US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT758

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000758 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR T, PM, L/T, NEA/ARP, NEA/FO 
TUNIS FOR NATALIE BROWN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, PGOV, KJUS, KU 
SUBJECT: (C) ARTICLE 98:  GOK TO NOTIFY US AGREEMENT IS IN 
FORCE 
 
REF: KUWAIT 473 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: AMB. RICHARD H. JONES; REASON 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Ambassador emphasized to Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. 
Mohammed al-Sabah March 6 that it is important to the USG to 
have an Article 98 agreement in force even if Kuwait decides 
not to ratify the Rome Statute, and that we believe it is in 
Kuwait's interest also.  The Minister confirmed that the GOK 
has decided not be a party to the Statute; he added that 
according to the MFA Legal Department, there is thus no need 
for parliamentary ratification of the Article 98 agreement 
signed with U/S Bolton last June 18.  Dr. Mohammed stressed 
that the GOK does "not want to go to parliament." 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador reminded him that all we need in order for 
the Article 98 agreement to enter into force is the GOK's 
dipnote confirming that all domestic legal requirements have 
been met, similar to the note we have already submitted. 
Undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah, sitting beside the 
Minister, remarked that this is "easy." 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT:  This was the clearest indication yet of GOK 
willingness to bring the Article 98 agreement into force.  We 
will follow up to maintain this momentum and achieve closure. 
 
JONES