ISLAMIST MP CHECKS PM IN ATTEMPT TO BRING DOWN THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001055

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, NEA/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KU
SUBJECT: ISLAMIST MP CHECKS PM IN ATTEMPT TO BRING DOWN THE
GOK

REF: A. KUWAIT 214

B. KUWAIT 255

Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and
d


1. (C) Islamist MP Faisal Al-Mislim announced November 4 his
intention to interpellate Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser
Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al Sabah over the PM's office expenditures,
alleging payoffs by the latter to various MPs. Al-Mislim has
long targeted the PM's office for financial irregularities
(ref A) and his calls to grill the PM over this issue
contributed heavily to the Amir's decision to dissolve the
last parliament in March (ref B). Since then, Al-Mislim has
maintained that he has proof of such activities. Al-Mislim,
with backing from his newly reconstituted Reform and
Development Bloc, submitted a copy of a check from the PM to
a payee whom he identified as a former MP (name marked out)
in the amount of KD 200,000 (USD 700,000). Though he stopped
short of accusing the PM of bribery, Al-Mislim demanded that
the PM shed light on the identity of the recipient and
respond to all allegations of misappropriations of public
funds.


2. (C) Flash reports from the press and embassy contacts
indicate that through his lawyer, Emad Al-Seif, the PM will
sue Al-Mislim and officials at Burgan Bank who released the
copy of the check, alleging that the check was personal and
therefore not subject to review when auditing the PM Diwan's
accounting.


3. (C) In separate November 5 conversations, liberal MP Ali
Al-Rashed and Islamist constitutional lawyer Dr. Mohammed
Al-Mqate relayed to poloff their suspicions that the Amir's
son, Shaykh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al Sabah, seeking the PM's
seat for himself, has become allied with Islamist MPs --
including Al-Mislim -- to force the removal of the PM.


4. (C) Comment. With the October 27 resumption of the
National Assembly comes the usual flow of interpellation
threats, allegations and rumors. Speaker of Parliament
Jassem Al-Khorafi told Ambassador November 5 that his first
order of business was to establish some sort of discipline
and sense of purpose in parliament, in part by persuading the
Amir and PM that the government ministers, including the PM,
should be prepared to respond transparently and
comprehensively to allegations by MP's, rather than 'going
back to square one' by dissolving parliament. Meanwhile, for
the 10th year in a row, Kuwait is projected to have a budget
surplus which could reach approximately $17-20 bn. This,
combined with the relatively moderate to mild impact of the
global financial crisis on Kuwait's generous social welfare
state has allowed Kuwait's political class to continue to
fiddle and squawk while ignoring the future consequences of
unfinished and much needed legislative business. End
comment.

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visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

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JONES