US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1460

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, IZ, KU, EAID, KUWAIT-IRAQ RELATIONS 
SUBJECT: GOK CONGRATULATES IRAQ ON APPOINTMENT OF LEADERS; 
IRAQI FM COMMENDS KUWAIT ON ROLE IN LIBERATING IRAQ 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Kuwait's English and Arabic press reported that during 
its weekly Sunday meeting, the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers 
extended its congratulations to the Iraqi people on the 
appointments of Jalal Talabani as President, and Ghazi Al 
Yawar and Adel Abdel Mehdi as his deputies.  The April 10 
statement noted that its release coincided with the second 
anniversary of the liberation of Iraq and expressed hope for 
"further success, prosperity, and stability" for Iraq.  The 
statement is a positive indicator of continuing diplomatic 
communications with the ITG, which may culminate with the 
restoration of diplomatic ties and an Iraqi mission in Kuwait 
in the near term.  Local press also reported Iraqi Foreign 
Minister Hoshyar Zebari's statement of the same day, 
commending Kuwait for its role in "liberating Iraq from the 
former regime" and asserting "Iraq will never forget what 
Kuwait's government and people have done to liberate and 
relieve Iraq's people of Saddam's tyranny and the former 
dictator's regime." 
 
2. (C) As relations between Kuwait and Iraq rebuild, the 
former Iraqi Embassy, located downtown and used as the seat 
of the "19th Province" during the First Gulf War, is 
undergoing extensive repairs at Kuwaiti expense.  A member of 
the Foreign Minister's cabinet told the Ambassador that the 
GOK was getting the old Iraqi embassy ready for occupancy and 
would provide support for its operation.  A March 31 front 
page news article identified Faeq Al Shaykh Ali, a Shi'ite 
lawyer working in the Iraqi MFA, as the next Iraqi Ambassador 
to Kuwait.  This report appears to have been the result of a 
premature leak from the Iraqi MFA as both governments 
subsequently clarified that agreement on a candidate had not 
been reached.  Kuwaiti MFA contacts have consistently told us 
a Kuwaiti Ambassador will not take up residence in Baghdad 
until the security situation stabilizes. 
 
3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
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Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
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LEBARON