US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1467

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2015 
TAGS: KDEM, PHUM, PREL, EAID, KU, IZ, KUWAIT-IRAQ RELATIONS 
SUBJECT: AMB. JONES CONSULTS WITH KUWAITI PM ON KEY 
OBJECTIVES IN IRAQ, PM PLEDGES SUPPORT 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The Ambassador and Senior Advisor and 
Coordinator for Iraq Policy, Ambassador Richard Jones, met 
with Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah on April 9 
to discuss political, security and economic support for the 
new Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG).  Ambassador Jones, 
who had just returned from Iraq, briefed the Prime Minister 
on recent developments in Iraq's transition to democracy, 
laying out the top priorities that we and the Iraqis would be 
focussing on in the coming months: defeating the insurgency, 
completion of the political process, strengthening of the 
rule of law, improvment of essential services, development of 
provincial governments, and promotion of economic security. 
The Prime Minister expressed Kuwait's support for the 
political process in Iraq, and its relief at the selection of 
a Presidency Council and Prime Minister.  He offered Kuwait's 
continued economic support for Iraq, lamenting that a KD 60 
million aid proposal had not been taken advantage of by the 
Interim Iraqi Government.  The Prime Minister agreed in 
principle to debt relief for Iraq, but noted the need for 
National Assembly approval. He twice referred to the need to 
maintain the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) claims 
process, and not link this to relief for Iraq's financial 
burdens.  On security, the PM said Kuwait had extended an 
offer to Iraq to train up to 500 police for a year.  In 
response to Amb. Jones' presentation about it, the PM said 
the GOK would happily participate in the upcoming conference 
U.S./EU-sponsored on Iraq.  He added that Kuwait and Iraq 
would be exchanging Ambassadors in the near future.  The PM 
said the Kuwaiti government would issue a statement at its 
Sunday cabinet meeting in support of the new Iraqi 
government, (which it did). 
 
Participants: 
 
U.S. 
Ambassador Richard Jones, Senior Advisor and Coordinator for 
Iraq Policy 
Ambassador Richard LeBaron 
Mr. Larry McDonald, Treasury Department 
Col. Philip Smith, Department of Defense 
Mr. Matthew Fuller, Special Assistant to Ambassador Jones 
Mr. Constantinos Nicolaidis, U.S. Embassy Kuwait (notetaker) 
 
Kuwait 
Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah 
Ambassador Mohammed Abulhassan, Senior Prime Ministerial 
Advisor 
Ambassador Khaled Al-Jarallah, Undersecretary of the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs 
Ambassador Khaled Al-Babtain, Director, MFA Americas Division 
Shaykh Fawaz Saud Al-Sabah Asst. U/S, Prime Minister's Diwan 
(notetaker) 
 
End Summary. 
 
Laying Out the Major Goals 
--------------------------- 
 
2. (C) During their April 9 meeting, Senior Advisor and 
Coordinator for Iraq Policy, Ambassador Richard Jones and 
Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah discussed the 
political process in Iraq, and the way ahead.  Ambassador 
Jones, who had just returned from Iraq, said he had had the 
opportunity to meet with all members of the Presidency 
Council and other senior Iraqi officials, who had agreed on a 
number of key priorities for their new government: 1) defeat 
the insurgency; 2) complete of the political process by 
adopting the new constitution and holding new elections; 3) 
strengthen the rule of law through a capable police force, 
trained judiciary, and adequate prison service; 4) provide 
essential services such as electricity and fuel; 5) develop 
provincial governments by empowering provincial councils to 
manage projects; and 6) promote economic security through 
creation of jobs, forgiveness of debt, implementation of IMF 
agreements, and restoration of the agricultural sector. 
Noting that the accomplishment of these goals would help 
create a democratic and federal Iraq that would contribute to 
peace and stability in the entire region, Ambassador Jones 
urged Kuwait to participate in a planned U.S/EU/Iraqi 
conference to be held in early June.  He further encouraged 
Kuwait to lend any and all support to meeting these goals, be 
it symbolic, political or financial. 
 
Security Cooperation 
-------------------- 
3. (C) The Prime Minister opened by expressing Kuwait's 
pleasure with the January 30 Iraqi elections and the 
subsequent naming of the Presidency Council.  He said Iraq 
was on the correct path, but noted the difficulty would be 
convincing Sunnis it was in their best interest to 
participate in the political process.  He highlighted former 
IIG President Shaykh Ghazi Al-Yawar as a good example for 
Sunnis, but noted somewhat sardonically that he had accepted 
a Vice President position in the new government.  As a Sunni 
himself, Shaykh Sabah said he was "bitter" that Sunni 
elements had chosen to fight other Iraqis, rather than 
joining together.  Disparaging this lack of Sunni commitment, 
he mentioned that no Sunni IIG member had visited Kuwait to 
discuss cooperation between the two states.   On security, 
Shaykh Sabah articulated Kuwait's indebtedness to the U.S. 
for having rid Kuwait and Iraq of "these devils."  He urged 
U.S. forces to make more use of former military personnel in 
Iraq's new security forces.  Even among officers, he said, 
"not all of them are Ba'athists."  The Prime Minister said 
that Kuwait had already extended an offer to Iraq to train up 
to 500 officers for one year in its police academy, but had 
recieved a response requesting training for 10,000. 
 
Kuwait Committed to Economic/Reconstruction Support 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
4. (C) On economic support, Shaykh Sabah said Kuwait had 
approached former IIG President Iyad Allawi's office eight 
months ago and offered KD 60 million as part of their overal 
USD500 million pledge to Iraq to fund construction of 
hospitals, schools and clinics.  To date, he said, Kuwait had 
not received any plans from Iraqi authorities specifying 
where they wanted these finds spent.  Shaykh Sabah said 
Kuwait stands ready to fund projects such as clinics and 
hospitals "from Basra to Kirkuk,"  but said the labor and 
engineers should be "all Iraqis." 
 
Debt Relief Agreed 
------------------ 
 
5. (C) Regarding debt relief, the PM said Kuwait was 
committed in principle, but relief would require approval by 
the National Assembly.  He warned the delegation not to 
further reduce the UNCC compensation level below its current 
5 percent rate, which would have the effect of linking debt 
reduction with the UNCC issue in the minds of MPs, making the 
passage of debt relief difficult.  UNCC funds "do not belong 
to the government, but to the people," he said.  "Do not mix 
Iraqi debts to Kuwait with compensation."  Shaykh Sabah noted 
that Kuwait had told Special Envoy Baker and others that it 
would follow the 80 percent debt reduction agreed by the 
Paris Club.  Ambassador LeBaron pointed out that large 
payments had recently been made to Kuwaiti UNCC claimants. 
 
Exchange of Ambassadors Forthcoming 
----------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) The Prime Minister said that Iraq had proposed an 
Ambassador to Kuwait, and his name was with the Amiri Diwan 
for approval.  He said Kuwait would reciprocate when it could 
ensure the security of its new envoy.  (We will report on 
this septel.)  He said Kuwait would participate in the 
international gathering in Europe in June. 
 
7. (U) Baghdad: Minimize Considered. 
 
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LEBARON