US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3099

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003099 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2015 
TAGS: EFIN, ECON, PGOV, PREL, EAID, KU, IZ, Assistance 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES DELIVERED: KUWAIT SUPPORTS PARIS CLUB 
IRAQI DEBT FORGIVENESS, WILL ATTEND DEAD SEA MEETING 
 
REF: A. STATE 127710 
 
     B. STATE 125850 
     C. KUWAIT 2730 
 
Classified By: CDA Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) During a July 12 meeting with the Charge d'Affaires, 
Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Khaled 
Al-Jarallah said that Kuwait is still committed to forgiving 
Iraqi debt but in accordance with the Paris Club formula. He 
did not react to the CDA's suggestion that Kuwait forgive 
100% of its Iraqi debt, just as the U.S. has already done 
(ref B). He accepted the suggestion that Kuwait reach out to 
the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) at the upcoming 
meetings in Jordan to move the issue of debt forgiveness 
forward. 
 
2. (C) Al-Jarallah disputed press statements attributed to 
ITG Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari about Baghdad awaiting 
word from Kuwait on the opening of an embassy. Al-Jarallah 
said Kuwait was awaiting a request and name from Baghdad to 
approve an ambassador. In response to the CDA's suggestion, 
he agreed that MFA would contact Iraqi counterparts to remove 
any misunderstanding. Al-Jarallah said it was very much in 
Kuwait's interest to have an Iraqi Embassy open promptly. 
 
3. (C) As for the upcoming Dead Sea donors' meeting (ref A), 
Al-Jarallah said that the director of the Kuwait Fund for 
Arab Economic Development, Abdulwahab Al-Bader, will attend 
the conference; however, he was not certain which GOK 
officials would compose the remainder of the delegation. The 
U/S restated that Kuwait pledged an additional $60M to Iraqi 
reconstruction efforts, earmarked for education and health 
programs, after Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari's 
June visit to Kuwait (ref C). To date, he commented, no money 
had been dispersed as Iraq has yet to propose any specific 
projects. 
 
4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
TUELLER