US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1777

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001777 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, PBTS, KUNC, KPAL, IZ, KU, WOMEN'S POLITICAL RIGHTS, KUWAIT-IRAQ RELATIONS, KUWAIT-IRAN RELATIONS 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER: PROGRESS ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS, IRAN 
TRAVEL AVERTS CRISIS, AND IRAQI SECURITY CONCERNS 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 1633 
     B. KUWAIT 1600 
     C. KUWAIT 1557 
     D. KUWAIT 1131 
     E. KUWAIT 1089 
     F. KUWAIT 943 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: During an April 27 meeting with the 
Ambassador, Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah 
Al-Salem Al-Sabah told the Ambassador that he believes that 
the GOK has enough votes to pass the women's rights bill for 
Municipal Council elections on May 2 and that once women are 
registered to vote at the municipal level, success on the 
issue of women's national political rights would be "sealed." 
 The Foreign Minister also discussed his recent trip to Iran 
describing it as a successful effort to prevent Iran from 
unilaterally drilling in a disputed off-shore gas field (refs 
E and F).  He said President Khatami, who has accepted an 
invitation to visit Kuwait, has committed to resolving this 
issue during his time as president.  Shaykh Dr. Mohammed also 
raised concerns about the Iraqi insurgency and Iraqi military 
training and informed the Ambassador that the USD 78 million 
of frozen Iraqi assets to be transferred to the Development 
Fund for Iraq is still with Kuwait's UN Mission but opined 
that at least a portion could be passed to the GOI now (ref 
C).  Regarding support for the Palestinians he stated that 
Kuwait announced the release of USD 40 million during the 
Algiers summit and is expecting Palestinian Authority 
President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Kuwait (ref D).  Shaykh Dr. 
Mohammed mentioned an interest in traveling to Washington 
during May in advance of Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad 
Al-Sabah's anticipated visit.  End Summary. 
 
Women's Rights Will Not Be Held Hostage By MPs' Tricks 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
2.(C) The Foreign Minister said the GOK is taking the issue 
of women's political rights "one step at a time."  He 
believes the GOK has successfully separated the religious 
argument from the political one.  He remarked that no one can 
hide behind an obscure fatwa to oppose women's rights.  He 
said that what is important is to get women voters 
registered, because once they register, "the debate will 
change overnight." 
 
3. (C) Regarding the second reading of the recently passed 
bill granting women political rights at the Municipal Council 
level, which will take place on May 2, he said that "some MPs 
are playing tricks with us (refs A and B)."  He seemed 
concerned that the Islamic Bloc would raise the issue of 
voting rights for police and military personnel to scuttle 
the current bill and the effort to grant women political 
rights. (Note: Currently Kuwaiti police and military 
personnel can neither vote in national elections nor run for 
political office.  Many Islamists believe it would be an 
injustice if Kuwaiti women gained the right to vote while 
many adult male Kuwaitis remain legally prohibited from doing 
so. End Note.)  The Foreign Minister also suspected that some 
MPs may add to the existing bill the controversial issue of 
electoral redistricting to further reduce chances of support 
for the women's rights legislation.  One such proposal would 
allow citizens to vote only in the district in which they 
reside, as indicated on the national ID card.  He likened 
this approach to redistricting without going through the 
legislative process. Remarking that it was a very contested 
issue, he said that some people currently "shift" every 
election to the district of those they wish to support.  The 
Foreign Minister said the GOK is willing to discuss all of 
these additional issues but that it would not be held hostage 
by them.  He said he is confident that the GOK position has 
enough votes to pass the legislation. 
 
4. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said the GOK intention is to start 
registering women to vote as soon as the legislation passes. 
He explained that the registration process for the Municipal 
Council is the same as that for national Parliamentary 
elections.  He stated that the issue would be "sealed" if the 
municipal bill passed. 
 
5. (C) He further outlined two possible GOK strategies to 
secure women's political rights at the national level.  The 
first scenario is for the GOK to introduce a bill calling for 
women's national political rights during the Municipal 
Council elections.  He said that no one would stand up and 
say women cannot vote in Parliamentary elections while they 
are queuing up to cast ballots in municipal elections. 
Another option is to dissolve Parliament once women are 
registered to vote and then call new Parliamentary elections 
allowing all registered women the right to vote and run as 
candidates. 
 
6. (C) The Foreign Minister remarked that most in the GOK and 
Parliament know that the Municipal Council bill is a prelude 
to Parliamentary voting rights for women.  He also said that 
women's political rights introduces an element of uncertainty 
for most MPs.  He remarked that it is a politically 
courageous position for an MP to support the measure because 
many will be voting against the will of their constituents, 
especially MPs in rural areas, but also some liberal urban 
MPs. 
 
Iran Drilling Threat Prompts FM's Trip 
-------------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) The Minister frankly admitted to recent problems with 
Iran.  He said that he recently visited Iran to settle a 
dispute over the contested continental shelf, a disagreement 
that he mentioned has been ongoing since 1968. (Note: The 
Foreign Minister visited Iran April 20-22. End Note.)  He 
explained that discussions centered on the off-shore Al-Durra 
gas field of which about ten percent is in dispute.  He said 
that the Iranians, in 1997, moved into the disputed region 
and began drilling into the northern tip of the gas field, 90 
percent of which he stated is squarely in Kuwaiti territory. 
 
8. (C) He explained that he was "dispatched" to Iran because 
Iran in March declared its intent to begin re-drilling in the 
disputed region.  He said the two sides managed to agree to 
three items: that a disputed area exists, that there will be 
no unilateral activity in the disputed area, and that a 
technical committee should be formed to resolve the dispute. 
He said the reaction from the Iranian government to his trip 
was positive and that President Khatami told him that he 
wants to finalize the issue during his time as president. 
The Foreign Minister was hopeful but not overly optimistic 
that President Khatami would make efforts to resolve the gas 
field dispute.  President Khatami accepted a GOK invitation 
to visit Kuwait but no date has been arranged for travel. 
 
9. (C) The FM also said that he conveyed to President Khatami 
Kuwaiti concerns about the potential environmental 
consequences of the Iranian nuclear plant.  He stated that he 
told President Khatami that Iran was building the Bushehr 
nuclear reactor on unstable territory that was subject to 
earthquakes and that Kuwait's concern wasn't just about a 
possible Iranian nuclear weapons program but that the reactor 
in question was located in proximity to Kuwait.  According to 
Shaykh Dr. Mohammed, President Khatami responded that the 
Germans chose the site years ago and that the technology 
being employed is not of the "Chernobyl type" and includes 
the latest Russian safeguards. 
 
Iraqi Insurgency And Military Training Levels Concern FM 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
10. (C) The Foreign Minister said he was troubled to read a 
U.S. military statement that the level of insurgents 
operating in Iraq is unchanged from last year.  Shaykh Dr. 
Mohammed said because there has been no change, it must be 
assumed that a "professional" group is operating in Iraq and 
not just Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi's group.  He also inquired 
about the recent downing of a U.S. helicopter in Iraq and 
whether the Iraqi militants had acquired a new military 
capability.  The Ambassador assured the Foreign Minister that 
the attack did not appear to represent an increased insurgent 
military capability. 
 
11. (C) The Foreign Minister also inquired about the status 
of Iraqi Army training and whether it was behind schedule 
because he had heard that Shi'as and Kurds were trying to 
move their own militias into the Sunni triangle to quell 
unrest.  The Ambassador explained that training is 
progressing but problems such as a dearth of mid-level 
leadership and significant attempts by insurgents to 
infiltrate the military continued to hamper efforts.  The 
Ambassador also made clear that the U.S. did not wish to see 
security units segregated by ethnic group, and were working 
to avoid this. 
 
12. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed expressed his appreciation for 
the U.S. acceptance of the fuel proposal.  He remarked that 
the next step was to begin the legal procedures with KPC and 
provide auditors with required information. 
 
Development Fund Money Tied Up In Legal Department 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
13. (C) The Foreign Minister said that Iraqi Foreign Minister 
Zebari inquired about the USD 78 million of frozen Iraqi 
assets to be transferred to the Development Fund for Iraq 
(DFI) (ref C).  Shaykh Dr. Mohammed said the MFA Legal 
Department was trying to determine whether these were active 
claims and that by law, his "hands are tied" because the 
claim must be adjudicated before the GOK could release the 
funds to Iraq.  The FM offered to provide a legal explanation 
to the Iraqis on this issue.  He also talked about the idea 
of releasing a portion of the money before the issue of 
pending claims is fully resolved.  The Ambassador urged 
prompt resolution of the matter. 
 
Support To The Palestinians 
--------------------------- 
 
14. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's question about support 
for the Palestinians, the Foreign Minister remarked that the 
GOK announced the transfer of USD 40 million to the 
Palestinians during the Algiers summit in late March and 
pointed out that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud 
Abbas accepted an invitation to visit Kuwait but that they 
were still waiting on a date (ref D).  He then expressed 
frustration that Israel had not been helpful as of late.  He 
said that Prime Minister Sharon was playing politics with 
humanitarian issues and raised concerns stemming from a press 
report that Israel is employing high-powered x-ray machines 
at checkpoints.  He said the article claimed that the 
machines were the type used in hospitals and could cause 
overdoses of radiation and trigger miscarriages in pregnant 
women.  He remarked that if the claims were true, something 
must be done. 
 
FM To Visit Washington Ahead Of Shaykh Sabah 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
15. (C) The Foreign Minister expressed an interest in 
traveling to the U.S. in the second half of May, ahead of the 
desired Prime Minister's visit later in the summer.  He said 
he would be in Brazil during that period and would like to 
stop in the U.S. to meet with the Secretary.  The Ambassador 
encouraged the Foreign Minister to visit even if the 
Secretary were unavailable.  He remarked that there are 
 
SIPDIS 
others in Washington who would also appreciate meeting with 
him.  Calling him a very good friend of Kuwait, Shaykh Dr. 
Mohammed remarked that perhaps a meeting with the Vice 
President would be useful.  He added that the U.S. and Kuwait 
still need to address long-term issues such as a free-trade 
agreement (FTA), dwindling numbers of Kuwaiti students to 
U.S. universities, and visa issues. 
 
16. (C) Shaykh Dr. Mohammed mentioned that the GCC wanted to 
secure a multilateral FTA but that it was the U.S. that 
insisted on bilateral FTA agreements.  He mentioned that the 
rest of the GCC did not appreciate the Saudi position 
vis-a-vis the U.S. FTA talks with Bahrain.  The Foreign 
Minister said he was glad to see the Saudis moving forward on 
joining the WTO. 
 
17. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
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LEBARON