US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4084

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Identifier:	05KUWAIT4084
Wikileaks:	View 05KUWAIT4084 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Kuwait
Created:	2005-09-18 11:25:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags:	EFIN EAID IZ KU
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004084 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
TREASURY FOR OFAC; STATE FOR EB, NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, EAID, IZ, KU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESSES AGAIN FOR DFI DISBURSEMENT 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 2624 
 
     B. KUWAIT 1900 
     C. KUWAIT 1777 
     D. KUWAIT 1733 
     E. KUWAIT 1557 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; protect accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU)  On September 14, Ambassador asked Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs Acting Under Secretary Khalid Al-Babtain for 
an update on GOK consideration of release of frozen funds to 
the Development Fund for Iraq.  Al-Babtain promised to check 
and got back to the Ambassador on the 18th.  He said that the 
question of how to deal with the single claim by a Kuwaiti 
company was being presented by the legal office of the 
Foreign Ministry to the Legal Advice and Legislative 
Department of the Council of Ministers.  Al-Babtain mentioned 
in passing that the company is an Al-Ghanim company, but not 
the major Al-Ghanim conglomerate that has the GM concession 
among other things.  Rather it is a smaller company that had 
a business related to doors and shutters.  Al-Babtain did not 
know the amount of the claim but agreed that it was unlikely 
to approach anything near the 77 million dollar plus 
currently being held.  He repeated the idea we had heard 
previously from the Foreign Ministry that perhaps an amount 
equivalent to the claim could be held back and the rest of 
the money released.  He said he had asked for an answer from 
the MFA's Legal Department on the overall matter in no more 
than a week's time. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Comment: We have raised this issue numerous times 
and received numerous promises that it would be acted upon 
promptly.  Although the Kuwaitis have never drawn the 
connection, the GOK slowness may be related to their 
continuing concern that the UN Compensation Commission funds 
will be further eroded and that their outstanding claims 
related to the first Gulf War will not be honored.  If there 
are opportunities during UNGA meetings, USUN or Department 
officials may wish to remind the Foreign Minister of his 
government's commitment to resolve the DFI matter. 
 
********************************************* 
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 
********************************************* 
LEBARON