REQUEST FOR M113 APC TRANSFER MAY HAVE TO COME

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001053 SIPDIS NEA/ARP FOR MCDONALD, PM/RSAT FOR DANIELEWSKI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018 TAGS: PTER PGOV KU SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR M113 APC TRANSFER MAY HAVE TO COME FROM YEMEN REF: STATE 105349 Classified By: Political Counselor Peter O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b an d d ¶1. (S) In respective October 6 and 7 demarches, the Ambassador raised reftel points requesting the GOK consider providing U.S.-origin M113 APCs, on an urgent basis, to the Government of Yemen with MFA Under Secretary Khaled Al-Jarallah and POLCOUNS raised the same points with Hamad Al Mashan of MFA's America's desk. Both interlocutors took the request on board, but offered only non-committal replies; Jarallah asked whether other countries had responded. ¶2. (S) Mission's DATT and Office of Military Cooperation believe the Kuwaiti military has M113's in its stock, but Embassy's on-the ground experience suggests that the GOK is more likely to respond favorably to such a request if the request comes directly from the receiving country. ¶3. (S) Action Request: Embassy will follow-up further on this request with the GOK, but we suggest the Department may also wish to consider asking Embassy Sanaa to urge the Government of Yemen to raise this request directly with the GOK. End Action Request. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * JONES