DEMARCHE DELIVERED: RESPONDING TO PAKISTAN'S IDP

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000213 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM PREF PK KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: RESPONDING TO PAKISTAN'S IDP CRISIS REF: SECSTATE 21407 ¶1. (U) EconCouns delivered reftel demarche to Dr. Hamad Bu Rahmah, Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Organizations Department Counselor on March 10. Rahmah was not aware of the UN and ICRC requests but said he would coordinate with the MFA Economic Department on the GoK response. He said GoK humanitarian assistance was normally implemented by the Kuwait Red Crescent Society. (Note: KRCS provided KD 2.3 million (USD 8 million) in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan in 2008. End note.) ¶2. (U) Rahmah said that private charities could fill some of the humanitarian assistance funding gaps. He said Kuwait charities operated broadly in Africa and Asia in the 1980s, but that the increased terror finance scrutiny on charities has made it increasingly difficult for them to operate effectively. While admitting that individual lapses had occurred at some charities on occassion, he said Kuwaiti and other GCC charities operated transparently and were now effectively monitored by their respective governments. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES