KUWAITI SECURITY DIALOGUE PARTICIPATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001130 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, PM FOR PETRONE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KU SUBJECT: KUWAITI SECURITY DIALOGUE PARTICIPATION REF: STATE 112900 Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (U) The responses below are keyed to reftel questions. ¶2. (U) The United States and Kuwait participate bilaterally in two established dialogues: The Gulf Security Dialogue (GSD) and the Joint Military Commission (JMC). Details on these dialogues are provided below. Gulf Security Dialogue (GSD) -------------- ¶3. (C) The 2006 genesis of the GSD was to affirm for Kuwait USG commitment to gulf security and recognize Kuwait's unique contribution to OIF as well as growing security concerns relevant to Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. GSD discussions were intended to focus on the six pillars of enhanced defense cooperation: enhanced defensive capabilities and cooperation, regional security, critical infrastructure protection, counter-terrorism and internal security, counter-proliferation, and developing a shared assessment on Iraq. Due to evolving conditions in the region, there is some sense that some pillars may need to be updated or refocused. -- Participants. Participants in the 2006 discussion included then DOS Acting Assistant Secretary, DOD Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Ambassador (or CDA),OMCK Chief, DIA, NSA, and political and economic officers. Participants on the Kuwaiti side included the Director and Deputy Director of the National Security Bureau (NSB) and officials from MFA, MOI (including Kuwait State Security),Oil Ministry, and KMOD. -- Occurrences. In a joint statement issued May 22, 2007, the two sides agreed to meet every six months in alternating capitals. As it has turned out, however, the GOK has hosted all three GSDs, which took place May 2006, June 2007, and March 2008. Efforts to schedule subsequent GSDs -- and to hold one in Washington -- have been derailed by scheduling issues and the non-availability of key officials from relevant offices. -- Utility. The 2006 and 2007 GSDs were widely viewed as productive and worthwhile. Apparently piqued by USG insistence on holding the March 2008 GSD again in Kuwait, then-NSB director Shaykh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al Sabah (now Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs) failed to show. In lieu of the director, his deputy Shaykh Thamer Al Sabah led the discussion and proved a limited interlocutor. GOK officials responded positively to subsequent USG overtures to restart the process and were disappointed when these failed to come to fruition. Overall, Post deems the GSD dialogue useful -- provided that it engages key decision makers -- and believes it warrants an enhanced commitment to firm dates, reciprocal venues, and a more focused agenda. Joint Military Commission (JMC) -------------- ¶4. (C) The JMC, the highest bilateral military meeting, was established in connection with the 1991 implementation of the USG/GOK Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA). -- Occurrences. The JMC is notionally expected to occur every 2 years in rotating capitals but, due to scheduling conflicts, has in reality taken place approximately every third year. The last JMC took place spring 2007; the next JMC is tentatively scheduled to take place in Washington in January 2010. --On the Kuwait side, the JMC is theoretically meant to be led by the "Top 4" (MinDef, Mindef Undersecretary, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff). However, levels of participation have eroded over time and the Kuwaitis planned to send the KMOD J3 (Director of Operations) as their lead official to the -- subsequently scrapped -- October 2009 JMC. OMCKQhief Brig Gen Touhill has pushed KMOD hard to have its presumptive Chief of Staff lead the Kuwaiti side in January 2010, but was told on December 1 that Major General Al-Othman, KJ3, will lead the delegation. -- Utility. As a whole, both Kuwaiti and US military participants deem these meetings useful in providing a forum for discussing bilateral mil-mil issues. With the wind-down of OIF, the desired U.S. military-related footprint and KUWAIT 00001130 002 OF 002 operational activity in Kuwait, the permissiveness of the operating environment, and the degree to which Kuwait will continue to provide AIK and other support for our activities here (perhaps to include GOK desire to revisit or more clearly define aspects of the DCA) are all on the table and can appropriately be addressed at the operational level via the JMC as a precursor to higher-level political engagement. Thus, the upcoming JMC may be particularly significant. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* WILLIAMS