Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUWAIT947
2008-09-05 12:38:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

(S) FOREIGN MINISTER ON PM VISIT: IRAQ, IRAN,

Tags:  PREL PTER CVIS MASS KPAL EAID IR IZ KU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0947/01 2491238
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 051238Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2071
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
S E C R E T KUWAIT 000947 

SIPDIS
NOFORN

FOR NEA/ARP LONNIE KELLEY, NEA/I, NEA/IPA, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER CVIS MASS KPAL EAID IR IZ KU
SUBJECT: (S) FOREIGN MINISTER ON PM VISIT: IRAQ, IRAN,
GTMO, AND VISAS

REF: A. STATE 93939

B. STATE 91327

Classified By: The Ambassador for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

S E C R E T KUWAIT 000947

SIPDIS
NOFORN

FOR NEA/ARP LONNIE KELLEY, NEA/I, NEA/IPA, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER CVIS MASS KPAL EAID IR IZ KU
SUBJECT: (S) FOREIGN MINISTER ON PM VISIT: IRAQ, IRAN,
GTMO, AND VISAS

REF: A. STATE 93939

B. STATE 91327

Classified By: The Ambassador for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: During a September 2 meeting with
Ambassador, Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Sabah al-Salem Al Sabah said
Kuwait's Prime Minister during his September 18-19 visit
expects to raise Kuwaiti's 4 remaining GTMO detainees,
regional security issues, a Free Trade Agreement, and Kuwaiti
student visa and port of entry problems. Ambassador noted we
would honor the deep security relationship, acknowledge
Kuwaiti support for shared regional objectives and seek to
improve our counter terrorism cooperation. End Summary.


2. (C) The Ambassador met at length September 2 with Kuwaiti
Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah prior to the
latter's departure for a Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign
Minister's meeting in Jeddah. The FM told Ambassador that
Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Jaber Al
Sabah would likely raise issues related to regional security,
Kuwait's Guantanamo detainees, counter-terrorism cooperation,
U.S. visa and entry difficulties for Kuwaitis, and a possible
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the U.S. during his September
18-19 visit to the Washington. The Ambassador counseled the
FM to advise the PM to be nuanced in his discussion of a FTA
in the near term stating that there was no possibility of
reaching an agreement at this time.

--------------
Regional Security ) Iran and Iraq
--------------


3. (C) On Iran, the FM said the PM would seek clarification
of the P5 1 Incentives Package for Iran, and particularly its
acknowledgment of a "legitimate" regional security role for
Iran. The FM noted pointedly that no one in the P5 group had
consulted with the GCC states prior to presenting this
formulation, and added that the Secretary's meeting with GCC
representatives and U/S Burns in Abu Dhabi had not provided

sufficient clarity on this point.


4. (C) On Iraq, the FM sought details concerning our ongoing
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) negotiations. Ambassador
acknowledged both sides had been grappling with PM Maliki's
need to assert his nationalist credentials but assured the FM
there would be no sudden withdrawal of all U.S. forces.
(Note: The GOK is following closely reports the GOI is
failing to integrate Sunni "Sahwa" fighters into Iraq's
national security forces. End Note.) The FM reaffirmed that
Kuwait's long-standing ambassadorial nominee, General Ali
Moumin, would present his formal credentials in October, but
expressed concern over Baghdad's lack of reciprocity.
Ambassador noted we had pressed the Iraqis to expedite the
process. The FM added that this foot dragging by the GOI,
combined with "troublesome" statements by GOI officials
regarding Iraq-Kuwait border issues -- including, he said,
"dismissive" remarks by PM Maliki during the latter's April
visit to Kuwait about Iraqi farmers encroaching on Kuwaiti
property: "What's a few meters here or there?" -- combined
with reports of surplus Iraqi oil revenues garnering interest
in New York banks, made it extremely difficult for the GOK to
consider asking its parliament to forgive Iraq's publicly
held debt.


5. (S) In this regard, Ambassador took the opportunity to
brief the FM on the Iraq Security Force Transition Plan and
associated arms sales, noting that the plan's goal was to
strengthen Iraq's counter insurgency capability (ref B). The
FM asked specifically regarding tank numbers but expressed no
objection.

-------------- --------------
Counter-terrorism Cooperation and Guantanamo
-------------- --------------


6. (S/NF) The FM confirmed the PM would raise with Washington
interlocutors Kuwait's four remaining GTMO detainees.
Ambassador noted any transfer of detainees would be difficult
if not impossible given the almost certain involvement of a
former Kuwaiti detainee in a May suicide bombing in Mosul,
despite prior GOK assurances it would monitor and mitigate
any such activity. Ambassador cited a recent episode
illustrative of Kuwait State Security compartmentalization
and stressed the need for greater transparency and timeliness
in our CT cooperation. FM replied there clearly was more
work to be done as he'd heard similar complaints from the
Kuwaiti side regarding inadequate information exchange.



7. (S/NF) Ambassador noted ongoing U.S. concerns about terror
financing, apart from our stated concerns over the Revival of
Islamic Heritage (RIHS) charitable foundation. Ambassador
specifically named Mohammed Al-Dosary as a case in point: We
had drawn to the GOK's attention on various occasions
Al-Dosary's interactions with a known Syrian foreign fighter
facilitator to no apparent avail. Individuals such as
Mubarak Al-Bathali, Hamad Al-Ali and Jaber Al-Jalahmah had
finally been designated by the GOK, but only following the
embarrassment of the Mosul bombing. The FM asserted that the
GOK was indeed attempting to track down Al-Dosary and shared
our concerns. With regard to other designations, the FM
dismissed Al-Bathali as a "crackpot" who obtained unwarranted
notoriety through our designation; he acknowledged the GOK
had engaged conservative members of parliament on the other
two, who clearly had been involved in the financing of
jihadists. Ambassador underscored the importance of the GOK
enacting a strong anti-terror financing law to enable Kuwait
to act effectively against this mutual threat. She
acknowledged parliamentary challenges but stressed the
importance of quick executive branch action and movement of
the current draft law to parliament for a vote.

--------------
Visa complaints
--------------


8. (SBU) The FM said he received "tons of complaints" about
delays in issuing visas and in multi-hour delays at ports of
entry in the U.S. He cited the local belief that Kuwaitis
were being "singled out" for discretionary "pullouts" at
points of entry, suggesting that other Gulf nationals were
not being similarly detained. He remarked that his nephew is
pulled out of line and detained for 2-3 hours every time that
he travels to the U.S. The Ambassador responded by
suggesting that this was a good opportunity for the PM to
follow-up on Department of Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff's March visit to Kuwait, to explore the
possibility of Kuwait's participation in a pre-clearance
"pilot program" for Kuwaiti students.

--------------
Palestinian Support
--------------


9. (SBU) Ambassador thanked the FM for Kuwait's financial
support for the Palestinian Authority, including the recent
USD 80 million disbursement through the World Bank's trust
fund, and encouraged continued Kuwaiti support (ref A). In
response to Ambassador's query, the FM stated that the
remainder of Kuwait's USD 300 million pledge would be
disbursed over 3 years through several mechanisms, including
the World Bank, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social
Development and the Islamic Development Bank.

--------------
Other Issues
--------------


10. (SBU) Ambassador raised ongoing Kuwaiti labor problems
noting that the alleged beatings of protesting expatriate
laborers would be mentioned in the annual U.S. Human Rights
Report. The FM responded that the Bangladeshi Foreign
Minister would be visiting Kuwait the following day for
serious discussions on ways forward on the issue, including
how to proceed against middlemen in the labor procurement
process. Ambassador reiterated our concern that the laborers
be treated humanely and that no national group be singled out
for mass deportations.

********************************************* *
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