US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT2551

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002551 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, EPET, PBTS, PGOV, KU, Ministers, KGCC 
SUBJECT: FM REPORTS ON GCC GOODWILL TOUR, SAYS GOK OPPOSES 
HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND REASSERTS SUPPORT FOR ABU MAZEN 
 
REF: MANAMA 812 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  During a June 8 meeting, Kuwaiti Foreign 
Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed told the Ambassador he had been 
asked to visit Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE to calm the waters 
between these GCC states and identify areas for cooperation 
with fellow GCC member Saudi Arabia.  He reported progress on 
some "first step" specific projects including a proposed gas 
pipeline between Kuwait and Qatar through Saudi territory. 
He said PM Shaykh Sabah would discuss GCC relations with the 
SAG during a June 11 visit to Saudi Arabia.  The Ambassador 
also raised TIP issues, stressing that only concrete actions 
would prompt a change in Kuwait's rank.  The FM said the GOK 
took the report seriously and had already identified areas 
for immediate action.  Shaykh Dr. Mohammed also informed the 
Ambassador that Mahmoud Abbas would visit Kuwait June 14 and 
the PM would restate Kuwait's support for him.  End Summary. 
 
Kuwait:  The GCC Mediator 
------------------------- 
 
2.  (C)  During a June 8 meeting on regional and bilateral 
issues, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al Sabah 
Al Salem Al Sabah briefed the Ambassador on his June 5-6 
goodwill trip to GCC states Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE.  As 
he had advised the Ambassador earlier (and confirmed by 
reftel), the Kuwaitis were asked to try to improve relations 
between Saudi Arabia and the three small GCC states.  Shaykh 
Dr. Mohammed said that because of "friction" he had visited 
and identified areas for cooperation at the lowest common 
level.  He described the Qatari-Saudi disagreement as very 
complex and said he pressed for agreement on one "small" 
issue having no long-term significance for their bilateral 
relationship:  approval for a Kuwait-Qatar gas pipeline to 
transit Saudi territorial waters.  He said UAE problems with 
Saudi Arabia were largely related to the Sheba oil field, a 
quarter of which was located in Emirati territory and which 
the UAE was forbidden to tap.  The Foreign Minister also told 
the Ambassador that Saudi Arabia has a coastal border 
extending ten kilometers into the Gulf thereby blocking 
construction of a bridge between the UAE and Qatar.  Shaykh 
Dr. Mohammed will seek Saudi approval to move ahead with the 
bridge (causeway).  (Note:  This proposal was not entirely 
clear to us.  Embassy Abu Dhabi will liked be more familiar 
with it.  End note.)  Shaykh Dr. Mohammed added that Prime 
Minister Shaykh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah would travel 
to Riyadh on June 11 to further discuss relations between GCC 
states and the SAG and promote conciliatory measures. 
 
 
GOK Shares U.S. Concerns about Human Trafficking 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
3.  (C)  The Ambassador also raised the June 3 release of the 
2005 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, advising the 
Minister that the citing of a close ally like Kuwait in the 
TIP report signaled the importance the U.S. placed on 
eliminating human trafficking.  He said the goal of the 
report was not to embarrass or penalize Kuwait, but rather to 
identify problems and encourage their rapid solution.  Shaykh 
Dr. Mohammed replied that the GOK took the report seriously 
and discussed it at the June 5 Council of Ministers of 
meeting where ministers identified areas they could quickly 
address.  He said the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor 
(MOSAL) was preparing a response to the report, which the FM 
said exaggerated the situation and failed to recognize 
existing government and non-government labor and human rights 
oversight bodies.  He continued that MOSAL would take 
immediate action on the jockey issue and would work with the 
Ministry of Interior to establish minimum employment 
standards for domestic employees who are not covered by the 
labor law.  The Ambassador said he welcomed MOSAL views on 
TIP, but advised that practical steps, not new reports or 
more committees, would be the measure of progress.  He 
further suggested the GOK consult with the ILO and the 
International Organization for Migration on setting fair 
labor standards. 
 
GOK Restates Support for Abu Mazen 
---------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  The Ambassador and Shaykh Dr. Mohammed also briefly 
discussed Israeli disengagement from Gaza and the need to 
support the peace process.  The FM said that Mahmoud Abbas 
would visit Kuwait on June 13 as part of his Gulf tour and 
would meet with the Prime Minister.  Shaykh Dr. Mohammed 
clearly stated, "We will support him." 
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LEBARON