US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1836

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001836 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KWMN, KU, WOMEN'S POLITICAL RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: CONFUSION AND DELAYS CONTINUE ON WOMEN'S VOTE FOR 
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL 
 
REF: KUWAIT 1808 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4. (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) Summary: After admitting that he was wrong to declare 
"suspended" the May 2 vote on amending the Municipal Law to 
allow women political participation (reftel), Kuwaiti 
National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi provided the MPs 
with legal consultants' opinions on the previous day's vote. 
The five-member legal committee returned three differing 
interpretations of the amendment's success: passed, failed 
and suspended. The Speaker also offered the opportunity to 
vote in support of the suspension, requiring a re-vote on the 
amendment, or against the measure to reject it outright. 
After two hours of MP speeches on the topic of suspension, 
Al-Khorafi called for a vote. Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah 
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah rose to ask that the vote be 
postponed, and the Speaker delayed the vote for two weeks. 
The GOK is expected next week to authorize the June Municipal 
Elections according to current law, which does not include 
women's participation. Absent a legislative or political fix, 
the next opportunity for Kuwaiti women to participate at the 
Municipal level would be in 2009. End summary. 
 
"I Made a Mistake" 
------------------ 
 
2. (U) Speaker Al-Khorafi opened the May 3 Parliamentary 
session by admitting that he was wrong to have declared the 
May 2 vote suspended. (Note: He used the term "suspended" to 
define the May 2 results as inconclusive, which is apparently 
not a normal legislative maneuver. End note.) His remedy, 
after speaking with legal consultants on the validity of the 
previous day's decision, was to propose a vote on whether to 
support or reject the suspension. A "yes" vote would signify 
agreement with the suspension, requiring a re-vote on the 
amendment. A "no" vote would oppose the suspension, resulting 
in the amendment's outright rejection. 
 
Five Legal Consultants, Three Conflicting Opinions 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
3. (U) Before the vote took place, the Speaker first 
distributed the opinions of his team of five legal 
consultants from Kuwait University and various governmental 
entities. To perpetuate the confusion surrounding the May 2 
results, the advisors returned three separate decisions. Two 
of the five supported the suspension and a subsequent 
re-vote. Two others determined that, in fact, the amendment 
succeeded outright with 29 affirmative votes while another 
decided it failed. The consultants' feedback left the MPs 
confused and agitated. Once the Speaker opened the floor to 
five-minute speeches prior to holding the vote, a majority of 
the Assemblymen declared their intention to voice their 
opinions. The parade of speakers lasted two hours. 
 
Yet Another Delay 
----------------- 
 
4. (U) Just as the Parliament was preparing to vote on the 
suspension question, PM Shaykh Sabah, who returned from an 
overnight trip to a wedding in Dubai, proposed that the vote 
be postponed in order to give MPs time to study the legal 
consultants' opinions. The Assembly erupted in rumblings from 
many of the visibly-upset MPs; some waved their arms while 
others stood up and began to walk toward the exit. The 
Speaker announced the vote would take place in two weeks (o/a 
May 16 or 17) during a regular session. 
 
Effect on Women's Voting Rights 
------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) Emboffs spoke with several MPs and legislative aides 
after the adjournment who said the Amir would decree the 
holding of Municipal elections in June, as scheduled, but 
without women's participation in accordance with current law. 
In two weeks, the vote on the suspension is anticipated. If 
the "yes" votes win, a re-vote on the amendment would follow, 
thus predicating the granting of women's Municipal political 
rights on two additional rounds of voting. Even if women gain 
their political rights after overcoming these two legislative 
hurdles, it appears that they would not be able to 
participate in the June elections once the Amir authorizes 
the voting based on current electoral law. Since Municipal 
elections are held every four years, the first time women 
could participate would be 2009, unless other adjustments are 
made. 
 
GOK Insight 
----------- 
 
6. (C) During a meeting with the Ambassador May 3, Advisor to 
the PM, Yousef Al-Ebrahim, called yesterday's events 
"ridiculous," which indicated that "things are not moving in 
the right direction." With respect to possible dissolution of 
Parliament, Al-Ebrahim added that it should be viewed as a 
tool rather than an end, but only if there is a program for 
what to do should the Assembly be dissolved. He, however, did 
not see such a program emerging and did not comment directly 
on whether the Assembly would, in fact, be dissolved. 
 
7. (C) The Kuwait Investment Authority Managing Director, 
Bader Al-Sa'ad, told the Ambassador that the Assembly should 
indeed be dissolved. He said that Parliament should remain 
dissolved for six months so that the Government can carry out 
numerous measures that it needs to accomplish. (Note: 
According to Article 107 of the Constitution, Parliamentary 
elections must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of 
the Assembly. End note.) 
 
Revised Breakdown of May 2 Vote 
------------------------------- 
 
8. (U) Of the 29 in favor of allowing women to participate at 
the municipal level, 13 Ministers, not 12 as reported 
(reftel), supported the amendment in addition to 17 MPs. 
Ministers of Justice Ahmed Baqer and Social Affairs and Labor 
Faisal Al-Hajji were both abroad thus missing the session. 
 
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LEBARON