US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT4467

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 004467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
CINCCENT FOR CCPA 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION SEPTEMBER 28-29: 
IRAQ, CPA ADMINISTRATOR PAUL BREMER 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  MEDIA REPORTS OF A STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO CPA 
ADMINISTRATOR PAUL BREMER THAT KUWAIT SHOULD RECONSIDER 
SEEKING COMPENSATION FROM IRAQ FOR THE 1990-1991 IRAQI 
OCCUPATION HAVE SPARKED A FUROR IN THE KUWAITI PRESS OVER 
THE PAST TWO DAYS.  AT LEAST 15 EDITORIALS LAMBAST BREMER 
AND THE US ON THE ISSUE, WHILE OVER A DOZEN MEMBERS OF THE 
KUWAITI PARLIAMENT HAVE GONE ON RECORD DENOUNCING THE 
ALLEGED COMMENTS. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. Sample Headlines September 28: 
--Al-Anba:  "MPs and Politicians Reject Dropping 
Compensation." 
--Al-Seyassa: "Members of Parliament warn the Government 
against complying with Washington's Request to Drop the 
Compensations." 
--Al-Qabas: "Kuwait:  There is an International Resolution 
and the Issue is non-Negotiable." 
--Al-Watan: "Bremer to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia:  "You've had 
enough compensations." "Angry Members of Parliament to the 
Government: Don't you ever Relinquish the Compensations." 
 
Sample Headlines September 29: 
--Al-Anba:  "Citizens: We will not Relinquish our 
Compensations and Cabinet Discusses Bremer's Remarks.  Poll 
Shows Overwhelming Popular Rejection of Bremer's Request." 
--Al-Watan:  "Families of Martyred POWs:  Do We Relinquish 
our Rights after Thirteen Years of Torture?"  "Citizens:  We 
Will Not Relinquish our Rights, The Losses are Grave and the 
Wound has not Healed." 
 
3.  News Stories: 
 
Fifteen Members of Parliament expressed strong rejection of 
Bremer's statements.  MP Naser Al-Sanea argued that "Kuwait 
will never be a milking cow."  MP Dr. Deifallah Buramiya 
stated that "if Bremer is so sympathetic about the (Iraqi) 
GDP, then he must call for dropping all debts owed by poor 
countries to the United States."  Other MPs who opposed 
Bremer's calls for dropping compensation claims are MP 
Abdulla Okash, MP Mekhled Al-Azmi, MP Hussein Muzeid Al- 
Mutairi, MP Mohammed Al-Fejji,, MP Ghanem Al-Mea, MP Fahd Al- 
Khanna, MP Dr. Yousef Al-Zalzala, MP Badr Sheikhan Al-Farsi, 
MP Dr. Waleed Al-Tabtabae, MP Dr. Khaled Al-Adwa, and MP Dr. 
Musallam Al-Barrak. 
 
Al-Rai Al-Aam (9/28) quoted informed sources at the Public 
Commission for Compensations saying that talking about 
dropping the compensations is "unacceptable" and argued that 
the UN has undertaken just measures to compensate those who 
suffered as a result of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. 
 
Al-Rai Al-Aam reported (9/28) quoted Minister of 
Information, Mohammed Abul Hasan's response to Bremer's 
remarks upon his return from the United States:  "This issue 
was not discussed in New York because it is non-negotiable 
in the Security Council.  The Security Council has said its 
word and has since referred this matter to the UNCC in 
Geneva. The committee has approved funds, not only for 
Kuwait, but also for approximately 44 other countries who 
sustained losses."  "It is not easy to ask countries to give 
up their claims, such claims belong to individuals, not 
countries..  In the case of government (claims), this is up 
to the Security Council which must convene at the request of 
countries that have incurred losses.  No single country can 
be the exception to the rule; instead, there must be a 
decision from all countries who are still awaiting their 
claims.This is not an easy process.  There are hopes and 
there is understanding on the part of some countries but 
turning this matter into a resolution is not in the upcoming 
future." 
 
Al-Seyassa reported (9/28) that senior level diplomatic 
sources said Bremer's comments contradicted statements 
issued by Ahmed Chalabi during his recent visit to Kuwait. 
According to the sources, Chalabi reiterated Iraq's 
commitment to UNSC resolutions, especially those pertaining 
to compensation claims, POWs, sovereignty, and Kuwaiti-Iraqi 
borders. 
 
Al-Seyassa reported (9/29) that upon his return next week, 
Prime Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed, will discuss the 
issue of Kuwaiti compensation claims with National Assembly 
Speaker, Jassim Al-Khorafi, in light of recent statement 
issued by Amb. Bremer. 
 
Al-Watan (9/29) criticized lack of an official government 
response to Bremer's statements for the second consecutive 
day. 
 
All newspapers (9/29) published interviews with citizens, 
families of the martyrs and POWs and with prominent Kuwait 
figures all strongly refusing the idea of dropping 
compensation claims and ardently denouncing Amb. Bremer for 
his request. 
 
Al-Anba (9/29) published a poll which surveyed the opinion 
of 1000 Kuwaitis.  Some citizens recommended calling in the 
American Ambassador and handing him a memorandum of protest. 
--48% expressed astonishment and shock at Bremer's request. 
--59.8% said Bremer made this request because he knew Kuwait 
would agree. 
--55.8% said Bremer's request will not be implemented under 
U.S. pressure, 40.3% said it will. 
--64.8% believed Kuwait should reexamine the way it is 
dealing with Iraq. 
 
Editorials: 
 
4.  "What Nonsense!" 
Arabic daily Al-Anba's opening editorial opined (9/28): 
"What right does Bremer have to call on Kuwait to relinquish 
its rights?....  What about other resolutions on similar 
issues?  What if the Iraqi governing council gets 
dissatisfied with the demarcation of the border, will 
Bremer...also ask us to relinquish this right?  Will he 
whisper to the American Administration that our POWs do not 
exist?....  Accepting such scorn for international 
resolutions issued in Kuwait's favor is rejected and 
unacceptable because compensations are part of Iraq's 
acknowledgement of the invasion of Kuwait.  Any violation or 
amendment of any of these resolutions is a clear violation 
of International laws." 
 
5.  "Et Tu Bremmer?" 
Conservative Islamist MP, Dr. Waleed Al-Tabtabie, wrote in 
independent Al-Watan (9/28):  "It seems that the curse of 
Iraqi rulers has been passed on to Paul Bremer....  We fear 
that this slight bout of insanity would continue with 
Governor Bremer to the extent that he starts calling for 
annexing Kuwait to greater Iraq....  Mr. Bremer.please 
remember that prior to invading Kuwait, Saddam also said 
that Kuwait must drop the debts owed by Iraq.  These same 
claims are now being repeated by Bremer also in his capacity 
as Iraq's governing authority....  Iraq's ousted leader had 
met Kuwait's support during the Iraq-Iran war with 
ingratitude and Bremer is doing the same thing today against 
Kuwait....  Is this our reward?.  Where are Bremer's 
statements in relation to President Bush's words thanking 
the Kuwaiti people and telling them that if it wasn't for 
Kuwait, there would have been no victory in this war?" 
 
6.  "We Say No to America" 
Liberal Secretary-General of the Kuwait Journalists 
Association, Faisal Al-Qanaie, wrote in independent Al- 
Seyassa (9/29):  "It seems that Bremer wants to divert 
attention away from his serious failure in returning normal 
life to Iraq....  Bremer showed sly and bad intentions when 
he drew a comparison between Iraqi and Kuwaiti GDPs.  It is 
as if he was inciting sedition and hatred among the 
countries of the region, similar to what Saddam did before 
him....  We fear that Bremer's action may lead to a rift in 
U.S.-Kuwaiti relations.  We also fear that America may lose 
its status among Kuwaitis and it is not in America's 
interests to lose its friends in Kuwait." 
 
7. "Shame on You Bremer" 
Abdul-Rahman Al-Ajmi wrote in independent Al-Seyassa (9/29): 
"Did Bremer get prior permission from the American 
Administration, specifically from State Department, to issue 
these statements?  How could these statements correlate with 
Secretary Powell's description of Kuwait as a `strategic 
 
SIPDIS 
partner'?...  Mr. Bremer angered the Kuwaiti Street and he 
deserves to be told `Shame on you Bremer.'  We hope that the 
American Ambassador in Kuwait would convey to Washington the 
Kuwaiti discontent caused by Bremer's remarks." 
 
8."Generosity from Other's Pockets" 
Liberal Media Advisor to the Prime Minister, Sami Al-Nesf, 
wrote in independent Al-Anba (9/29):  "What is more 
astonishing about Bremer's remarks are his justifications. 
Comparing GDP as a legitimate reason for signing off debts 
also means dropping off the debts owed by Asian, Eastern 
European, and South American, and poor African countries to 
the wealthy United States....  Kuwait has offered assistance 
to the Iraqi people for the past 50 years without 
emphasizing this favor...Those who voluntarily undertake 
such acts cannot be accused of giving precedence to money 
over humanitarian principles, as Bremer tried to imply." 
 
JONES