was somewhat surprised

KUWAIT 00000807 002 OF 002


that Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was absent.

GOK Engaging Iraqi Sunnis
--------------


7. (C) The Amir received on March 6 Adnan Mohammed
Al-Dulaimi, leader of the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest
Sunni parliamentary bloc. The GOK decided to engage Iraqi
Sunnis more regularly after the Cairo Conference, sending
them, in the FM's word, a simple message: "you made a
strategic mistake by boycotting the elections, and now
everyone is paying the price." According to Shaykh Dr.
Mohammed, the Sunnis now realize this. The GOK is
encouraging the Sunnis to participate fully in the Iraqi
government.


8. (C) The Iraqi Sunnis, the FM reported, are soliciting help
from the GOK. They complain of the sectarian policies of
Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari's government including
intimidation and perceived "voting irregularities" during the
latest elections. The GOK hopes that the Iraqi government
will embrace inclusion and reconciliation. According to Dr.
Mohammed, the Sunni leaders are telling the GOK that their
place in the government being formed should be more
significant than merely a reflection of the percentage of the
popular vote they received in the election. As long as the
Sunnis remain fully engaged in the political process, the GOK
will support them, the FM pledged. The GOK also enjoys good
relations with the Iraqi Shi'a, he added. While trying to
help, the Kuwaitis do not want their actions to be seen as
interfering in internal Iraqi politics. The FM expects other
Sunni groups in addition to Shi'a and Kurdish delegations to
visit Kuwait soon.

FM Predicts Hamas to Participate in Peace Process
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Ambassador delivered ref E talking points regarding
Hamas, urging the GOK to send a strong signal to Hamas to
engage with the Quartet. He also emphasized a U.S. request
that the GOK not deal with the Palestinian organization on a
political level. Shaykh Dr. Mohammed repeated what he
already told the Secretary: the GCC is giving Hamas time as
it repositions itself for an eventual acceptance of the peace
process. The FM predicted that Hamas would in some way buy
into the peace process in connection with the upcoming Arab
League summit, citing pressure from Arab governments to
accept Saudi King Abdullah's previous peace proposal as
cover.

No Love Lost for Moussa
--------------


10. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed expressed GOK dissatisfaction
with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa (ref A),adding
that "we don't hide our disagreement with him." He identified
waste and corruption as two areas of concern in Moussa's
organization. Politically, the GOK had "serious disagreement"
with Moussa over his attempt to rehabilitate Saddam Hussein's
regime. Now that Moussa's term is expiring, the Minister
continued, it is not a secret that Arab governments want to
see another figure head the Arab League. The Minister noted
Algeria's proposal to rotate the leadership among the
League's geographical regions. however, the Kuwaitis are not
prepared to support the idea at this time. "We don't want to
weaken Hosni Mubarak," whom Dr. Mohammed labeled a "good
friend" and "reliable ally to the Gulf." The only way the
GOK would support another Moussa term, Dr. Mohammed
concluded, would be if Mubarak made a "passionate plea...a
very passionate plea."

Al-Askariya Mosque and the Amir's Travel Plans
-------------- -


11. (C) Ambassador shared Washington's appreciation of
Kuwait's offer to help fund rebuilding the Shi'a Al-Askariya
mosque in Samarra, the target of a February 22 bombing (ref
B). The FM reported that the Amir is to visit all of the GCC
countries next week.
LEBARON