Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT291
2007-02-28 14:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED: MFA U/S SAYS GCC FOREIGN

Tags:  PGOV PREL KISL KPAL KWPG IS IZ LE SO SU IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKUA #0291 0591402
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF2005 0591406
O 281402Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000291 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA CHUCK LAWSON
LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR WALLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KPAL KWPG IS IZ LE SO SU IR
EG, KU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: MFA U/S SAYS GCC FOREIGN
MINISTERS WILL MEET BEFORE ARAB LEAGUE MEETING

REF: STATE 24372

CLASSIFIED BY: CDA MATT TUELLER FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000291

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA CHUCK LAWSON
LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR WALLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KPAL KWPG IS IZ LE SO SU IR
EG, KU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: MFA U/S SAYS GCC FOREIGN
MINISTERS WILL MEET BEFORE ARAB LEAGUE MEETING

REF: STATE 24372

CLASSIFIED BY: CDA MATT TUELLER FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: ON FEBRUARY 28 CDA DELIVERED REFTEL
DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF THE MARCH 3 ARAB LEAGUE MINISTERIAL TO
MFA UNDERSECRETARY KHALED AL-JARALLAH. AL-JARALLAH EXPRESSED
OPTIMISM THAT THE MECCA AGREEMENT AND RECENT EFFORTS BY THE
QUARTET WERE REINVIGORATING THE PEACE PROCESS. THE CHARGE
CAUTIONED THAT THE MECCA AGREEMENT DID NOT ADDRESS HAMAS
REJECTIONISM AND THAT THE ARAB LEAGUE SHOULD THUS WITHHOLD
ENDORSEMENT OF A NUG UNTIL ITS MAKEUP WAS CLARIFIED.
AL-JARALLAH SAID THAT A GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING BEFORE
THE MAIN ARAB LEAGUE MEETING ON MARCH 3 WOULD PRODUCE A
COMMUNIQUE WITH INDIRECT LANGUAGE CALLING ON IRAN NOT TO
MEDDLE IN IRAQ AND THE REGION. THE UNDERSECRETARY WAS
RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF INCLUDING LANGUAGE IN THE GCC
COMMUNIQUE SUPPORTIVE OF SINIORA'S GOVERNMENT IN LEBANON. ON
AFRICA, AL-JARALLAH SIGNALED HIS SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN UNION
INTERVENTION TO STABILIZE DARFUR AND SOMALIA. FINALLY,
AL-JARALLAH CONFIRMED KUWAIT'S PARTICIPATION IN THE IRAQ
NEIGHBORS MEETING ON MARCH 10. HE SAID THERE WAS SPECULATION
THAT U.S. ATTENDANCE AT A MEETING WHERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM
SYRIA AND IRAN WERE PRESENT WAS A SIGN OF A NEW POLICY. THE
CHARGE ASSURED HIM THERE HAD BEEN NO POLICY CHANGE. END
SUMMARY.

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PEACE PROCESS
--------------


2. (C/NF) THE CHARGE DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO MFA
UNDERSECRETARY KHALED AL-JARALLAH REGARDING THE MARCH 3 ARAB
LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN CAIRO. AL-JARALLAH
EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE PEACE PROCESS, NOTING THAT
RECENT ACTIONS BY THE QUARTET HAVE GIVEN THE PALESTINIANS THE
SENSE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS SERIOUS ABOUT
MOVING THE PROCESS FORWARD. HE PRAISED THE MECCA AGREEMENT,

NOTING IT WAS "WELCOMED BY ALL SIDES." THE CHARGE AGREED
THAT THE MECCA AGREEMENT HAD POSITIVE ASPECTS BUT EMPHASIZED
THAT IT HAD NOT ADDRESSED HAMAS' CONTINUED REJECTION OF THE
QUARTET PRINCIPLES, AND THAT STATEMENTS ENDORSING A
PALESTINIAN NUG PREMATURELY COULD JEOPARDIZE RESUMPTION OF
DIRECT TALKS BETWEEN PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, THE IMPORTANT
NEAR-TERM GOAL. AL-JARALLAH EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE
PALESTINIAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT WOULD ENTER
NEGOTIATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THE USG CONTINUED TO APPLY
PRESSURE.

GCC WILL MEET SEPARATELY AND ADDRESS IRAN SUBTLY
-------------- ---


3. (C/NF) AL-JARALLAH SAID THAT THE ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN
MINISTERS MEETING WOULD TACKLE THE ISSUE OF IRAN'S GROWING
REGIONAL ASPIRATIONS AND NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. HE ALSO NOTED
THAT THE GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS WOULD MEET IMMEDIATELY BEFORE
THE ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING ON MARCH 3 ANDQ
WOULD ISSUE A GCC COMMUNIQUE ADDRESSING IRAN INDIRECTLY. THE
CHARGE EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL ACTORS SPEAKING
CLEARLY AND PUBLICLY OF CONCERNS OVER IRANIAN BEHAVIOR.
AL-JARALLAH SAID THE GCC COMMUNIQUE WOULD SEND "HINTS" TO
IRAN, WITH LANGUAGE CALLING ON "REGIONAL COUNTRIES NOT TO
INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF IRAQ" AND "NOT TO MAKE
IRAQ A LAND FOR FIGHTING BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL
POWERS." HE PREDICTED THAT THE LANGUAGE EMANATING FROM THE
ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT WOULD BE EVEN LESS DIRECT.

RECEPTIVE TO PUBLICLY SUPPORTING LEBANON
--------------


4. (C/NF) THE CHARGE SAID THE ARAB LEAGUE SHOULD SUPPORT
THE SINIORA GOVERNMENT IN LEBANON AS IT RESISTS ATTEMPTS BY
OPPOSITION FACTIONS TO BULLY IT INTO MAKING CONCESSIONS ON
THE HARIRI TRIBUNAL. THE ARAB LEAGUE MUST ALSO PRESS SYRIA
AND IRAN TO COMPLY WITH UNSCR 1701 ON THE WEAPONS EMBARGO.
AL-JARALLAH, REVIEWING THE LANGAUGE IN THE DRAFT GCC
COMMUNIQUE, NOTED THAT THE CURRENT DRAFT DID NOT CONTAIN
LANGUAGE ON SUPPORT FOR SINIORA'S GOVERNMENT BUT SAID THAT
INCLUDING SUCH LANGUAGE WOULD BE USEFUL.

KUWAIT SUPPORTIVE OF AU EFFORTS IN DARFUR AND SOMALIA
-------------- --------------


5. (C/NF) AL-JARALLAH ASSURED THE CHARGE THAT THE ARAB
LEAGUE MEETING WOULD ADDRESS THE SITUATION IN DARFUR, WHICH
HE DESCRIBED AS A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER. SOME ARAB COUNTRIES
HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AN AFRICAN UNION


PEACEKEEPING FORCE AND THAT FURTHER COMMITMENTS WOULD BE
FORTHCOMING DURING THE CAIRO MEETING. AL-JARALLAH ALSO NOTED
HIS CONCERN ABOUT SOMALIA AND STATED THAT THE FOREIGN
MINISTERS WOULD ADDRESS THE TOPIC AT THE UPCOMING MEETING.
HE FORESEES A ROLE FOR THE AFRICAN UNION THERE, AND FEARS
THAT SOMALIA COULD BECOME A HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS IF IMMEDIATE
ACTION IS NOT TAKEN TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY.

KUWAIT WILL ATTEND IRAQ NEIGHBORS MEETING
--------------


6. (C/NF) AL-JARALLAH SAID THAT AMBASSADOR MANSOUR
AL-AWADHI, DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
DEPARTMENT AT THE MFA, WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING ON
MARCH 10 OF IRAQ'S NEIGHBORS. HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN A LOT
OF TALK ABOUT THE U.S. SITTING IN A MEETING WITH THE SYRIANS
AND IRANIANS AND WONDERED IF THIS MIGHT SIGNAL A TURNING
POINT. THE CHARGE RESPONDED THAT THE U.S. HAD PARTICIPATED
IN SUCH MEETINGS PREVIOUSLY AND THAT THIS DID NOT SIGNAL A
POLICY SHIFT OF ANY KIND.

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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/
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TUELLER