RAISING UNGA GOALS WITH KUWAIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000889 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/RA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019 TAGS: PREL UNGA KU SUBJECT: RAISING UNGA GOALS WITH KUWAIT REF: STATE 90254 Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) Polcouns on September 07 raised USG UNGA goals (reftel) with Jassem Al-Najem, Counselor in MFA's International Organizations Department, stressing USG interest in transending the North-South divide, bolstering non-proliferation regimes, encouraging support for peacekeeping, Middle East peace, and Afghanistan/Pakistan stability, advancing human rights, and improving UN management. Polcouns also noted USG interest in opposing redundant resolutions, including those containing one-sided criticisms of Israel. Al-Najem, newly returned to MFA after a five-year posting at UN headquarters, expressed overall support for USG goals, but anticipated that the traditional plethora of criticisms of Israel will continue, "since that's all the Syrians and Palestinians believe they have" to keep their interests on the international radar screen. ¶2. (C) Al-Najem said Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Al Sabah's address to the UNGA will focus on Middle East peace, noting -- among other items -- contributions to the Palestinian Authority; the speech will also note Israel's lack of progress on halting settlements. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES