US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT1663

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001663 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/IR, NEA/ARP 
BAGHDAD FOR DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR JONES AND JJEFFREY 
TEL AVIV FOR DCM LEBARON 
RIYADH FOR TUELLER 
TUNIS FOR NATALIE BROWN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, OTRA, IZ, KU 
SUBJECT: (C) NEED TO GET MILAIR ARRIVALS UNDER CONTROL 
 
Classified By: CDA FRANK URBANCIC; REASON 1.4 (B, D). 
 
1. (C) CDA was summoned by Foreign Ministry Acting 
Undersecretary Amb. Khaled al-Babtain May 25.  Among other 
topics, Babtain complained at the way the US military 
continues to ignore Kuwaiti immigration procedures. 
Specifically, Babtain said, Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) 
Alternate Member Ameer Hormiz had arrived May 24 unannounced 
via milair from Iraq, expecting to find waiting for him a 
Kuwaiti visa and complementary accommodations and 
transportation for the duration of his planned two-day stay 
to obtain a US visa and board a commercial flight to the US. 
Hormiz was originally to have been part of a three-person IGC 
delegation that came here a few weeks ago and was hosted by 
MFA.  The GOK knew he was due to come sometime, and it did 
scramble to issue him a visa after hours.  In his discussion 
with CDA, Babtain stressed his government's commitment to 
being supportive of the IGC and the CPA.  However, he 
emphasized, proper coordination is required in order to 
ensure adequate security arrangements, which need to be 
worked out in advance with the Ministry of Interior. 
 
2.  (C) Babtain specifically noted that because Hormiz 
arrived via milair, the coalition should have made sure 
before he boarded that he had the necessary paperwork to 
enter Kuwait, or proof that it would be awaiting him on 
arrival -- and this should be standard procedure.  Continued 
flouting of these rules was unacceptable. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT:  We strongly urge close attention to this 
point, as we have been saying for the past several months. 
Constant disregard for Kuwaiti hospitality antagonizes the 
very people whose help we need to resolve these cases. 
 
4.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
URBANCIC