US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3331

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2015 
TAGS: PBTS, PREL, PGOV, MOPS, ASEC, IR, IZ, KU, KUWAIT-IRAQ RELATIONS, KUWAIT-IRAN RELATIONS 
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS FEAR IRANIAN HAND IN JULY 25 BORDER 
INCIDENT 
 
REF: KUWAIT 3287 
 
Classified By: CDA Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (S) Summary: Tensions persist at the Iraq/Kuwait border 
crossing near Umm Qasr with two RPG rounds fired at the 
Kuwait side the night of July 26 and Kuwaiti police returning 
fire.  While the disturbances seems to be the result of local 
actions, GOK officials privately express concern that Iran 
may be stirring up the problem.  Kuwait has temporarily 
suspended installment of the vehicle barrier in the immediate 
vicinity of the Umm Qasr farms/residences, but all sides 
agree that the barrier is on Kuwaiti soil.  End Summary. 
 
Kuwait Deputy Chief of Staff on Border Incidents 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
2.  (S/NF)  Office of Military Cooperation-Kuwait Chief met 
July 26 with Shaykh Ahmed Khalid Al-Sabah, Deputy Chief of 
Staff for the Kuwait Armed Forces, to discuss the July 25 
disturbance on the Iraq/Kuwait border at Umm Qasr (reftel). 
Shaykh Ahmed expressed concern over possible Iranian 
involvement in the border incident.  He told OMC-K Chief that 
a source at Umm Qasr suggested the protest was planned during 
a July 23 meeting of pro-Iranian Iraqis held in Umm Qasr. 
Majed Taher Al-Tamimi, head of the Umm Qasr Municipal Council 
and someone whom Shaykh Ahmed claimed was Iranian-influenced, 
led the July 23 meeting; Eid Obaied, Chief of the Popular 
Committees of Safwan, and an unidentified, suspected member 
of Iraqi Hezbollah attended the meeting, along with others, 
Shaykh Ahmed reported. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  According to a Kuwaiti incident report given to 
OMC-K Chief during the meeting, the July 25 incident began 
around 0945 local time when approximately 90 Iraqis shouting 
protests approached a Kuwaiti pipe barrier being installed in 
Kuwaiti territory along the border.  After growing to more 
than 400 persons, the group entered Kuwaiti territory and 
began dismantling the barrier.  Iraqi police were present, 
but did not attempt to stop the protesters, the report 
stated.  Kuwait Ministry of Interior Special Forces arrived 
around 1000 and began pushing protesters on Kuwait territory 
back across the border.  The situation escalated when 
protesters began throwing rocks at Kuwaiti police and 
contractors.  According to the report, what sounded like two 
to three rounds from a small arms weapon were fired from the 
Iraqi side of the border, though no weapons were seen. 
Around 1115, the protesters started to withdraw.  At noon, 
Al-Tamimi held another meeting, with the same individuals in 
attendance, to discuss the protest, Shaykh Ahmed reported. 
The protesters delivered an unsigned demand to the Kuwaitis 
claiming the current border demarcation resulted from 
negotiations with Saddam Hussien's regime and, therefore, was 
no longer legitimate. 
 
4.  (S/NF)  Shaykh Ahmed made clear to OMC-K Chief his 
concerns that Iran instigated the protests.  He characterized 
Al-Tamimi as an active agent of Iran and emphasized the 
presence of an Iraqi Hezbollah representative at the meetings 
where, according to Shaykh Ahmed, the protests were planned 
and reviewed.  Kuwaiti press articles July 27 suggested a 
third country was behind the protests, without naming Iran 
specifically. 
 
RPG Rounds Fired at Border 
-------------------------- 
 
5.  (S)  Kuwaiti officials reported two RPG rounds were fired 
from Iraq across the border into Kuwait the night of July 
26/morning of July 27.  Kuwaiti police returned fire on a 
house in Umm Qasr they suspected the RPGs were fired from. 
Iraqi police investigated, but found nothing.  No casualties 
were reported. 
 
6.  (S)  Contractors resumed work on the Kuwaiti border pipe 
on the morning of July 27.  Between 100 and 150 Iraqis began 
protesting again at the installation site where they burned 
tires and shouted at Kuwaiti contractors.  Kuwaiti police did 
not respond.  Iraqi police did nothing to stop the protests, 
sources said.  Sources also reported gunfire at a Kuwaiti 
police border check point around 1050. 
 
7.  (S)  The GOK and the ITG are cooperating to de-escalate 
the border protests.  An Iraqi Minister of Interior official 
told Kuwaiti officials the protests are a local problem 
caused by farmers and municipal officials.  According to 
Shaykh Ahmed, Kuwait Deputy Undersecretary of Interior, Sadr 
Al-Mashan, met July 27 with Umm Qasr Municipal Council 
official, Al-Tamimi.  Al-Mashan told Al-Tamimi Kuwait will 
temporarily stop installation of the pipe barrier 300 meters 
west of the Umm Qasr housing district and resume installation 
300 meters east.  In response, Al-Tamimi agreed there would 
be no more protests.  According to the British Embassy, 
Kuwait FM, Shaykh Mohammad Al-Sabah, and Kuwait Interior 
Minister, Shaykh Nawaf Al-Sabah, spoke to their counterparts 
in Iraq today by phone.  The GOK was pleased with the ITG 
officials' verbal responses to the border disturbance. 
 
8.  (C)  For pictures of the protest site, please see Embassy 
Kuwait's classified website. 
 
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Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
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TUELLER