Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUWAIT849
2008-07-28 07:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

OPENING THE ABDALY-SAFWAN CROSSING TO BUCCA

Tags:  PTER PREL MOPS PBTS KU IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0849 2100721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280721Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1939
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1283
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000849 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, NEA/I, NEA/IPA
DEPT PASS TO RDML GAR WRIGHT, USN, IRAQ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL MOPS PBTS KU IZ
SUBJECT: OPENING THE ABDALY-SAFWAN CROSSING TO BUCCA
SUPPORT CONVOYS

REF: A. KUWAIT 0808

B. KUWAIT 0842 (NOTAL)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000849

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, NEA/I, NEA/IPA
DEPT PASS TO RDML GAR WRIGHT, USN, IRAQ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL MOPS PBTS KU IZ
SUBJECT: OPENING THE ABDALY-SAFWAN CROSSING TO BUCCA
SUPPORT CONVOYS

REF: A. KUWAIT 0808

B. KUWAIT 0842 (NOTAL)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) During their July 22 meeting (ref B),Ambassador
raised with Minister of Interior Shaykh Jaber Khaled al-Jaber
Al Sabah opening an alternate route for U.S. military convoys
provisioning Iraq's Camp Bucca. The current route exits
Kuwait at the Khabari crossing and follows a parallel road
135 km along the Kuwait-Iraqi border. Historically one
portion of this road has accounted for a significant percent
of all IED attacks. Ambassador noted that we were no longer
requesting that a new border opening be created at Bucca;
however, allowing the convoys to travel internally and use
the Abdaly-Safwan crossing area would enable them to reduce
significantly both travel time and IED exposure. Ambassador
advised that this request had been passed in writing with
supporting diagrams and maps to MFA U/S Jarallah during their
July 15 meeting (ref A). The number of convoys would be
limited to three or so per week for a period of approximately
18 months.


2. (SBU) Shaykh Jaber had not yet received the package from
the MFA, but said he would study the request. The Minister
reaffirmed the GoK's opposition to opening a new crossing at
Bucca. (Note: Embassy forwarded a copy of the package
separately following Ambassador's meeting. End Note.)



3. (SBU) Embassy will continue to follow up on this request.


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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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JONES