MPS ASK FOR INFO ON KUWAIT'S PREPAREDNESS FOR A

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000514 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SUBJECT: MPS ASK FOR INFO ON KUWAIT'S PREPAREDNESS FOR A U.S. ATTACK ON IRAN; FM WARNS OF ESCALATION REF: A. STATE 45880 ¶B. KUWAIT 486 Sensitive But Unclassified; not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Responding to recent speculations in local press about an imminent U.S. attack on Iran (ref B),several parliamentarians (MPs) submitted questions to the Interior Minister asking him to outline the steps Kuwait has taken to prepare for such a possibility. Independent, tribal MP Saadoun Al-Otaibi and controversial Islamist MPs Faisal Al-Muslim and Waleed Al-Tabtabaei wanted to know if the U.S. had requested the use of Kuwaiti facilities for such an attack and, if not, what Kuwait's position would be if American officials did make such a request. They also inquired about security at "sensitive facilities" in Kuwait, surveillance of suspected (Iranian-backed) domestic terrorist groups, Kuwait's air defense capabilities, and defense cooperation with other Gulf countries. In addition, they asked if Kuwait had discussed security arrangements with "countries with which it has signed security agreements to protect the country." Al-Tabtabaei said he would submit a request soon to hold a special session of Parliament to discuss Kuwait's preparations to deal with a possible war between the U.S. and Iran. ¶2. (SBU) Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem Al-Sabah warned that "the situation (with Iran) is moving towards escalation and confrontation in the region," in a April 8 interview with the Saudi-owned, pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper that was widely republished in Kuwait. Shaykh Dr. Mohammed stated that UNSCR 1747 put "a timeline of escalation against Tehran," and said he feared that "what happened to Saddam Hussein might happen to the Iranians." The Foreign Minister claimed he urged his Iranian counterpart to "work with wisdom, with lawful international decisions" during the Arab Summit in Riyadh last month. Coupled with recent provocative reports in local press, such official statements are contributing to growing conviction among Kuwaitis that a U.S. strike on Iran is imminent; indeed, this issue has become the main topic of conversation in Kuwaiti diwaniyas. ¶3. (SBU) Per ref A demarche, PolChief asked MFA Iran Desk Officer Mansour Al-Oulaimi April 8 about Kuwaiti attendance at the expected ribbon-cutting ceremony at Iran's Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant. Al-Oulaimi was aware of the details of the event, but said he was not aware of any plans to attend. ********************************************* * 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