GOK OFFICIALLY REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR AMBASSADOR'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001054 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KU IZ SUBJECT: GOK OFFICIALLY REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 21 ARRIVAL IN BAGHDAD REF: A. BAGHDAD 3218 ¶B. KUWAIT 1048 ¶C. KUWAIT 1007 Classified By: Ambassador Deborah Jones for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. This is an action request. Please see para 7. ¶2. (C) Summary: The Kuwaiti MFA has formally requested via diplomatic note interim transportation and security assistance for Kuwait's Ambassador-designate to Iraq, Ali Al-Mou'min, who is scheduled to travel to Baghdad on October ¶21. Ambassador earlier briefed senior MFA officials on the general limitations on USG assistance described ref A but they -- and we -- believe that the value to our common interest in restoring this critical bilateral relationship warrants going the extra mile to assist Al-Mou'min during his settling-in period. A lukewarm response to Kuwait's request may be viewed as poor reward for Kuwait's unparalleled support to Operation Iraqi Freedom. While agreeing with Embassy Baghdad's assessment that Iraq must assume responsibility for the security of foreign envoys, it's not clear to the GOK that Iraq has that capability. Meanwhile, any mishap or worse -- Heaven forbid -- to befall Al-Mou'min could constitute a significant setback in our efforts to rebuild this relationship (and we would be blamed implicitly). The Kuwaiti diplomatic note lists several specific requests for assistance. We urge the Department to examine with Embassy Baghdad modalities for being as forthcoming as is practicable. End Summary. Dipnote Requests Support for October 21 Arrival -------------- --- ¶3. (C) Kuwaiti MFA requested, via October 13 dipnote, protection and logistical support for Kuwaiti Ambassador-designate Lieutenant General Ali Al-Mou'min's travel to and in Baghdad. This petition came in response to Ambassador's previous October 6 notification to MFA U/S Khaled Al-Jarallah of ref A parameters for USG assistance for new Arab ambassadors in Iraq, which highlighted our limited support capabilities for third country missions. (Note: MFA Protocol advised today that the GOI has requested Al-Mou'min to delay his arrival to October 21. End note.) "We Have no Place to Stay" -------------- ¶4. (C) Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah expressed his frustration to Deputy Secretary Negroponte in an October 7 meeting (ref B),in the presence of Ambassador Al-Mou'min, at Iraqi silence on matters important to Kuwait, i.e. compensation, encroaching farms, appointing an ambassador to Kuwait, and attending to the needs of a Kuwaiti mission in Baghdad for Al-Mou'min, who will take up temporary residence at the Al-Rasheed Hotel. The FM highlighted an Iraqi denial of a GOK request to buy a plot of land for the Kuwait Embassy in the Green Zone as a point of concern about the readiness of Iraq to support foreign missions. The FM alluded to the need for greater USG assistance than offered in ref A parameters. Al-Mou'min: "I'm a Target" -------------- ¶5. (C) Post's interlocutors, including Al-Mou'min, realize the importance of this posting and the significance of an official Kuwaiti presence in Baghdad. Al-Mou'min will be the first post-Saddam invasion Ambassador Kuwait has assigned to Iraq. Al-Mou'min looks to his arrival with some trepidation. He has received death threats and asserted to Polcouns on September 23 (ref C) that his assassination would be celebrated by terrorists and set back coalition efforts to obtain buy-in from neighboring Arab states. Post believes that USG efforts to facilitate the bilateral Kuwait/Iraqi relationship would be impacted negatively were calamity to befall Al-Mou'min. Any such incident might also affect adversely Kuwaiti flexibility and significant logistical support (valued at approximately USD 1.4 billion annually) for OIF, and would also almost certainly factor into the thinking of others seeking to re-establish missions in Iraq. ¶6. (U) Begin text of dipnote: Complimentary greetings. We wish to inform you that His Excellency Ambassador Ali KUWAIT 00001054 002 OF 002 Mohammed Al-Mou'min, Ambassador-designate of the State of Kuwait to the Republic of Iraq, will assume his new responsibilities in Baghdad on Monday, October 20, 2008. In the framework of the existing cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the United States of America, we request your assistance in providing the following: 1) Air transportation for His Excellency Ambassador Ali Al-Mou'min and those accompanying him on October 20, 2008. (Note: Now October 21. End note). 2) Transportation of His Excellency Ali Al-Mou'min and those accompanying him from Baghdad airport to His Excellency's residence at the Al-Rasheed Hotel. 3) Provision of an armored car and protection of His Excellency's movements in Baghdad, in a temporary manner, until the provision of His Excellency's needs for such matters is met (i.e. pending GOK procurement of vehicles). 4) We also request that His Excellency be given priority in reserving air travel between Baghdad and Kuwait. Complimentary closing. Logistical Support: Let's Answer in Kind -------------- ¶7. (C) Comment and action request: While Embassy understands that new ambassadors establishing themselves in Iraq will inevitably face inconvenience and risk, we believe that Kuwait's unique and -- in the words of the President -- "indispensable and strategic" support for USG efforts in Iraq (as well as the fact that it has served as an important transit hub for nearly 500,000 movements of soldiers and others deployed last year alone to Iraq and Afghanistan) warrants priority logistical and security assistance during Al-Mou'min's settling-in period. Post requests the Department's guidance on how best to respond to the GOK request for assistance. We will also explore financial compensation from the GOK side if this is an issue. End comment and 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