INTERIOR MINISTER NONCOMMITTAL ON ADDITIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001742 SIPDIS SIPDIS BAGHDAD FOR M. RIES E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2017 TAGS: MOPS PREL ETRD KU IZ SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTER NONCOMMITTAL ON ADDITIONAL BORDER CROSSING; CONCERNED ABOUT SMUGGLING ACROSS IRAQ BORDER REF: A. BAGHDAD 3174 ¶B. KUWAIT 1706 Classified By: CDA Alan Misenheimer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In a December 13 meeting with CDA, Interior Minister Shaykh Jaber Al-Khaled Al Sabah said he was deeply concerned about the smuggling of contraband (including drugs, alcohol, munitions, and chemicals) into Kuwait from Iraq at both the Abdali-Safwan commercial border crossing and the military Khaybari crossing (K-crossing). The Minister said that lawlessness and corruption on the Iraqi side of the border, as well as the susceptibility of third country national truck drivers to coercion by parties seeking to smuggle goods out of Iraq, were contributing to a troubling increase in the flow of contraband into Kuwait. CDA assured the Minister that U.S. Forces were rigorously inspecting convoys at the military border crossing. ¶2. (C) CDA reiterated MNF-I's request (Ref. A) for the opening of an additional border crossing in the vicinity of Umm Qasr, primarily to allow better access for the logistical support of Camp Bucca and secondarily to grant International Committee for the Red Cross/Red Crescent (ICRC) officials easier and more independent access to the detention facilities at Camp Bucca. Shaykh Jaber echoed the previous response of the MOI Under Secretary (Ref B) saying that the MOI would have to defer to the Ministry of Defense on this issue (our subsequent, positive conversations with MOD will be reported septel). However, the Minister added that the decision might ultimately have to be made by the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) as a whole since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Finance (Customs), and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Ministry of Interior all have a role in border issues. ********************************************* * 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