KUWAIT PREPARED TO JOIN ASSISTANCE PACKAGE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000922 SIPDIS ///// 2ND C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - DECL DATE & SIGNATURE ///// NEA/ARP, EUR/RUS FOR SZPILA E.O. 12958: DECL: 26 AUG 2018 TAGS: PREL RS GG KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT PREPARED TO JOIN ASSISTANCE PACKAGE FOR GEORGIA REF: A. A) STATE 89769 ¶B. B) STATE 90978 ¶C. C) STATE 90980 Classified By: Ambassador Deborah K. Jones for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) POLCOUNS on August 25 discussed with Muteb Almutoteh, First Secretary of MFA's Europe Department, USG points raised reftels regarding Russian intransigence in Georgia and, in particular, concerns that Russia may be poised to recognize the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. POLCOUNS shared with Almutoteh a non-paper drawn from reftels and urged Kuwait to seek opportunities to express its opposition to Russian behavior in appropriate international and multinational fora and to consider providing concrete assistance to reconstruction and development in Georgia. ¶2. (C) In his response, Almutoteh (who is soon to depart as the GOK's new Ambassador to South Korea) expressed sympathy with the Georgian plight and concern over Russian aggressiveness and noted that the GOK, as a matter of general principle, opposes border changes or assaults on the integrity of any sovereign state. Almutoteh said the GOK would certainly support an international assistance program intended to help Georgia, but he could not promise that Kuwait would publicly condemn Russian behavior. Such a decision would only be made by senior MFA officials after consideration of USG points and after weighing the GOK's present relationship with Russia. (Note: Kuwait's Amir only returned two days ago from an extended holiday and we have seen no public statements regarding the conflict or the argument for either side. Privately, a number of GOK officials have suggested that the Georgians may have foolishly provoked the Russian bear. End Note). ¶3. (U) No matter the official position, Kuwaitis are sympathetic on a personal level. The Georgian DCM here requested Embassy to help resolve the issue of a Georgian student (son of a fencing instructor here) who "could no longer continue" his studies at the Russian school in Kuwait. Upon Embassy's request, the Kuwaiti owner of the "American School of Kuwait" admitted the student and waived his tuition. ¶4. (C) Comment: As a small state far from the Caucasus, Kuwait is unlikely to take a proactive stance on this issue but, as Almutoteh indicated, would provide at least token support for an assistance package. 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