US embassy cable - 02KUWAIT5241

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 005241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA, NEA/FO, H 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2012 
TAGS: IZ, KU, OREP, PGOV, PREL, US 
SUBJECT: (U) CODEL ISSA MEETS KUWAITI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 
SPEAKER AND MEMBERS 
 
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reason 1.5 
 (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Codel Issa met with the Speaker of Kuwait's 
National Assembly, Mr. Jassem Al-Khorafi, and other MP's on 
November 25, 2002. Among the topics discussed were Kuwait's 
concerns over the U.S.-Saudi relationship, a post-Saddam Iraq 
and the impact of U.S. policies in Israel and the territories 
on Arab support for U.S. policy initiatives in the region. 
End Summary. 
 
Khorafi to Codel: You need the Saudis 
 
2. (C) Speaker Khorafi advised Codel Issa that the Congress 
should play a larger and more proactive role in "cementing" 
the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.  "The 
U.S. has become famous for losing friends and gaining 
enemies," he said, as he urged the members of the delegation 
to "please keep them as allies."  He said that Kuwait is very 
concerned about the "irritants" to which Saudi Arabia had 
been exposed over the past few months, and asked the Codel to 
work to ensure there was no further deterioration of the 
relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.  In 
particular, Khorafi noted what he felt was unfair U.S. media 
coverage of Saudi Arabia.  While he thanked the USG for 
making a clear and public distinction between Islam and 
terrorist activities, he expressed his belief that negative 
media reports emanating from the U.S. were confusing Arab 
perceptions and damaging the relationship between the two 
countries. 
 
3. (C) Responding to Speaker Khorafi's concerns, Rep. Darrell 
Issa (R-CA) replied that the U.S. relationship with Saudi 
Arabia was still very strong, despite media reports, and 
noted that unflattering coverage was a burden societies that 
enjoy a free press sometimes have to bear.  He added that he 
believed the U.S. public capable of distinguishing between 
fact and press speculation.  Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA) 
added that the benefits of a free press outweigh the trouble 
that comes along with it.  He noted that Al-Jazeera is "a 
test for Arab states," which have limited experience with a 
truly free press. 
 
Israel and Palestine 
 
4. (C) Khorafi also used the opportunity to address Kuwaiti 
concerns over U.S. policy on Israel/Palestine.  He said that 
while Kuwait was eager to see peace finalized, Israel was not 
committed to finding a peaceful solution.  Sharon's actions, 
he said "will only create more extremists" and produce an 
environment where the two parties "cannot sit at the table to 
find a solution."  At the same time, he said, "dictators" in 
the Arab world were keen on having Israel serve as a 
scapegoat to ensure their continued existence.  He called 
upon the U.S. to confound dictators by solving the 
Israeli/Palestinian conflict. 
 
5. (C) While thanking the U.S. for its commitment to a 
two-state solution to the conflict, Khorafi was also critical 
of U.S. demands that the Palestinians elect new leadership. 
He observed that Kuwait had suffered as a result of 
Palestinian policies, but nonetheless the U.S. should "leave 
it to them to decide" their own leadership, or face the 
prospect of "embarrassing" those who support the U.S. push 
for change, but do not want to be seen as "puppets of the 
U.S." 
 
6. (C) Rep. Issa responded by remarking that Congress is 
committed to pushing both parties towards a solution and 
reminded the Speaker that President Bush explicitly supported 
a Palestinian state.  Rep. Delahunt added his belief that the 
solution to the Palestinian problem lay not in U.S. action, 
but in increased action on the part of Arab states including 
Kuwait.  He called on Kuwait to play a more active role. 
 
Guantanamo detainees 
 
7. (C) Turning to the well-publicized issue of Kuwaiti 
detainees at Guantanamo, Khorafi said the U.S. should give 
them "every opportunity provided under international law," 
decide if they are guilty or not, and then take the 
appropriate action.  He added that Kuwait would stand by any 
decision the USG made. 
 
8. (C) Rep. Issa explained that while the U.S. was in 
uncharted waters, and taking new actions in response to new 
threats, he would work with Congress in an effort to find a 
sound solution as quickly as possible. 
 
Concern over Oil Prices 
 
9. (C) Islamist MP Nasser al-Sane voiced his concern that 
regime change in Iraq could lead to oil prices as low as five 
USD per barrel.  He told Codel Issa that a British Petroleum 
analyst had quoted this price in a discussion over possible 
supply growth spurred by the development of Iraqi oil 
resources. 
 
10. (C) Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) responded by assuring al-Sane 
that stable oil prices are in the economic interest of the 
entire world, including the United States, whose high-cost 
producers would be driven out of business by a precipitous 
drop in prices.  Rep. Issa agreed, but told al-Sane that 
Kuwait would have to invest in the modernization of its oil 
sector if it wished to remain competitive.  The Ambassador 
used this as an opportunity to stress the importance of early 
passage of legislation authorizing a foreign role in the 
development of Kuwait's Northern oil fields. 
 
11. (C) Comment: That Speaker Khorafi chose to lead off his 
comments by focusing on Saudi Arabia reflects the extreme 
importance Kuwait attaches to its relations with both the US 
and Saudi Arabia, as the twin guarantors of its security. 
End Comment. 
 
12. (U) This cable was not cleared by Codel Issa. 
 
JONES 
 
RJONES