US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1462

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001462 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2015 
TAGS: KDEM, PGOV, PREL, KU, Ministers 
SUBJECT: MP SAYS GOK ALLOWED HEALTH MINISTER'S RESIGNATION 
TO MAKE ROOM FOR SHI'A MINISTER 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 1449 
 
     B. KUWAIT 1406 
     C. KUWAIT 1349 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 1. (C) During an April 9 meeting with the Ambassador and 
visiting Senior Advisor and Coordinator for Iraq Policy, 
Ambassador Richard Jones, Liberal MP Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager 
told the Ambassador the Prime Minister had committed a "big 
mistake" in not replacing former Information Minister 
Mohammed Abulhassan, who stepped down in January, or former 
Finance Minister Mahmoud Al-Nouri, whose resignation was 
accepted on April 3, with a Shi'a.  Indicating that the GOK 
had allowed the Assembly's call for the resignation of Health 
Minister Mohammed Al-Jarallah to go unchallenged, the MP said 
the GOK "needed a spot for a Shi'a." 
 
2. (C) Comment:  The call for a vote of no confidence against 
Health Minister Mohammed Al-Jarallah, which precipitated the 
April 4 submission of his resignation and its April 9 
acceptance by the GOK, was signed by all five of Kuwait's 
Shiite MPs, some of whom are government-leaning.  As reported 
previously, Kuwait's Shi'a have traditionally had 
representation in Kuwait's government, and have now gone 
without since January of this year.  Should the Prime 
Minister choose not to replace the Health Minister with a 
Shi'a (the rumored candidate is MP Dr. Yousef Al-Zalzalah), 
the GOK may face additional grillings. 
 
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LEBARON