US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT408

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, PHUM, PREL, MARR, KU 
SUBJECT: POW FAMILIES APPEAL TO POTUS 
 
 1.  The Ambassador met January 28 with a group of 
family-members of Kuwaiti POWs/missing persons, who handed 
him a letter in Arabic addressed to POTUS appealing that 
consideration be given to protecting Kuwaiti detainees in 
Iraq during a confrontation  The Ambassador assured the group 
that the U.S. shared its concerns and would remain alert to 
any information regarding the location of Kuwaiti detainees. 
However, absent such information it was impossible to provide 
any assurances.  Informal Embassy translation of their 
group's letter follows, for the information of relevant 
Washington authorities and whatever action they may deem 
appropriate.  The original, unsigned, is being kept on file 
at post. 
 
2.  BEGIN TEXT: 
 
January 28, 2003 
 
H.E. President George W. Bush 
President of the United States of America 
 
Greetings: 
 
Subject: Urgent Appeal by Families of Kuwait POWs 
"Salvaging Kuwait POWs and Hostages in Iraq...At The Last 
Moment" 
 
We, families and relatives of Kuwait POWs in Iraq, extend to 
you our highest thanks and gratitude for the cooperation and 
support you have shown towards the top issue of Kuwait's 
government and people ) the Kuwait POWs issue, and we 
congratulate you on the advent of the New Year and wish you 
many happy and healthy returns of the occasion. 
 
Your Excellency: 
 
We, families of the POWs, have doubts that the issue of our 
sons the POWs gets the concern it deserves despite its deep 
humanitarian dimensions. It is a thorny issue and its 
progress over the past twelve years was slow and 
unsatisfactory for us and for all Kuwaitis.  As you know, 
Your Excellency, within the context of this ongoing campaign 
against the Iraqi regime, the souls of our sons the POWs 
would undoubtedly be in danger and they would be under the 
mercy of the thorny circumstances in the event of launching 
any military attack on Iraq, which has become the most likely 
scenario for the coalition countries led by the United States 
of America. 
 
As you know, Your Excellency, the issue of Kuwait POWs 
figures high on and tops the priorities of the agendas of 
meetings of the official Kuwaiti delegations, be they 
governmental or popular. The international charters, notably 
the UN Human Rights Charter, impose on countries respect for 
human rights, particularly the civilian prisoners during the 
period of captivity. 
 
Your Excellency: 
 
The United States is in the process of completing its 
leadership for defeating terror wherever it is, and it is in 
the process of striking the terror of the Iraqi regime soon 
) if it does not comply with the international charters ) 
as has been declared. It is not ruled out that the troops of 
the Iraqi regime would take revenge on the Kuwait POWs 
languishing in Iraqi prisons under the harsh circumstances of 
captivity, which have undoubtedly weakened their powers and 
frustrated their determination. Therefore, we hereby 
underscore the significance of safeguarding the safety of 
Kuwait POWs in Iraqi prisons during and after directing the 
military blow at Iraq. We appeal to Your Excellency to lay 
down a humanitarian emergency plan, as we have been 
accustomed to see you do in such cases, for the protection of 
the souls of our POWs and to transport them to safe places in 
the event of the potential military strike, especially with 
the supposition of the revenge by the Iraqi regime upon them, 
based on response to the aggression and getting rid of the 
problem. 
 
Based on the love and appreciation the Kuwaiti people harbor 
for your country and people, we would like to affirm to Your 
Excellency, our support for your constructive role as a 
pioneering state, leading the campaign for eliminating terror 
and enmity to rights of states and human rights. Our 
confidence in the role of the United States of America in 
putting an end to this ordeal is not but in completion of the 
pioneering role undertaken by your father in the liberation 
of Kuwait and recovering the rights of its people in the year 
1991. We are certain that our sons the POWs have lived on 
this hope over the past twelve years and we hope that your 
wise leadership would not disregard this appeal. 
 
We hope that this appeal would receive your support and 
sympathy with the tragedy of the people of Kuwait and the 
affliction of the families of Kuwait POWs. We thank Your 
Excellency for being generous enough to respond to us and 
keep us posted of developments relating to our sons the POWs. 
 
For A Group of Relatives of Kuwait POWs 
Dr. Fatima Khadhir Al-Abdali 
Fax No. (965) 561-6412 
Or (965) 398-3614 
Tel. No. (965) 908-0506 
Kuwait, P.O. Box 9758 
Postal Code 61008 
Ahmadi, Health, Safety and Environment Building, 
Industrial Area, Kuwait Oil Company 
Kuwait 
e-mail: fabdali@kockw.com 
 
END TEXT. 
JONES 
JONES