KUWAITIS PLEDGE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO VISITING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000751 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, SA/PAB E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2022 TAGS: PREL EAID AF KU SUBJECT: KUWAITIS PLEDGE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO VISITING AFGHAN FM Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: During his May 5-6 visit to Kuwait, Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta sought additional support for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. Kuwaiti officials made no new commitments, but promised to continue their current level of assistance, estimated at more than $1.4 billion since 2002. The Afghan Finance Minister will visit Kuwait in the coming months to provide information on specific projects the Afghan government would like Kuwait to fund. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah also accepted an invitation to Afghanistan, but dates have not been set for either trip. During Spanta's visit, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation. Kuwaiti officials demurred on Spanta's request to open an embassy in Kabul, saying MFA resources were limited and the security situation remained a concern. End summary. ¶2. (C) On May 12, MFA Iran Desk Officer Mansour Al-Oulaimi provided a read-out of Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Spanta's May 5-6 visit to Kuwait. Spanta met the Amir, Prime Minister, Defense/Interior Minister, Foreign Minister, and Director of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED),the government body responsible for disbursing concessional rate project loans. The primary purpose of his visit was to seek additional Kuwaiti support for reconstruction and infrastructure development efforts in Afghanistan. According to Al-Oulaimi, Kuwait has provided more than $1.4 billion in assistance to Afghanistan since ¶2002. No new commitments were made during this visit, but Kuwaiti officials promised to continue their current level of support to Afghanistan. Al-Oulaimi said the Afghan Minister of Finance would visit Kuwait in the coming months to follow up on Spanta's visit and present information about specific development projects the Afghan government would like Kuwait to fund. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed also accepted an invitation to Afghanistan. No date has been set for either visit. ¶3. (C) Spanta briefed Kuwaiti officials on economic conditions in Afghanistan and efforts to combat drug trafficking. He reported that annual bilateral trade with Iran had risen from $3 million per year to more than $500 million. Spanta also praised counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan and claimed media reports on violence in Afghanistan were exaggerated, Al-Oulaimi said. During the visit, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation. Al-Oulaimi said the MoU was a routine procedure to facilitate interaction between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries. He also confirmed press reports that Kuwaiti officials told Spanta that Kuwait would not open an embassy in Kabul until MFA resources permitted and the security situation there improved. ¶4. (C) Al-Oulaimi said Afghanistan's vote in the recent elections for a new Director-General of the World Health Organization put a slight damper on Spanta's visit. According to him, Afghan officials promised they would vote for Kuwait's candidate, Kazem Behbehani, but in the end voted for the Mexican candidate. Al-Oulaimi said Kuwait's disappointment was conveyed to Spanta, and suggested Afghanistan was pressured by another country (i.e. the United States) to vote for Mexico. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * LeBaron