US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4641

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004641 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, IR, KU 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES DELIVERED: GOK LABELS IRANIAN STATEMENTS 
AS "VERY STRANGE" 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 199863 
     B. SECSTATE 199225 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) During an October 30 meeting with Ambassador, Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Khaled Al-Jarallah 
characterized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's 
October 25 remarks regarding Israel as "very strong and very 
strange," reminding the GOK of language from the days of 
Ayatollah Khomeini. "We read this statement very negatively," 
he added. "It gives us an indication of the President's 
approach toward handling this and other regional problems," 
Al-Jarallah stated. "We hope one day that we'll hear 
something positive from him," the U/S continued, but 
"frankly, we're not optimistic." Al-Jarallah welcomed recent 
EU and UN statements condemning Ahmadi-Nejad's statements. 
 
2. (C) Per reftel demarches, Ambassador urged the GOK to make 
public statements denouncing the remarks. Al-Jarallah, 
nodding his head, said that the GOK should, in fact, mention 
something in public. 
 
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LEBARON