KUWAIT OPEN SKIES UPDATE: CABINET APPROVAL MOVES

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000779 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/TRA/AN THOMAS COLEMAN AND NEA/ARP BELINDA JACKSON PARIS FOR NOURI LARBI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR BEXP PGOV KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT OPEN SKIES UPDATE: CABINET APPROVAL MOVES FULL IMPLEMENTATION A STEP CLOSER REF: A. 06 KUWAIT 3536 ¶B. KUWAIT 95 ¶1. (SBU) On May 16, A/DCM and Econoff met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Legal Department Counselor Nameer Al-Quraini to discuss full implementation of the U.S. - Kuwait Open Skies Agreement (OSA),signed August 30, 2006 (Ref A). Al-Quraini acknowledged receipt of post's diplomatic note dated January 22 (Ref B) which stated the USG's readiness for full implementation and requested GOK reciprocation. (Note: Per the agreement, the OSA provisionally came into force upon signing, but requires an exchange of diplomatic notes for full implementation.) Al-Quraini said Kuwait's Council of Ministers approved the agreement the week of May 5th, and that the OSA will soon be published in full in the Kuwait Gazette (the GOK's official newspaper). After this publication, which he said is for the public's information only and does not represent a period of public comment, the MFA will reciprocate with a diplomatic note, bringing the OSA into full force. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Approval by the Council of Ministers was the last major hurdle to full implementation of the Open Skies Agreement. We expect publication in the Kuwait Gazette to occur in the next few weeks, after which post will follow up with the MFA for swift issuance of the reciprocal diplomatic note. ********************************************* * 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