RAISING USG POLICY ON RECONCILIATION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001124 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER AF KU SUBJECT: RAISING USG POLICY ON RECONCILIATION IN AFGHANISTAN WITH KUWAIT REF: STATE 118079 Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) POLCOUNS on November 11 shared points contained reftel concerning USG views on reconciliation in Afghanistan with Rashed Al-Hajri, Counselor in MFA's Asia Department. In delivering the points, POLCOUNS stressed the continuity of USG efforts in Afghanistan and our support for reconciliation talks that are led by the Government of Afghanistan. ¶2. (C) In response, Al-Hajri said the GOK supports any reasonable effort that could lead to reconciliation and a return to normalcy in Afghanistan and is encouraged by USG and Saudi efforts to promote these goals. Al-Hajri noted that the GOK had done its part to support reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan through a series of development grants and through its participation in several peace and development conferences focused on Afghanistan. ¶3. (C) Having stated the official GOK line, Al-Hajri revealed some of the continuing suspicion some Kuwaitis feel about U.S. aims in the region when he referred to "rumors" he had heard about U.S. military helicopters being used to ferry valuable minerals out of Afghanistan. Pointing to the U.S. military's long and positive experience in Kuwait, POLCOUNS assured him that the U.S. military is not in the business of mining Afghanistan's minerals. ********************************************* * 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