US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT189

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000189 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO GCC COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY AMMAN 
AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 
AMEMBASSY RABAT 
AMEMBASSY TUNIS 
AMEMBASSY SANAA 
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-PA// 
USDOC WASHDC 
DIA WASHDC 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA 
STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION JANUARY 8-12: BAKER 
TRIP/IRAQ'S FOREIGN DEBT; IRAQ: KUWAIT ISLANDS; KUWAIT 
CURRICULA REFORM; IRAN EARTHQUAKE AID 
 
1. SUMMARY: Kuwaiti MPs and the head of the Shiite clerics 
in Kuwait have reacted angrily to the reported suggestion by 
the Vice President of Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National 
Congress that Kuwait should lease two of its islands to Iraq 
to use as ports. The leading editorial in daily Al-Watan 
proclaims, "Kuwait will not allow a repeat of the ambitions 
of Saddam Hussein." In anticipation of James Baker's trip to 
Kuwait, a conservative writer states that any debt relief to 
Iraq should only be given in exchange for an equal value of 
reconstruction contracts for Kuwaiti companies. 
 
A meeting between Embassy Political Counselor and the 
Secretary General of the conservative religious Salafi 
 
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Movement was extensively reported in three Arabic dailies on 
January 9 with a full transcript of the conversation. The 
head of Shiite clerics in Kuwait, Baqer Al-Muhri, reportedly 
denounced the meeting in his Friday sermon, while one 
moderate Islamist writer praised the meeting as "a step in 
the right direction." 
 
A government committee reviewing the Islamic studies 
curricula recommended the removal of a number of Quranic 
verses from the primary curriculum because they are 
"inappropriate to the age level." A conservative Islamist 
commentator states that those Kuwaitis supporting curriculum 
reform are complicit in an American "war to eradicate our 
identity." END SUMMARY. 
 
2. News stories: Comments reported in all papers this week 
by the Vice President of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), 
Mudhar Shawkat, that Kuwait should lease to Iraq two Kuwaiti 
islands led to strong denunciations by Kuwaiti MPs, as 
reported by Al-Seyassah on January 9. Al-Rai Al-Aam reports 
that the head of the Shiite Clerics in Kuwait Baqer Al-Muhri 
opposed "leasing one inch of Kuwaiti land." 
 
On January 9, Al-Rai Al-Aam, Al-Qabas and Al-Anba carried 
extensive coverage, including a full transcript, of a 
meeting between Political Counselor Richard Bell and the 
Secretary General of the conservative Salafi Movement 
 
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(a.k.a. "Scientific Salafis"), Dr. Hakem Al-Mutairi. Al-Anba 
and Al-Seyassah report on January 10 that during his Friday 
sermon, head of the Shiite Clerics in Kuwait, Baqer Al- 
Muhri, strongly attacked the Salafi movement and its 
Secretary General for engaging in such a dialogue. 
 
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Al-Rai Al-Aam reports on its January 12 front page that an 
Iraqi national detained attempting to enter Kuwait from Iraq 
was found to be carrying leaflets "calling for Jihad and 
killing the Americans" in Iraq and in Kuwait. 
 
Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States, Sheikh Salem 
Abdullah Al-Sabah, announced that a Kuwaiti security 
delegation will visit Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo for 
four days to inspect their health and living conditions, 
according to Al-Qabas, Al-Rai Al-Aam, and Al-Anba. 
 
Al-Qabas reports that Ministry of Education Assistant 
Undersecretary for Curricula Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Al- 
Musaileem, stated that the Ministry does not have a budget 
for curriculum reform. 
 
Al-Qabas also published the recommendations of the committee 
for reviewing the Kuwaiti Islamic Studies curricula, which 
include a recommendation to remove certain Quranic verses 
from primary school religion books because they are "not 
appropriate to this age level." 
 
Editorials 
 
3.  "Iraqi Debts" 
Conservative Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al- 
Rai Al-Aam (1/10):  "James Baker will pay a visit to the 
Gulf countries including Kuwait to urge them to write off 
Iraqi debts long due to these countries. The issue of debts 
is considered a matter of sovereignty, therefore the Kuwaiti 
government has no right to unilaterally arbitrate the issue 
without referring it to the National Assembly. [T]he Kuwaiti 
government must lay a clear groundwork for dealing with the 
American guest by not allowing compromises. It is important 
that the government links writing off Iraqi debts to 
receiving [for Kuwaiti companies] contracts for 
reconstruction projects in Iraq of equivalent value." 
 
4.  "Hungry, but Chewing Gum" 
Opening editorial in independent Al-Watan (1/12):  "Iraq is 
in need of massive capital to rebuild its economy, and to 
rehabilitate and modernize its infrastructure. Building 
Iraqi harbors on Kuwaiti land is certainly not `Iraq's top 
priority.' We say to the [Iraqi National Congress], . 
through your suggestion of leasing the [two Kuwaiti] 
islands, you are either trying to extort Kuwait for your own 
financial purposes, or to impose Iraqi sovereignty over 
Kuwaiti land. Kuwait will not allow a repeat of the 
ambitions of. Saddam Hussein." 
 
5.  "War of Ideologies" 
Salah Al-Sayer wrote in independent Al-Anba (1/11):  "In the 
meeting which took place between the Secretary General of 
the Kuwaiti Salafi movement, and the head of the Political 
Section at the US embassy, the dialogue lacked a definition 
of the meaning of the `state,' which differs in meaning in 
liberal Western political ideology and in the Arab political 
ideology. No matter how much the Salafi Secretary General 
talks about democracy, political parties and exchange of 
authority, the ideology of a secular state is totally 
rejected by the Salafis." 
 
6.  "The Salafi-American Meeting" 
Moderate Islamist Faisal Al-Zamel wrote in independent Al- 
Anba (1/12):  "The meeting which took place between members 
of the Salafi movement and the First Secretary at the 
American embassy is a step in the right direction. [Head of 
Shiite clerics in Kuwait] Al-Muhri's criticism of the Salafi 
meeting with the representatives of the American embassy 
makes me suspicious of the frequent meetings [Shiia] 
Islamist groups are having with the Americans, as the 
Americans have become a tangible reality in Iraq." 
 
7.  "Muslims Until Judgment Day" 
Dr. Bahija Behbehani wrote in independent Al-Watan (1/10): 
"All [those Muslims] that attack and criticize curricula 
reform must recognize that a notable number of academics who 
are themselves Muslims will fearlessly defend the Islamic 
religion will not allow for any change in religious 
curricula. We are Muslims until Judgment Day." 
 
8.  "The War to Eradicate Identity" 
Conservative Islamist Dr. Sami Khaled Khalifa wrote in 
independent Al-Rai Al-Aam (1/12):  "For the past three 
years, [the American administration] has been very active in 
attempting to destroy our cultural identity, and to vilify 
the spirit of our religion. There are some [in Kuwait] who 
are trying to apply these American dictates, by pronouncing 
a need to amend the religious message, reform curricula, 
Westernize our culture and renounce terrorism according to 
the American principle stated by president Bush--`you are 
either with us or with terrorism.' We are in great need of a 
massive popular movement that will take up comprehensive 
political and economic reforms which reject American 
hegemony." 
 
9.  "The Culture of Eradication" 
Malallah Yousef Malallah wrote in independent Al-Qabas 
(1/11):  "This is not the time for political debate or 
ideological analysis [concerning Iran]. It is the time for 
humanitarian assistance so as to alleviate human suffering 
[of the earthquake victims]. We would have preferred for any 
American "humanitarian" assistance to include the millions 
of American dollars [of Iranian assets], frozen in America 
for over twenty-four years, to be returned with interest to 
Iran for reconstruction purposes." 
 
 
URBANCIC