US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT4682

S E C R E T KUWAIT 004682 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR E:U/S LARSON 
STATE FOR NEA:RRAPHEL, NEA/FO, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP 
SECDEF FOR COMPTROLLER ZAKHEIM 
TREASURY FOR U/S TAYLOR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2013 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, IZ, SA, KU 
SUBJECT: (C) IRAQ:  GOK SAYS SAUDIS RELUCTANT TO COMMIT 
SPECIFIC FUNDING AT MADRID 
 
Classified By: AMB. RICHARD H. JONES; REASON 1.5 (B, D) 
 
1.  (S) SUMMARY:  GOK insider confides that Saudi Arabia is 
reluctant to commit specific funding for Iraq at the Madrid 
conference.  Kuwaiti PM and FM intend to revisit the issue 
with Saudi counterparts on the margins of the OIC Summit. 
GOK urges USG to push the Saudis hard in the next few days, 
preferably by direct approach to the Crown Prince from our 
highest levels.  GOK also says major Iraqi tribes (Jabur, 
Dulaimi) that cooperated with Saddam now want to work with 
the USG and desire direct engagement with suitable US 
representative.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) NEA PDAS Larocco called on Shaykh Sabah al-Khalid 
al-Hamad al-Sabah, Chairman of Kuwait's National Security 
Bureau, October 13, during a brief visit to Kuwait.  This 
message reports what Shaykh Sabah al-Khalid (protect 
throughout) had to say about Iraq (other topics septels). 
 
3.  (S) MADRID:  According to Sabah al-Khalid, after the four 
key donor countries in the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, 
and UAE) had agreed to take a joint GCC approach at the 
Madrid donors conference on Iraq, the Saudis became very 
reluctant to commit any specific funding due to the lack of a 
UNSCR and the lack of a legitimate Iraqi leadership.  Prime 
Minister Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah fears that a 
weak GCC pledge of support will be very harmful to the GCC 
and to Iraq.  The Prime Minister personally gave orders, 
after his meeting with President Bush September 10, that the 
GOK fully support the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC).  In an 
"extraordinary gesture" he even met with Ahmad Chalabi in New 
York.  The GOK has met with most other IGC members, hosting 
Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim as recently as October 12.  On the PM's 
instructions, the Kuwaiti delegation to the OIC has given 
full support to the IGC despite pressure from host Malaysia. 
Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah 
departed for Kuala Lumpur last night (October 12), and the 
Prime Minister leaves tonight.  Dr. Mohammed will meet with 
Saudi FM Prince Saud al-Feisal, then the Prime Minister will 
meet with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, who is expected to 
attend the OIC Summit.  (NOTE:  FM Dr. Mohammed is expected 
to represent Kuwait at the Madrid Conference.  END NOTE.) 
 
4.  (S) Sabah al-Khalid urged the USG to push the Saudis very 
hard in the next few days, as the Saudi position will be 
critical for other GCC states.  He advised that the best 
approach would be directly to Crown Prince Abdullah from our 
highest levels. 
 
5.  (C) ENGAGE THE TRIBES:  Sabah al-Khalid said Kuwait was 
very concerned that the US seemed to lack a Sunni policy in 
Iraq.  Major Iraqi tribes, the Dulaimi and Jabur, recently 
contacted the GOK to say they did not understand why the US 
was not working closely with them.  They acknowledged that 
they had supported Saddam, but insisted that had been a 
matter of survival.  They were now more than willing to work 
with the US, and asked that the USG send a suitable 
representative to meet with them as soon as possible.  The 
GOK strongly endorsed this request. 
 
6.  (U) Ambassador Larocco was the source of this message, 
but did not have time to clear the cable itself. 
 
7.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
JONES