KUWAIT QUESTIONS SECDEF'S CALL FOR IRAQI GCC

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001196 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR IZ KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT QUESTIONS SECDEF'S CALL FOR IRAQI GCC MEMBERSHIP REF: DECEMBER 13 MANAMA DIALOGUE SPEECH BY SECDEF GATES Classified By: Ambassador Deborah K. Jones for reasons 1.4 b and d No to Iraqi GCC Membership... -------------- ¶1. (C) Office Director to the Foreign Minister -- and son of the Prime Minister -- Shaykh Dr. Ahmed Al-Nasser Al-Mohammed Al Sabah shared with Ambassador during a December 14 conversation Kuwaiti anxiety over and general opposition to SecDef Gates' call (ref speech) for Iraqi inclusion in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). While Shaykh Ahmed acknowledged that increased Iraqi integration would benefit the region as a whole, he opined that such integration was best pursued under a separate security architecture "as envisioned by UNSCR 598," for example. "Adhering Iraq to the GCC," as he put it, would lead to other unintended consequences. Iraq already had access to Arab and regional fora such as the Arab League and OIC, and there was also room for dialogue along the GCC 3 model already established. Full GCC membership, however, was a different story altogether. ...because it might offend Iran? -------------- ¶2. (C) Comment: Although Shaykh Dr. Ahmed did not say so explicitly, Kuwait's underlying concern with the notion of Iraq's integration into the GCC is perhaps a wish to avoid provoking Iran, thus the allusion to UNSCR 598. Having observed the Russian Bear react to NATO expansion with a heavy paw in Georgia, in their analysis, the Kuwaitis have no desire to arouse the Persian Simurgh. At the same time, there is no love lost between Kuwait and Iraq's Malliki government and even less trust; in the view of many here, these are merely Shi'a in sheep's clothing, awaiting the departure of US forces to show their true nature and the opportunity to expand their influence throughout the Gulf. In Kuwait's ideal world, both Iran and Iraq would remain indefinitely under close UNSC scrutiny. End comment. ********************************************* * 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