GOK BUDGET TRANSPARENCY

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000310 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/IFD/OMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PREL KU SUBJECT: GOK BUDGET TRANSPARENCY REF: SECSTATE 28885 ¶1. (U) This cable contains information on GOK budget transparency, per reftel. ¶2. (SBU) The GOK is not expected to receive U.S. foreign assistance using FY 2009 funds. The DOS annually applies for IMET assistance for Kuwait. The assistance is barred every year due to a longstanding dispute between Kuwait's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the City of New York over unpaid parking tickets. There is no indication that the situation will change in 2009. ¶3. (U) The GOK's budget is publicly available. ¶4. (U) The GOK makes public both budget income and budget expenditures. ¶5. (SBU) Post assesses the GOK's declarations about the national budget to be accurate. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES