KUWAIT MFA DOWNBEAT ON P.A. CORRUPTION, UPBEAT ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000215 SIPDIS NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KU IZ SUBJECT: KUWAIT MFA DOWNBEAT ON P.A. CORRUPTION, UPBEAT ON RELATION WITH IRAQ REF: A. KUWAIT 000177 ¶B. KUWAIT 000109 ¶C. 2008 KUWAIT 000639 Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and d Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Summary: During a March 3 meeting with the Ambassador, MFA Undersecretary Khalid Al-Jarallah expressed satisfaction with the outcome of a Riyadh-hosted GCC donors meeting on Gaza and optimism about the progress of a separate donors meeting on Gaza in Sharm Al-Sheikh, while noting concern about the probity of some Palestinian Authority officials. Al-Jarallah also underscored the successes arising from FM Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah,s recent efforts, characterized by extensive shuttle diplomacy in the region, to patch up differences that arose during the Kuwait-hosted January Arab Economic Summit. U/S Al-Jarallah noted that the FM,s February 26 visit to Baghdad characterized the "new spirit" in Kuwait-Iraq relations and expressed strong interest in noting more about USG plans to draw down troops there.. Al-Jarallah was circumspect about Kuwait,s parliamentary crisis, an attitude that reflects the genuine confusion of our Kuwaiti interlocutors over the Amir,s intentions regarding a parliamentary dissolution. Septels will convey insights from other GOK contacts on current developments relating to Syria's evolving contacts with KSA and the Gulf states. End Summary. -------------- GCC Riyadh Meeting -------------- ¶2. (C) Raising the subject of a Riyadh-hosted meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers and Treasury Ministers from February 22-28, Al-Jarallah characterized the session as "productive and very successful." The various countries, he noted, pledged nearly $5.2 billion in assistance to be administered by an office to be established in Gaza and managed by "people from the area, Jordanians and Palestinians." Al-Jarallah said the GCC states deliberately channeled the money through a mix of international and regional funds to ensure no manipulation or graft on the part of the Palestinian leadership on either side, which was a "good thing" because nobody trusted that leadership to distribute the funds honestly. The Ambassador, in response, reasserted our interest in strengthening the Palestinian Authority's leadership through this support but Al-Jarallah was unmoved. "Unfortunately," he repeated, "there's no confidence in the Palestinian Authority's ability to distribute it effectively and efficiently." Al-Jarallah underscored Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal,s admonition (perhaps obliquely to both Israelis and Hamas militants) that the GCC could not afford to build up Gaza only to have the Israelis destroy it. -------------- Arab League Reconciliation Efforts Continue -------------- ¶3. (C) Al-Jarallah said Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah had been traveling almost non-stop over the past several weeks, continuing the mediating role he'd undertaken following the fractious January 19-20 Arab League Economic Summit. Al-Jarallah remarked that the effort had yielded some progress, with the Saudis, Syrians and Qataris largely reconciled and Syria seeking a summit with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, he noted, the Palestinian factions had established a joint committee in Cairo and everyone was hopeful that things finally were on the right track. -------------- Sharm Al-Sheikh -------------- ¶4. (C) Al-Jarallah offered his perception that things were going well at Sharm Al-Sheikh's Gaza Strip donor conference, although the wild card remained the composition of Israel's new government and how it would deal with the Palestinians. -------------- Iraq -------------- KUWAIT 00000215 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Al-Jarallah sought more detail from the Ambassador regarding the timeframe and mechanics of the proposed US drawdown from Iraq, in light of recent POTUS remarks. The Ambassador raised potential logistical requirements as our focus shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan but noted we had no specifics as yet. -------------- Kuwaiti Foreign Minister's Visit to Baghdad -------------- ¶6. (C) Commenting on the February 26 visit to Baghdad by Kuwait's Foreign Affairs Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah (Reftel A),Al-Jarallah said the visit had been short but very good; the symbolism was particularly satisfying, by which he meant the FM's arrival in the Iraqi capital on Liberation Day (the anniversary of Kuwait's 1991 liberation from Iraqi forces). There was a good turnout, he noted, for the reception hosted by Kuwait's Ambassador, Ali Al-Moumin (nearly 500 guests) and committees were formed to address the outstanding problems between the two countries, in partial preparation for the Kuwaiti PM's anticipated visit in late March. Al-Jarallah said there was clearly a new spirit in the bilateral dialogue; both President Talabani and FM Zebari seemed particularly inclined toward improving relations. In response to the Ambassador's question regarding the final settlement of the Kuwait Airways claims (Reftel B and C), Al-Jarallah said somewhat obliquely that an Iraqi team would soon visit Kuwait Airways headquarters to work out the final details. -------------- Parliamentary Shenanigans -------------- ¶7. (C) Al-Jarallah refused to be drawn out on the growing crescendo of calls for the PM to be grilled and/or Parliament to be dissolved other than to state that the National Assembly "is the problem; they have gone beyond all norms of polite behavior." The Ambassador noted that this ongoing political circus led to political paralysis when it came to addressing real issues involving the economy and legislation related to TIP, CT and IPR. "Unfortunately," Al-Jarallah said, "we are used to this." Nonetheless he offered his view that the Amir would act constitutionally in any scenario that plays out. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Al-Jarallah's comments on Iraq mirror the mounting references in the Kuwaiti press to plans being discussed with Turkey and Jordan for the withdrawal of US troops and equipment from Iraq which has naturally led to curiosity on the part of our steadfast allies here about Kuwait's eventual role in the U.S. withdrawal. Bearing in mind that Kuwait is a sovereign state--the 1991 liberation by the U.S. notwithstanding--it would be useful to share with them even in general terms the outlines of our broader planning for redeployment. In regards to Al-Jarallah's comment on the parliamentary crisis, he was not being deliberately coy: the reality is that all our Kuwaiti interlocuters are equally uncertain of the Amir's intentions and next steps. End Comment. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES