US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT3826

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003826 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS AND THEROUX 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: END OF VISIT 
TAGS: PREL, OVIP, KU 
SUBJECT: (C) KUWAITI PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON, 
D.C. 
 
 
Classified By: CDA FRANK C. URBANCIC; FOR REASON 1.5 (A) 
 
 1.  (C) Kuwait Prime Ministerial Counselor Shaykh Fawaz Saud 
Nasser Al-Sabah told Charge August 20 that the GoK has just 
now begun to nail down details on the visit of Prime Minister 
Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Washington. 
Delegation will likely consist of the following: 
 
Prime Minister 
HH Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah 
 
Minister of Energy (Oil, Electricity, Water) 
HE Shaykh Ahmed Fahed al-Ahmed Al-Sabah 
 
Minister of Information 
HE Mohammad Abdullah Abulhasan 
 
Minister of Commerce and Industry 
HE Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al-Taweel 
 
Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs 
HE Khalid Jarallah 
 
Director of the Office of the Prime Minister 
Ambassador Ahmad Al-Fahad 
 
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior 
General Abdullah Al-Faris 
 
Counselor in the Office of the Prime Minister 
Shaykh Fawaz Saud Nasser Al-Sabah 
 
Counselor in the Office of the Prime Minister 
Mazin Al-Essa 
 
2.  (C)  Charge emphasized that the US hoped to use the 
occasion of the Prime Minister's visit to advance a number of 
initiatives in the economic and political relationship.  He 
suggested that, upon learning the likely composition of the 
delegation, the US might propose separate meetings in these 
areas for key members of the delegation.  Fawaz took this on 
board, and replied that the delegation would be pleased to 
engage.  He requested that the US provide a list of proposed 
side meetings and topics as early as possible to allow the 
Kuwaiti side to prepare.  Charge agreed to pass on this 
request. 
 
3.  (C)  On timing, Fawaz said the GoK intended to announce 
the visit after the regular cabinet meeting Sunday morning, 
August 24.  Charge asked Fawaz to defer this plan until he 
had had a chance to confer with Washington.  He said the US 
preferred a simultaneous announcement which, given the 
different weekend schedules in the US and Kuwait, would 
likely mean announcement on Monday, August 25.  In any case, 
there was time to nail this down before either date.  Charge 
promised to get back to Fawaz with the US preference by 
Kuwaiti OOB Saturday, August 23. 
 
4.  (C) Action request:  Please advise US preferences on 
simultaneous announcement, as well as proposed side meetings 
for select members of the delegation and topics to be 
discussed. 
URBANCIC