US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT5163

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 005163 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, G/TIP, DRL/CRA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, KU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HUMAN RIGHTS WITH FIRST 
DEPUTY PM SHEIKH NAWAF AL-SABAH 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR RICHARD H. JONES, REASON 1.4(B) 
 
1. (C) As one of a series of meetings with senior GOK 
officials prior to his departure for temporary duty in Iraq, 
Ambassador met with First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior 
Minister Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah November 10.  The 
Ambassador congratulated Sheikh Nawaf on being officially 
named First Deputy Prime Minister recently, thanked him for 
his Ministry's strong contributions to protecting Kuwait's 
security and combating terrorism, and sought his Ministry's 
assistance on various pending human rights and TIP issues. 
(Note: Exploitation of domestic servants is the main TIP 
concern in Kuwait; domestic servants fall under the MOI's 
purview. End Note). 
 
2. (C) The Ambassador provided Sheikh Nawaf with copies of 
the 2002 Human Rights Report and 2003 TIP Report, as well as 
a copy in Arabic of the recommendations from the 
international sex trafficking conference held in Washington 
in February.  Sheikh Nawaf promised his Ministry would study 
the reports.  The Ambassador also gave Sheikh Nawaf a copy of 
a diplomatic note post submitted in September containing a 
list of (as yet unanswered) questions for his Ministry on the 
human rights and TIP situation in Kuwait, particularly 
regarding the treatment of domestic servants.  Sheikh Nawaf 
agreed to provide post with a key point of contact within his 
Ministry to allow us to follow up on these issues and to 
facilitate accurate preparation of our annual HR and TIP 
reports.  Sheikh Nawaf stressed that Kuwait respects the 
rights of all human beings and that it is committed to 
improving the overall human rights and TIP situation in the 
country.  Post will follow up with the Ministry to obtain 
comprehensive answers to our pending human rights and TIP 
questions.  We will also follow up on reported efforts to 
tighten controls on local employment agencies that deal with 
domestic servants. 
 
URBANCIC