DEMARCHE DELIVERED: KUWAIT AGREES TO LOOK INTO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000047 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD FOR ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, NEA/RA DANIELLE MONOSSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2017 TAGS: PREL ASEC ETTC KPAL PTER KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: KUWAIT AGREES TO LOOK INTO AL-AQSA USE OF ARABSAT, WARNS OF IRAQI INSURGENT STATION ON NILESAT REF: 06 KUWAIT 202506 Classified By: DCM Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On January 8, PolOff called on Hamad Al-Mashan of the MFA's America's Department and delivered reftel demarche on U.S. concern over the use of Arabsat and Nilesat to broadcast Hezballah's Al-Manar satellite channel and the reported plan for Arabsat to broadcast Hamas' Siraj Al-Aqsa satellite channel. Al-Mashan undertook to convey the message to the appropriate authorities in the MFA. He agreed that giving a voice to extremists was not in Kuwait's interest. ¶2. (C) Al-Mashan noted Al-Zawra', a Sunni insurgent satellite channel banned by the Government of Iraq, was broadcasting on Nilesat. He said the station was run by Meshan Al-Jibouri and was inciting Iraqis to kill Americans. ******************************************** For more Embassy Kuwait reporting, see: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Or Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ******************************************** LeBaron