KUWAIT NON-COMMITTAL ON AFGHAN ARMY EXPANSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000993 SIPDIS NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018 TAGS: PREL MASS MARR AF KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT NON-COMMITTAL ON AFGHAN ARMY EXPANSION REF: A. A) STATE 93225 ¶B. B) STATE 98061 Classified By: Political Counselor Peter O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b an d d ¶1. (C) POLCOUNS on September 15 delivered points raised reftels seeking Kuwaiti support to sustain and expand the Afghan National Army with Ambassador Khaled Mohammed Al-Muqamis, director of MFA's Follow-up and Coordination Department. Per ref B, POLCOUNS also put forward USG request for KUWAIT to provide USD 20 million per year from 2010 through 2014 in additional funding for sustainment of the expanded Afghan National Army. ¶2. (C) Muqames provided only a non-committal response, noting that Kuwaiti support in Afghanistan has been directed to civilian infrastructural development. He offered no views on the wisdom of expanding the Afghan Army. He agreed, however, to pass our request for support up his chain of command. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * MISENHEIMER