US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT5368

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 005368 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, ASEC, ELAB, DR, PO, SN, PL, KU, SD 
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND OTHERS STIFFING KUWAIT ON 
SOFA AND JEOPARDIZING FUTURE KUWAIT COOPERATION 
 
REF: A. SANGO DOMINGO 06452 
     B. SANTO DOMINGO 6302 
     C. WARSAW 03803 
 
Classified By: CDA Frank C. Urbancic.  Reason 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
 
1.  (C) This is an action message.  See Para 3. 
 
2.  (C)  MFA continues to drub us on lack of Dominican and 
other coalition members' responsiveness in completing SOFA 
discussions.  As addresses know, Kuwait bent its own rules 
and allowed Dominican and other battalions to transit Kuwait 
in advance of a SOFA Accord.  Now that the Dominicans are in 
Iraq, the Kuwaitis feel abused, and they want the Dominicans 
and the rest to engage. 
 
3. (C)  ACTION REQUEST:  The U.S. leaned heavily on Kuwait to 
break its own rules and to allow the Dominican Republic, 
Moldova, Portugal and Singapore to deploy troops through 
Kuwait without a signed SOFA.  These countries are now 
stiffing the Kuwaitis and the Kuwaitis are not happy about 
it.  This kind of disregard for Kuwait's sovereignty and 
sensibilities is putting a crimp on our ability to deliver 
additional exceptions to Kuwaiti SOFA rules.  Request 
Department intervene immediately with these unresponsive 
countries to get them to conclude SOFA negotiations with the 
GOK. 
URBANCIC