US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT4709

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT, E, EB, NEA/ARP 
TREASURY FOR OFAC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, ETTC, KU 
SUBJECT: (U) FRENCH AMBASSADOR HOSTS G8 CTAG MEETING 
 
Classified By: AMB. RICHARD H. JONES; REASON 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION:  The French Ambassador 
hosted a meeting October 13 of embassy representatives of G8 
countries and Switzerland, as part of worldwide consultations 
in preparation for the November 17 second meeting of the 
Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) created during the G8 
Summit in Evian earlier this year.  Consensus of participants 
was that the Kuwaiti political leadership understands the 
need to combat terrorism (including terrorist financing), but 
is less strong on effective follow-through.   END SUMMARY AND 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
2. (C) At the invitation of French Ambassador Claude 
Losguardi, representatives of the local embassies of all G8 
countries and Switzerland met October 13.  Australia would 
have been invited too, but has no embassy in Kuwait.  The 
meeting, which Losguardi chaired, was part of worldwide 
consultations in preparation for the second meeting of the 
Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) created during the G8 
Summit in Evian earlier this year, which is set for November 
17.  Pol Chief attended for the US Embassy; except for 
Russia, all the other countries were represented by their 
Ambassadors. 
 
3.  (C) Losguardi noted that after the November 17 meeting, 
the chair of the CTAG will pass from France to the US.  He 
said the transition is being coordinated closely between 
Paris and Washington. 
 
4.  (C) COUNTER-TERRORISM CONVENTIONS:  Losguardi reviewed 
the status of international conventions against terrorism: 
Kuwait is a party to seven of the twelve.  He cited MFA 
Director of International Organizations Affairs Amb. 
Abdulhamid al-Awadhi as saying Kuwait accepts four of the 
other five, but has concerns about the International 
Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 
due to its definition of terrorism that includes national 
liberation movements.  These concerns are especially strong 
among some members of the National Assembly.  There has been 
no progress on ratification over the summer, but none was 
expected, as the National Assembly was not in session. 
(NOTE:  Kuwait had general elections in July, and the new 
Assembly will convene October 20.  END NOTE.) 
However, Losguardi argued, the GOK is taking actions, even 
unpopular ones, such as removing unauthorized charity kiosks, 
which prompted accusations that the Government was attacking 
one of the pillars of Islam (alms-giving). 
 
5.  (C)  WHERE THERE'S A WILL:  Losguardi invited assessments 
of Kuwait's performance in the war against terrorism.  UK 
Ambassador Christopher Wilton said the political will exists 
at the top, the question is whether the GOK will be 
determined enough to push ahead despite opposition in 
parliament.  Losguardi agreed, noting that two-thirds of 
current MPs are Islamist or tribalist, or both.  He 
recommended continually reminding the GOK of the importance 
of sustained effort against all facets of terrorism.  Several 
participants commented that, as a general matter, the GOK is 
not known for strong bureaucratic follow-through, especially 
on technically complex matters (money-laundering, e.g.).  The 
Russian representative remarked that when Russia closed down 
branches of major Kuwaiti Islamic charities (Revival of 
Islamic Heritage Society and Social Reform Society), the GOK 
kept asking for proof of wrong-doing but did not seem keen on 
seeking proof.  He added that sharing evidence could be 
problematic, as much of it comes from intelligence sources. 
 
6. (C)  BORDER SECURITY:  Turning to border security, Wilton 
said the Kuwaitis have good physical security, awareness and 
staffing on the border with Iraq; the other side of that 
border is more problematic, and the Saudi border is "porous." 
 In relation to Saudi Arabia, Losguardi remarked that a 
visiting member of the Iraqi Governing Council, Abdul-Aziz 
al-Hakim, had made a statement which he interpreted as a 
veiled accusation of Saudi/Wahhabi involvement in the 
car-bombing that killed his brother, Ayatullah Mohammed Baqer 
al-Hakim.  German Ambassador Werner Daum said he had heard 
the Kuwaitis complain that they had too few resources on the 
border, now that the UN Iraq Kuwait Observation Mission 
UNIKOM was gone. 
 
7.  (C) ITALIAN VISIT:  Italian Ambassador Vincenzo Prati 
announced that his Undersecretary of Finance would visit 
Kuwait soon, and that occasion would be used to underscore to 
the GOK the need to sustain efforts against terrorism. 
JONES