EMBASSY ENDORSES ARCENT DU CONTAINERIZATION PLAN

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001153

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MOPPS KU
SUBJECT: EMBASSY ENDORSES ARCENT DU CONTAINERIZATION PLAN

REF: A. KUWAIT 180

B. 2003 MG STRATMAN - COS LTG AL-AMIR LETTER

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


1. (S/NF) Incoming Kuwaiti Armed Forces Chief of Staff LTG
Shaykh Ahmad Al-Khalid Al Sabah has made resolution of the
long-running depleted uranium (DU) round reside issue a top
priority. In several conversations with OMC-K, most recently
on December 9, he has indicated his desire to see the USG
quickly resolve the DU residue issue at the Kuwaiti Udairi
Range Complex -- noting that this issue has lingered since
2003 (ref A) and that the USG had made prior commitments in
this regard which the GoK now seeks to see fulfilled. Shaykh
Ahmad has conveyed that if the matter is not quickly resolved
(within two weeks, by December 25) he will elevate it to the
political leadership here, and has intimated that inaction
could have lasting consequences for the bilateral mil-mil
relationship. Given earlier comments by Kuwait's Defmin to
the Ambassador (also ref A),we believe Shaykh Ahmed will
have a receptive audience should he suggest that inaction on
our part should lead to consequences.


2. (S/NF) Embassy fully understands the complexity of the DU
residue issue and the broader policy ramifications of
establishing a mitigation precedent in this case, as conveyed
most recently by PM A/S Shapiro over lunch during last week's
NEA Chief of Missions conference. However, the case of
Kuwait may be sui generis in that the USG has already
committed to the clean up (ref B, emailed to NEA/ARP).
Consequently what is at issue here is not establishing a
precedent through a new endeavor, but rather following
through on an existing commitment.


3. (S/NF) Embassy understands that ARCENT has put forward a
proposal that would involve containerization of the limited
amount of potentially DU contaminated sand currently stored
on-site in mounds of tarp-covered dirt at the Udairi Range
Complex. Ambassador endorses this proposal and requests that
approval be expedited. Resolving this long-running bilateral
mil-mil irritant will serve the broader US interest by
reinforcing a positive relationship with the new Kuwaiti
Armed Forces leadership, and will also facilitate continuing
host government cooperation in sustaining Kuwait's role as a
vital logistical and operational hub for the US military.

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visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

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JONES