KUWAIT IMPLEMENTING UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000632 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, ISN/CPI, IO, T E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KN KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT IMPLEMENTING UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION (UNSCR) 1874 REF: SECSTATE 65483 ¶1. (SBU) Econcouns met with MFA Asia Department Counselor (number 2) Rashed Al-Hajri on June 25 to seek GoK cooperation in enforcing the terms of UNSCR 1874. Al-Hajri stated, unequivocally, that Kuwait understood its responsibility under UNSCRs and would abide by them fully, adding that "UNSCRs saved Kuwait" (during the Iraqi invasion). He added that the GoK had requested that North Korea cooperate with UNSCRs and to return to the 6-party talks. (Note: He did not give a time frame for these requests. End note.) ¶2. (SBU) Al-Hajri continued by saying that Kuwait's political and economic ties with North Korea were "not strong." The GoK does not have an embassy in Pyongyang and covers North Korea from its embassy in Beijing. He acknowledged that there are "some" North Korean laborers in Kuwait's construction sector, but declined to be drawn into numbers. (Note: According to Kuwaiti trade data, Kuwait imported around $500,000 in goods from North Korea in 2006, the last year data was available and had no non-oil exports. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has two ongoing assistance programs in North Korea: a renovation/modernization of Pyongyang's water supply and drainage system and a wastewater project. North Korea has an Embassy in Kuwait. End Note.) ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES