US embassy cable - 90STATE257623

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 257623 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:  OADR 
TAGS:  PREL MOPS KU IZ US 
SUBJECT:  KELLY DEMARCHE TO IRAQI AMBASSADOR 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  SUMMARY:  A/S KELLY CONVOKED IRAQI AMBASSADOR 
AL-MASHAT FOR A MEETING AT 1430 EDT, 8/3/90, PRIMARILY TO 
PUT IRAQ ON NOTICE THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY OF 
AMERICANS.  KELLY ALSO CALLED AGAIN FOR IRAQI WITHDRAWAL 
AND RESTORATION OF LEGITIMATE KUWAITI GOVERNMENT. 
AL-MASHAT DENIED THAT IRAQ WAS BUILDING UP TROOPS FOR USE 
AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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AMERICAN CITIZENS HELD BY IRAQ 
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3.  KELLY SAID THE UNITED STATES REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT 
THE SAFETY OF AMERICANS IN KUWAIT, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT 
OF REPORTS THAT TROOPS HAD TAKEN INTO CUSTODY A NUMBER OF 
AMERICAN OIL FIELD EMPLOYEES.  HE EMPHASIZED THAT WE WERE 
NOT ACCUSING IRAQI TROOPS OF WRONGDOING, BUT IRAQ MUST DO 
TWO THINGS: INFORM US OF THE WELFARE AND WHEREABOUTS OF 
ALL AMERICANS, AND RELEASE ALL DETAINED AMERICANS AT 
ONCE.  THIS IS AN ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE PRESIDENT. 
 
4.  AL-MASHAT REPLIED THAT IRAQ WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR THE 
SAFETY OF BOTH AMERICANS AND KUWAITIS.  HE NOTED THAT 
IRAQI MFA UNDER SECRETARY HAMDUN HAD ASSURED HIM THERE WAS 
NO POLICY OF ARRESTING AMERICANS, AND THAT IRAQI FORCES 
WERE LOOKING FOR THE AMERICANS REPORTED MISSING. 
 
5.  WHILE AMERICANS HAVE NOT BEEN ARRESTED, HE SAID, 
SEVERAL HAD BEEN FOUND "IN HOTELS AND OTHER PLACES."  FOUR 
ARE BEING TRANSPORTED TO BAGHDAD AT THIS TIME.  AL-MASHAT 
NOTED THAT ONE OF THE MEN ON THE LIST OF DETAINED 
AMERICANS PASSED TO THE IRAQI MFA BY CHARGE WILSON HAD 
BEEN FOUND TO BE A BRITISH CITIZEN.  HE ASKED THAT NEWS OF 
THE FOUR AMERICANS EN ROUTE TO BAGHDAD BE CONVEYED TO THE 
PRESIDENT. 
 
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IRAQI WITHDRAWAL 
---------------- 
 
6.  KELLY INFORMED AL-MASHAT THAT THE UNITED STATES 
ENTIRELY SUPPORTS THE GCC STATEMENT CALLING FOR IRAQI 
WITHDRAWAL FROM KUWAIT.  FURTHERMORE, THE UNITED STATES, 
ALONG WITH THE UNSC, CALLS ON IRAQ TO WITHDRAW ITS FORCES 
FROM KUWAIT IMMEDIATELY. 
 
7.  AL-MASHAT SAID IT IS IRAQ'S POLICY TO WITHDRAW WITHIN 
A MATTER OF DAYS OR WEEKS, AS STATED IN PREVIOUS IRAQI 
STATEMENTS IN WASHINGTON AND BAGHDAD.  HE NOTED THAT ARAB 
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS BY KING HUSSEIN AND OTHERS WERE MAKING 
PROGRESS. 
 
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LEGITIMATE KUWAITI GOVERNMENT 
----------------------------- 
 
8.  KELLY STRESSED THAT THE UNITED STATES WANTS 
RESTORATION OF THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT OF KUWAIT. 
AL-MASHAT SAID HE WOULD PASS THAT WISH TO BAGHDAD. 
 
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IRAQI MILITARY BUILD-UP 
----------------------- 
 
9.  KELLY INFORMED AL-MASHAT THAT WE HAVE OBSERVED A 
CONTINUING BUILD-UP OF IRAQI ARMED FORCES IN AN AREA OF 
CONCERN TO US.  AL-MASHAT REPLIED THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF 
ANY BUILD-UP, AND ASKED WHERE IT IS TAKING PLACE.  KELLY 
REPEATED THAT THE BUILD-UP IS IN AN AREA OF CONCERN TO 
US.  HE REMINDED AL-MASHAT THAT HE (AL-MASHAT) HAD BEEN 
UNAWARE OF IRAQ'S INVASION PLANS, SO HE MIGHT BE SIMILARLY 
UNINFORMED OF THE PRESENT BUILD-UP.  AL-MASHAT 
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD NOT KNOWN ABOUT "ENTERING 
KUWAIT."  MR. KELLY CONCLUDED THE MEETING BY REPEATING THE 
UNITED STATES POSITION THAT IRAQI FORCES SHOULD WITHDRAW 
FROM KUWAIT AT ONCE. 
 
10.  IN THE CORRIDOR AFTER THE MEETING  AL-MASHAT RAISED 
KELLY'S STATEMENT ABOUT AN ONGOING IRAQI MILITARY BUILD-UP 
WITH DAS MACK.  AL-MASHAT STATED THAT IF KELLY HAD MEANT A 
BUILD-UP DIRECTED AT SAUDI ARABIA, HE COULD STATE THAT 
THERE IS "NOT ONE IOTA OF TRUTH" IN THE REPORT. 
 
 
BAKER