US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT3969

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR NEA/NGA AND NEA/ARP 
CA FOR CA/VO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, CVIS, KU, IZ 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT NO LONGER WILL PERMIT ENTRY OF IRAQIS 
WITHOUT VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENTS 
 
1.   On August 26, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. 
   Mohammed al-Sabah told Charge that Kuwait would no longer 
   permit the entry of Iraqis who do not have valid travel 
   documents. Kuwaiti law requires that all aliens entering the 
   country have valid passports.  In recent weeks, several USG 
   sponsored Iraqi travelers transiting Kuwait enroute to the 
   United States have not had valid passports.  The Kuwaitis 
   authorized entry in those cases, but with obvious and 
   increasing discomfort. 
 
2.   The Charge informed a Ministry representative today 
   that the Coalition Provisional Authority does not issue 
   travel documents at this time. He asked whether the ban on 
   entry by Iraqis without valid travel documents applied to 
   members of the Iraqi Governing Council (GC), noting that two 
   GC members wish to enter Kuwait in mid-September enroute to 
   a conference in Washington and do not have valid passports. 
   The Ministry representative requested the names and agreed 
   to look into the matter. 
 
3.   COMMENT. Kuwait's decision to no longer permit entry of 
   Iraqis without valid travel documents is the most recent 
   manifestation of the country's concern about the security of 
   its borders and the integrity of its customs and immigration 
   procedures vis--vis Iraq. We will report the Ministry's 
   response concerning GC members without travel documents as 
   soon as it is received. END COMMENT. 
 
URBANCIC