GOK CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE DEMARCHE,

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000043 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV KU SUBJECT: GOK CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE DEMARCHE, COPENHAGEN ACCORD REF: REF: STATE 3079 ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request; see Paragraph 4. ¶2. (SBU) On January 21, A/DCM met with Salem Al-Shebli, First Secretary in the Legal Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urge the GoK to associate itself with the Copenhagen Accord. Al-Shebli accompanied Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah to the 2009 Copenhagen Summit and is responsible for coordinating Kuwait's position. ¶3. (SBU) Al-Shebli stressed that Kuwait views efforts to prevent climate change as a global responsibility, but expressed confusion about the status of the accord and the amount of consensus behind it. Acknowledging that Sheikh Nasser had joined consensus in Copenhagen recognizing the accord, he still stressed that the GoK would need to consult, first internally, then with GCC member states before associating itself with the accord. He explained that he had called a meeting of the GoK's climate change committee and committed to discussing this with them. He also asked how many other countries had associated themselves with the accord. ¶4. (SBU) Action request: Post will be following up with other GoK officials to pursue Kuwait's association with the Copenhagen Accord. Post would appreciate any information we can share about other countries association with the agreement, especially any information we can share about GCC positions. End action request. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES