KUWAIT MAY HOST SOMALI PM

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000130 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2017 TAGS: PREL EAID KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT MAY HOST SOMALI PM Classified By: Charge Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C/NF) In a 1/30 meeting with PolCouns, MFA First Secretary for Arab Affairs Abdel Nasir Al-Rasheedi said SIPDIS Kuwait has agreed to host a visit by Somali PM Ghedi as soon as travel schedules can be worked out. He said PM Ghedi had originally requested a late January date, but with the Kuwait PM and Crown Prince currently traveling in the Gulf, they are looking at rescheduling sometime in February. ¶2. (C/NF) According to Al-Rasheedi, Kuwait remains hesitant to jump into financially supporting Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The GOK is concerned that early support would alienate factions currently outside the TFG, and Kuwait prefers to wait until a greater degree of stability is achieved. Al-Rasheedi noted that the Kuwait Fund (Kuwait's overseas aid fund) had not been involved in project assistance in Somalia since the early '80s, and that Kuwait has yet to contribute to the Arab League funds set up to aid Somalia. PolCouns stressed the importance of early support to consolidate TFG gains, and urged that the GOK see its decisions in this context. ¶3. (C/NF) Al-Rasheedi noted that Kuwait fully funds Somalia's diplomatic mission here, and contributes to the expenses of a number of other Somali diplomatic missions around the world, including in New York, Beijing, and Sanaa. By way of example, he said Kuwait contributes around USD 5000 monthly to the Somali mission in New York, and USD 3500 monthly to the mission in Beijing. Al-Rasheedi was not aware of how this long-standing arrangement originated, but said it likely stemmed from requests from the current Somali Ambassador here, a long-time resident who has been accredited as Somalia's Ambassador for 18 years. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * TUELLER