KUWAIT NATIONAL SECURITY BUREAU HAPPY WITH REVISED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000960

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, S/CT KURSCH, S/CIEA
ENERGY FOR GINA ERICKSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2019
TAGS: ENGR EPET PTER KCIP ECON KU
SUBJECT: KUWAIT NATIONAL SECURITY BUREAU HAPPY WITH REVISED
MOU

REF: A. STATE 97430

B. KUWAIT 624

C. KUWAIT 541

D. KUWAIT 32

E. 08 STATE 126863

Classified By: Economic Counselor Oliver B. John for reasons: 1.4 (b an
d d).


1. (C) DCM and Econcouns met with Kuwait National Security
Bureau Vice President Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al
Sabah and his team on October 5, to discuss a USG revised
draft Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection MOU (ref a).
DCM emphasized the joint interest in cooperation ) and in
looking at substance rather than getting bogged down in
process ) hence the desire to move forward with the Joint
Working Group (JWG). Thamer agreed. Econcouns walked
through the revised document with Sheikh Thamer, highlighting
the proposed changes to Section 8, noting that "each
participant is to be responsible for the costs of its
participation in the Joint Working Group," and that "specific
work in furtherance" of the MOU and "payment of costs are to
be addressed in specific project agreements." Both DCM and
Econcouns stressed that the Kuwaitis would be expected to
cover costs for any projects undertaken under the MOU.


2. (C) Sheikh Thamer responded extremely positively, saying
that the changes to ArQcle 8 met his concerns perfectly and
that, based on his quick read -- and if it were solely up to
him -- he would be happy to sign the document immediately.
The NSB will staff the revised MOU through the GoK and
respond officially once it has been fully reviewed. Sheikh
Thamer stated that existing USG-GoK cooperation had been very
beneficial, noting that "174 points" of concern listed in the
March 2007 USG CEIP assessment gave him the ammunition he
needed to start focusing Kuwaitis on the need to protect
infrastructure and to create the Higher Coordination
Committee. He also took credit for the September 28 to
October 2 NATO CEIP assessment visit as a way to show NATO
member states what Kuwait was (and wasn't) doing to protect
its oil infrastructure.


3. (C) Comment and action request: Post believes that the
revised MOU addresses the concerns of both parties and is
very encouraged by Sheikh Thamer's positive response. He
will still need to convince the GoK as a whole to agree to
the MOU, which could take some time, but removing the payment
clause for setting up the IWG should facilitate this process.
From a national security perspective it makes sense for the
USG to help the Kuwaitis take the steps they need to take to
protect their oil infrastructure from terrorist attack. From
an economic/commercial perspective, our cooperation is more
likely to pay dividends to U.S. companies than if the
Kuwaitis seek elsewhere for their advice. We will be
following-up to move the process forward and would appreciate
Departmental guidance on who should sign for the USG if the
GoK agrees to the revised language. End Comment and action
request.

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it
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JONES