DEMARCHE DELIVERED: GOK GOALS FOR ARAB LEAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000888 SIPDIS NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL AL KU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: GOK GOALS FOR ARAB LEAGUE GENERALLY ALIGN WITH THOSE OF USG REF: SECSTATE 92629 Classified By: DCM Tom Williams for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) POLCOUNS on September 07 raised reftel points concerning the upcoming (September 09-10) Arab League Ministerial with MFA Arab World Department Counselor Salah Al-Mutairi. Al-Mutairi, while noting that he had not received much information about the ministerial agenda from his chain of command, said GOK positions were in general alignment with those of the USG. On the Middle East peace process, Mutairi said the GOK considers FATAH/HAMAS reconciliation the most important issue to be resolved before real progress can be made on Middle East peace and is waiting for the government of Egypt to take the lead in promoting that reconciliation. On Iraq, Mutairi said he was sure the Arab League would denounce the recent violence there and voice support for the GOI and its upcoming elections. On Somalia, Mutairi said Kuwait has long been a sympathetic friend of that country and its people and, like the USG, supports the TFG now. ¶2. (C) Al-Mutairi added that he had heard that Libya might call for an Arab League statement on the recent release from the UK of convicted Lockerbie bomber Al-Megrahi. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES