US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3973

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003973 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA, D, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, PINR, KU 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT FREEDOM AGENDA: AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSSES 
REFORM ISSUES WITH ACTING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER 
 
AL-HAROUN 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 3961 
     B. KUWAIT 3873 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 
1.  (C) During a September 6 office call that focused on 
thanking the Kuwaitis for their generosity towards victims of 
Hurricane Katrina, Ambassador raised key elements of the 
democracy agenda for Kuwait with the Acting Speaker, 
Abdulwahad Rashid Al-Haroun.  Ambassador asked for 
Al-Haroun's views on reducing the number of electoral 
districts and formation of political parties.  The Acting 
Speaker, (currently the third-ranking member of the 
Assembly), told the Ambassador that the first priority should 
be the reduction of the number of electoral districts from 
the current twenty-five to five, or at most ten.  This would 
reduce the parochialism of members who are elected by narrow 
but unified constituencies, such as those from areas 
dominated by particular tribes.  The result, according to 
Al-Haroun, would be a more coherent National Assembly that is 
able to focus on national interests rather than primarily on 
serving particular constituent interests. 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador noted that the Prime Minister seems to 
believe that the ball is in the Assembly's court for action 
on this matter (ref b).  Al-Haroun acknowledged this but 
noted that the idea will require a push from the government 
and suggested that many of the recently-elected members were 
beholden to the GOK and therefore the Prime Minister may not 
be in a hurry to take actions which could result in loss of 
those seats. 
 
3.  (C) In response to the Ambassador's question, Al-Haroun 
submitted that both reform of districts and legalizing 
political parties were important, but that the reduction of 
districts should be the first priority. 
 
4.  (C) Bio Note: Al-Haroun is in his second term in the 
Parliament and is a member of the National Democratic 
Movement, one of two liberal political blocs.  He is 
considered a moderate liberal and is known to oppose the 
cradle-to-grave support system for Kuwaitis, especially those 
in government jobs, pushing instead for support of the 
Kuwaiti private sector.  He completed his Master's degree and 
his post-graduate study in the U.S. in political geography 
and regional and urban planning, respectively. 
LEBARON