US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1168

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001168 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
LONDON FOR ETHAN GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2013 
TAGS: OVIP, US, IZ, KU, UNSC 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MINISTER OF STATE PLANS P-5 TOUR, REQUESTS 
WHITE HOUSE CALL 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1.5 b and d. 
 
1. (C) Kuwait's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh 
Dr. Mohammed al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah contacted the 
Ambassador on March 30 to inform him that he is planning a 
whirlwind tour of P-5 capitals, most likely beginning with 
meetings on April 7 in Beijing and proceeding westward to 
Moscow, Paris, London and Washington, where he hoped to hold 
meetings the week of April 14.  According to Dr. Mohammed, 
his primary purpose in the first three stops would be to 
complain about Iraqi missile attacks on Kuwait (using 
equipment and technology largely provided by his hosts in 
those capitals).  In London and Washington, he would seek to 
convey a public message that Kuwait stands by its allies as 
they prosecute "a legitimate war for a just cause, the 
liberation of the Iraqi people." 
 
2. (C) Dr. Mohammed added that he thought his trip would send 
different messages to different audiences.  He hoped that it 
would reassure Kuwaitis that their government is actively 
working to protect them by confidently standing up for its 
rights and renewing its alliances.  He thought that the trip 
would demonstrate to the Arab world that Kuwait has powerful 
friends; it is not alone or isolated.  Finally, he wanted the 
tour to show the citizens of the UK and the US that their 
countries are in turn not isolated from the Arab world; Arabs 
who know Saddam's barbarity first-hand are with them in their 
efforts to liberate the long-suffering Iraqi people. 
 
3. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's questions, Dr. Mohammed 
said that he had not yet discussed the trip with other P-5 
ambassadors but would do so immediately.  He added that he 
hoped for a full program of meetings in Washington, including 
at State, DOD and most importantly, the White House.  He 
argued that a meeting with the President personally would 
send an important symbolic message to the people of the 
United States, Kuwait and the world that Kuwait was a full 
and willing partner in the coalition to free the Iraqi people 
from Saddam's "occupation".  The Ambassador agreed to relay 
this request to Washington. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT/RECOMMENDATION: A former Ambassador to the 
U.S., Dr. Mohammed is Kuwait's de facto Foreign Minister. 
The scion of a long line of Kuwaiti Amirs and with a Harvard 
PhD, he is also a serious contender to become ruler himself 
one day.  He was a consistent ally in our early efforts to 
win active Kuwaiti support for disarming Iraq and helped 
steer Kuwait toward a more assertive public posture against 
Saddam.  At the recent OIC summit in Doha he personally stood 
up to Iraqi name-calling.  He also helped Kuwait to overcome 
its traditional reticence and agree to be declared a member 
of the coalition.  Kuwait is the only Arab state to take this 
step so far.  We therefore strongly recommend that Washington 
arrange a full program of top-level meetings for Dr. 
Mohammed, including with President Bush.  A call on the 
President, no matter how brief, would send a clear message 
that America understands and appreciates Kuwait's unique 
contribution to the coalition.  It would also help to cement 
further our relationship with this dynamic member of the 
rising generation of the al-Sabah. 
JONES