US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3397

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KPAL, KSUM, KWBG, KU 
SUBJECT: SHARM EL-SHEIKH DEMARCHE DELIVERED: GOK HOPES FOR 
REAL COOPERATION AND SERIOUS ACTION 
 
REF: STATE 141247 
 
Classified By: CDA Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C)  Summary: In response to reftel demarche delivered 
July 31 by the Charge d'Affairs (CDA), Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah said terrorism and 
Iraq will be the main topics discussed at the August 3 
summit.  Al-Jarallah remarked that Arab rhetoric was not 
enough: Arab states needed to do more to combat terrorism and 
to support the political process in Iraq.  He hoped the 
summit would adopt concrete measures to address both issues. 
Regarding Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, 
Al-Jarallah anticipated an Arab League (AL) communique 
welcoming Israel's "positive step," but emphasizing Israel 
needed to do more.  Al-Jarallah criticized Syria's border 
closure with Lebanon saying the Lebanese people were 
suffering as a result.  Kuwait was also responding positively 
to a Lebanese request for the provision of diesel fuel, 
Al-Jarallah said, noting that the GOK was ready to support 
any summit proposal for additional aid to the country.  He 
did not comment on demarche points on reform.  End summary. 
 
Terrorism 
--------- 
 
2. (C)  CDA delivered reftel demarche July 31 to Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah. 
Al-Jarallah said the primary topic of the summit would be 
terrorism.  He said Mubarak's calling of the summit showed 
his recognition of the seriousness of the threat of terrorism 
to the region.  "We have to do something as the Arab World, 
as the Arab League, regarding the critical situation.  Arab 
countries need real cooperation and serious action," 
Al-Jarallah commented. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
3. (C)  The summit presented an excellent opportunity to 
discuss reconstruction in Iraq and to make a firm Arab 
commitment to the Iraqi political process, Al-Jarallah said. 
Noting that Arab pledges of support to Iraq have so far 
lacked substance, he said Arab countries needed to more 
concretely support the political process in Iraq.  The 
mechanism for delivering on pledges was not moving, he 
stated.  Iraq was still having problems providing basic 
services.  While Kuwait was providing daily electricity and 
fuel to Iraq, Al-Jarallah expressed hope that other Arab 
countries would help meet Iraq's basic services needs. 
Al-Jarallah predicted Iraq would also request Arab countries 
put more pressure on Syria to stop the flow of terrorists and 
materials into Iraq. 
 
Syria-Lebanon 
------------- 
 
4. (C)  Al-Jarallah criticized Syria's closure of its border 
with Lebanon saying the action was intended to prevent 
Lebanese tribes from crossing the border, despite Syrian 
claims to the contrary.  The GOK supported Lebanese efforts 
to solve its internal political problems, he said, adding 
that the GOK recently received a request from the GOL to 
provide the country with diesel fuel.  The Kuwaiti Minister 
of Energy and the Lebanese Minister of Oil were currently 
working on a deal, which Al-Jarallah anticipated would be 
made soon. 
 
Israel and the Gaza Withdrawal 
------------------------------ 
 
5.  (SBU)  Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 
was a "turning point" in the Middle East peace process, 
Al-Jarallah said; however, it was not enough.  He predicted 
the AL would issue a communique welcoming the Gaza 
withdrawal, but calling on Israel to do more.  Al-Jarallah 
added that a rapprochement between Kuwait and Israel was 
unlikely before a peace agreement was signed between Israel 
and a Palestinian state responsible for its own security. 
Noting that Kuwait has delivered on its promises of aid to 
the Palestinians, Al-Jarallah said the GOK would support any 
summit proposals for additional aid. 
 
Somalia: Another Possible Summit Issue 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C)  Al-Jarallah said another topic that may be discussed 
at the AL Summit was the situation is Somalia.  "We do not 
want an Afghanistan in Africa," he added.  Al-Jarallah asked 
for U.S. help and said the EU also needed to have a role, 
without elaborating.  The Arab world needed to do something 
for the government and people of Somalia, he concluded. 
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TUELLER