US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1077

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR KIM HOLMES AND DAVID SATTERFIELD FROM AMBASSADOR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KU, UNDP 
SUBJECT: SUPPORTING KUWAITI CANDIDATE FOR UNDP ADMINISTRATOR 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) I strongly recommend that the U.S. endorse Kuwait's 
candidate for UNDP Administrator, Fawzi Sultan.  A former 
long-time President of the U.N. International Fund for 
Agricultural Development and Executive Director of the World 
Bank, Sultan is an eminently qualifed candidate for this 
position. 
 
2. (C) More importantly, supporting Mr. Sultan's candidacy 
would serve to further strengthen the bilateral relationship. 
 An indispensable ally in our efforts to rebuild Iraq, Kuwait 
has provided over $2 billion in assistance in kind for OIF, 
including allowing coalition forces free use of its territory 
for their operations and basing, providing millions of 
dollars of AIK fuel and waiving customs fees for military 
cargo.  GOK officials have been persistent in expressing 
their discontent with what they feel is a lack of U.S. 
recognition of these efforts.  Support of Mr. Fawzi's 
candidacy would be a small step to indicate that the U.S. 
considers Kuwait a valuable partner and ally. 
 
3. (C) While I realize that we may not normally endorse 
candidates for such positions, I believe this would be a low 
cost way to to show to the GOK that we take them seriously as 
an ally in our regional efforts. 
LEBARON