KUWAIT UNLIKELY SOURCE FOR APCS FOR UN/AU MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000853

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND IO/PSC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2027
TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR SU SA KU
SUBJECT: KUWAIT UNLIKELY SOURCE FOR APCS FOR UN/AU MISSION
IN SUDAN

REF: A. STATE 72868

B. KUWAIT 821

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) POLOFF passed reftel (ref A) request for APCs to
Aisha Al-Dakheel of the MFA's International Organizations
Department on May 30. Al-Dakheel did not seem to think it
likely the GOK would approve such a request. She promised to
pass on the request and provide a more detail answer as soon
as possible.


2. (C/NF) As per ref B, the GOK has told Post that it does
not export military materiel. The Kuwait National Guard
possesses armored personel carriers, but sees them as
essential to their operations in Kuwait. The Kuwait Ministry
of Defense (KMOD)'s BMP and Desert Warrior Armored Infantry
Fighting Vehicles (AIFVs) are significantly more complex to
operate and maintain than APCs. Furthermore, the KMOD does
not consider any of these vehicles to be surplus. Post would
not expect GOK to release any of these vehicles.

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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/
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LeBaron