KUWAITI DEPUTY PM SAYS KUWAITI DEMOCRACY SETTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001063 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2012 TAGS: KU PGOV PINR PREL GCC SUBJECT: KUWAITI DEPUTY PM SAYS KUWAITI DEMOCRACY SETTING BAD EXAMPLE FOR REGION Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) During a July 4 meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Faisal Moahammed Al-Hajji Boukhadour, the Minister commented that the recent performance of the Kuwaiti parliament was leading others in the region to question the efficacy of democracy. Coming off a bruising battle with Parliament resulting in the resignation of two ministers, Al-Hajji lamented that the mix of tribal, Islamist, and selfish financial interests personified by the opposition in Parliament was damaging Kuwait's image and its reputation as being a progressive state in the GCC region. He lamented that liberals are not well-organized, unlike the opposition Islamists, who organize around parochial objectives rather than national ambitions. Asked about the impact of the reduction of the number of electoral constituencies from twenty to five for the next election, Al-Hajji said it was difficult to predict an outcome, and noted the uncertain impact of the women's vote combined with the larger districts. He claimed that women in the last election did not focus their support on candidates who supported their enfrancisement but rather voted for those who they believed were best positioned to obtain more government economic benefits on their behalf. Haaji recounted his youthful political roots as a "radical" supporter of democracy in leading the National Union of Kuwaiti Students and the Kuwaiti Graduates Society, and said he remained fully committed to democracy, but he was very worried about the present course of Kuwait's parliament. TIP and Labor Issues -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador recounted that he had first met Al-Haaji in the his role as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs discussing labor and trafficking in persons issues. The Ambassador said that the recent Tier Three trafficking rating of Kuwait reflected lack of movement on specific measures to provide minimum protections for domestic labor. Al-Haaji said the language of the U.S. report had been harsh and elicited defensive reactions. He opined that the problem of mistreatment of domestics is a limited to a very small minority of the half million household employees in Kuwait, but stated that even a small number is a problem and that the GOK needs to address it. The Ambassador noted that the Justice Ministry was working on a draft law on TIP and encouraged Al-Haaji to help shepherd it through the cabinet and parliament. Iraq and Israel/Palestine Key to Stability in Region -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Al-Haaji urged U.S. determination in Iraq, noting that it could have taken forty years for the Iraqi people to get rid of Saddam Hussein's regime. He said that some Kuwaitis who supported and applauded his removal now complain about the emergence of a new and different government, but they should expect that the regime will be different. Al-Haaji also emphasized the critical U.S. role in solving the Israeli/Palestinian issue, and commented that removing this issue from the regional list of sore spots will help strengthen U.S. influence and protect U.S. friends in the region. Bio Note -------------- ¶4. (C) Al-Haaji is a soft-spoken progressive, who clearly does not relish dealing with a Kuwaiti parliament that is currently being manipulated by the least progressive elements in the society. While he has long experience as a diplomat, government official and minister, he does not have a high profile as a leader of the liberal camp, or seemingly the potential to lead the charge against the forces of reaction. One of his daughters just finished her first year at Georgetown University where he says she is an "A" student. Another daughter is a graduate of the George Washington University and employed by the Kuwait Investment Authority. A son is a graduate of Catholic University in Washington D.C. and runs his own advertising/marketing firm. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * KUWAIT 00001063 002 OF 002 LeBaron