Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT1371
2007-09-11 13:24:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

GOK TO DOE A/S KOLEVAR: PROGRESS ON CEIP; WANT

Tags:  ASEC EPET PTER KCIP KU 
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VZCZCXRO3997
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHKU #1371/01 2541324
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 111324Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9909
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001371 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

ENERGY FOR KOLEVAR
STATE FOR S/CT, NEA/ARP, PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2022
TAGS: ASEC EPET PTER KCIP KU
SUBJECT: GOK TO DOE A/S KOLEVAR: PROGRESS ON CEIP; WANT
MORE COOPERATION; DECISION ON JWG MOU WITH PM

REF: KUWAIT 921 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: CDA Alan Misenheimer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001371

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

ENERGY FOR KOLEVAR
STATE FOR S/CT, NEA/ARP, PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2022
TAGS: ASEC EPET PTER KCIP KU
SUBJECT: GOK TO DOE A/S KOLEVAR: PROGRESS ON CEIP; WANT
MORE COOPERATION; DECISION ON JWG MOU WITH PM

REF: KUWAIT 921 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: CDA Alan Misenheimer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) Summary: On 9 September, Assistant Secretary of
Energy for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin
Kolevar participated in a series of site visits, briefings,
and meetings with GOK and oil sector officials to promote
further USG-GOK cooperation on Critical Energy Infrastructure
Protection (CEIP). In a meeting with National Security
Bureau (NSB) Deputy Director Shaykh Thamer Al-Ali Al Sabah,
Kolevar strongly encouraged the GOK to designate a lead
agency for CEIP and sign an MOU to establish a GOK-USG Joint
Working Group (JWG). Shaykh Thamer said the reluctance of
any GOK agency to step up to the plate to sign the draft CEIP
MOU presented by Ambassador LeBaron in June had served as a
"wake-up call" for the GOK by drawing attention to the
fragmented, diffuse, and uncoordinated nature of CEIP
responsibilities under the current framework. Shaykh Thamer
said most of the other agencies now recommend that the NSB
take the lead, but ultimately this will be a decision for the
Prime Minister as will the decision on whether to sign an
MOU.


2. (S/NF) Saad Al-Shuwaib, the CEO of Kuwait Petroleum
Corporation (KPC),told Kolevar in a separate meeting that he
hoped to see the establishment of an oil sector security
force, independent of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Shaykh
Thamer agreed and said the Government would draft new
legislation allowing such a force to be armed. Under current
law, only MOI personnel can carry lethal weapons. During the
site visits and briefings, the Kuwaitis demonstrated progress
on implementing some of the USG CEIP recommendations
including the construction of landside and seaside perimeter
fencing, observation towers, and a dedicated fiber-optic
communications network. They also laid out plans to create a
more robust C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers,
and Intelligence) system and access control system, for which

they intend to offer contracts to a short list of major
international technology companies before the end of 2007.
Finally, they revealed plans to establish a Coastal
Protection Force, which would use small arms and small boats
to patrol and protect the seaward approaches to the
refineries and onshore export terminals. Officials from the
oil sector envision CEIP coordination at three levels: a
USG-GOK JWG, a high-level GOK Steering Committee to provide
direction and authority, and a working-level Joint
Coordination Committee to carry out implementation. End
Summary.

-------------- --
Several Projects Underway to Fill Security Gaps
-------------- --


3. (S/NF) On 9 September A/S Kolevar participated in a series
of site visits, briefings, and meetings to promote further
USG-GOK cooperation on Critical Energy Infrastructure
Protection (CEIP). The site visits and presentations were
led by the heads or deputies of Kuwait National Petroleum
Company (KNPC),the Oil Sector Services Company (OSSCo),and
the Security Decision Follow-up Committee (SDFC). In tours
of upgrades at the refineries and a major fuel depot, the
Kuwaitis highlighted the ongoing construction of new
observation towers and seaside perimeter fencing, the
reinforcement of weakly protected emergency access gates, and
the installation of more fixed and adjustable cameras
integrated with motion detectors and electrified fencing.
They presented plans for the creation of a Coastal Protection
Force, which would use small arms and small boats to patrol
and protect the seaward approaches to the refineries and
onshore export terminals. SDFC has hired the British firm
Lynceus to establish and train the CPF. SDFC and OSSCo are
working with Kroll, a U.S.-based security consulting firm, to
plan a robust C4I system to integrate and manage the flow of
information from a full spectrum of sensors and
communications networks into a single joint control center.
Kroll is also advising the Kuwaitis on a number of other
planned projects including a modern access control system,
underwater surveillance and detection, the construction of
North and South breakwaters with installed surveillance
equipment, and a mobile communications network.

--------------
Seeking Better Control and Coordination
--------------


KUWAIT 00001371 002 OF 003



4. (S/NF) In order to create a more seamless and more
empowered organizational structure for managing CEIP, OSSCo
and SDFC propose creating joint committees at three different
levels. For USG-GOK coordination they support the concept of
a JWG to meet at intervals not to exceed six months. For
overall direction and decision-making authority within the
GOK, they recommend the establishment of a ministerial or
sub-ministerial-level steering committee, which they refer to
as the Higher Security Committee. At the working level, they
said they have already created a Joint Coordination Committee
to carry out implementation, but it was unclear whether the
MOI, which still holds major responsibility for CEIP, is
taking an active role in the JCC.


5. (S/NF) In the area of training, SDFC and OSSCo have
already recruited and indoctrinated a number of Kuwaitis to
assume roles in technical maintenance and crisis management.
According to SDFC, 50 personnel have already returned from
training courses in English, computer science, and crisis
management in Australia and the UK and another 25 are
currently in the training pipeline.

-------------- --
Ditch MOI; Create Oil Facilities Security Force
-------------- --


6. (S/NF) In a separate meeting with Kolevar, KPC CEO Saad
Al-Shuwaib said he fully supports CEIP objectives and now
receives regular progress reports from his staff. Al-Shuwaib
said he was most concerned about the capabilities of MOI
personnel, who are still responsible for gate security and
incident response at major oil installations. He said MOI
personnel need to be replaced by a better qualified private
security force dedicated to the oil sector. Al-Shuwaib said
he had raised this proposal with the NSB's Shaykh Thamer, who
was supportive. Al-Shuwaib said he would encourage the
Acting Oil Minister to champion this proposal within the
Government.

-------------- --------------
MOU-JWG Decision with PM - Don't Hold Your Breath
-------------- --------------


7. (S/NF) For his final meeting, Kolevar met with NSB Deputy
Director Shaykh Thamer Al-Ali Al Sabah. Kolevar stressed
that the GOK should assign a lead agency for CEIP and sign an
MOU to establish a GOK-USG Joint Working Group. Shaykh
Thamer said the reluctance of any GOK agency to step up to
the plate to sign the draft CEIP MOU presented by Ambassador
LeBaron in June had served as a "wake-up call" for the GOK by
drawing attention to the fragmented, diffuse, and
uncoordinated nature of CEIP responsibilities under the
current framework. Shaykh Thamer said most of the other
agencies now recommend that the NSB take the lead, but
ultimately this will be a decision for the Prime Minister as
will the decision on whether to sign an MOU. Cautioning that
this decision might not come in the next 1-2 months, he
insisted that USG-GOK CEIP cooperation should continue even
in the absence of an MOU. Thamer said that the GOK was
implementing many of the simpler CEIP fixes now, but
organizational changes will take more time. Kolevar told
Thamer that Energy Secretary Bodman would be attending a
luncheon with the Kuwaiti Ambassador in the coming week and
would strongly encourage the GOK to sign the CEIP MOU.


8. (S/NF) Shaykh Thamer stressed that the GOK had to focus
more attention on CEIP saying, "We've made progress but not
enough," and "We need to adopt higher standards." He agreed
that MOI was not up to the task, saying the GOK needed to
approach oil infrastructure security with a "2008 perspective
rather than a 1978 perspective." He supported the
establishment of an oil facilities security force "along the
lines of what the Saudis are doing." He said the Government
would draft new legislation allowing such a force to be
armed. Under current law, only MOI personnel can carry
lethal weapons. (Comment: In an indication that the KSA and
GOK may not be sharing much information on CEIP, Shaykh
Thamer seemed to believe, as had been erroneously reported in
recent press, that the KSA had hired Lockheed Martin to train
its Facilities Security Force.)

--------------
Press Release on USG-GOK Cooperation
--------------


9. (U) Following Kolevar's departure, in a 10 September

KUWAIT 00001371 003 OF 003


Kuwait News Agency press release picked up by Reuters, KPC
CEO Saad Al-Shuwaib is quoted as saying, "The Kuwait
Petroleum Corporation and security apparatuses are seeking to
tighten security at Kuwaiti oil installations." He adds,
"the U.S. side is really working with several Kuwaiti
agencies concerned over tightened security at Kuwaiti oil
installations." (Comment: To the best of our knowledge, this
is the first time a Kuwaiti official has publicly referred to
U.S.-Kuwaiti cooperation on oil infrastructure protection.
This press release closely follows the 26 August Financial
Times article describing Saudi CEIP efforts).


10. (U) Assistant Secretary Kolevar did not clear this cable
before departing Kuwait.

********************************************* *
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/
********************************************* *
MISENHEIMER