DEMARCHE DELIVERED: KUWAIT WILLING BUT HESITANT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000810 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2027 TAGS: PREL SO MOPS XF AL GCC KU DEMARCHE SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: KUWAIT WILLING BUT HESITANT ABOUT AID TO SOMALI RECONCILIATION CONGRESS REF: A. STATE 67570 ¶B. KUWAIT 661 Classified By: DCM Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) PolOff delivered reftel demarche to Somalia Desk Officer Abdulnasser Al-Rashidi and MFA Arab World Deputy Director Ahmad Al-Baker on May 22. Al-Baker reiterated that the GOK has USD 2 million ready to give to support the Somali National Reconciliation Congress (ref B),but that it has concerns about whether corruption will result in the money being wasted. Al-Rashidi noted that the Somalis have indicated they prefer the GOK to transfer the money directly to their embassy in Kenya. Al-Rashidi also noted GOK concerns that contributions would support -- or be viewed as supporting -- one side or another. However, they welcomed the suggestion of contributing through the UNDP and promised to pursue that avenue. ¶2. (C/NF) Al-Rashidi voiced concerns about Ethiopian meddling in Somali affairs, noting that this had stoked longstanding tensions in the region and given an excuse to extremists to justify their actions as a jihad against infidel occupiers. Al-Rashidi and Al-Baker both argued that the Islamic Courts enjoyed popular support because they were providing security and services, something which former ruling parties had not done. Al-Rashidi continued on to say that the Islamic Courts Union contained moderate elements. He speculated that it would have been easier to moderate the extreme elements among the Islamic Courts Union and/or appeal to the moderate elements of the Union through negotiation, but that the military invasion had made the possibility of bringing them into the peace process difficult. Both agreed that the Reconciliation Congress was important and that Kuwait was committed to its success, despite their reservations about Ethiopia's role and the disbanding of the Islamic Courts Union. ¶3. (C/NF) Al-Baker stressed that Kuwaitis are eager to invest in Somalia when it becomes more stable. He pointed to major Kuwaiti ventures in Sudan as evidence of Kuwaitis' interest to invest in Eastern Africa and said that Somalia could become a tourist destination for Kuwaitis. ********************************************* * 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