US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3720

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003720 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI AND PRM/MCE; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL AND CASSIDY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PREF, KU, ICRC 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED:  SUPPORT FOR 
CONSULTATIONS IN GENEVA ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM (MDA) 
 
REF: A. STATE 149915 
 
     B. KUWAIT 3023 (NOTAL) 
     C. KUWAIT 2728 
     D. KUWAIT 942 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (SBU)  Ambassador delivered August 20 ref A demarche to 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Acting Under Secretary and 
International Organizations Department Director Ambassador 
Abdullah Al-Murad.  Al-Murad expressed surprise that Magen 
David Adom (MDA), the Israeli national society was not a part 
of the Red Cross/Crescent Movement.  He offered no comment on 
Kuwait's position regarding the September 12-13 consultations 
in Geneva on adoption the Third Additional Protocol to the 
Geneva Conventions.  The Ambassador left ref A points as a 
non-paper for Al-Murad's review. 
 
2.  (C)  Comment:  Although PolChief has previously raised 
MDA membership with Al-Murad (refs B - D), his surprise that 
its status was unresolved seemed genuine.  The issue is not a 
high priority for the GOK and neither the Swiss Government 
nor the International Committee of the Red Cross have 
seriously raised the matter with Kuwaiti officials (ref C). 
End Comment. 
LEBARON