US embassy cable - 96KUWAIT4046

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004046 
 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  06/29/06 
TAGS: PREL, XF, KU 
SUBJECT:  THE RIFT BETWEEN THE CROWN PRINCE AND FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
REF:  KUWAIT 3753 
 
1.  (U)  CLASSIFIED BY DCM GEORGIA DEBELL, REASON 1.5(B). 
 
2.  (C)  KUWAITI FOREIGN MINISTER SHAYKH SABAH AL-AHMED AL-JABER 
AL-SABAH REMAINS IN MOROCCO FOLLOWING HIS CONFRONTATION WITH THE 
CROWN PRINCE ON THE EVE OF THE CAIRO SUMMIT (REFTEL).  SHAYKH 
SABAH HAS CONTINUED TO PERFORM THE RITUALS OF THE FOREIGN 
MINISTER, AND HAS BEEN FEATURED IN THE LOCAL PRESS DISPATCHING 
NATIONAL DAY GREETINGS AND CALLING ON MOROCCAN OFFICIALS 
INCLUDING KING HASSAN.  HIS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE TO SECRETARY 
CHRISTOPHER AFTER THE DHAHRAN BOMBING RECEIVED SPECIAL ATTENTION, 
AND WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A ROUTINE VACATION, IT IS EQUALLY 
CLEAR THAT SHAYKH SABAH WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE FOLD.  THAT 
MAY BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.  THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S CHIEF OF 
PROTOCOL TOLD US JUNE 29 THAT THE AMIR HAD GIVEN HIM TWO WEEKS TO 
COOL OFF, AND HE IS EXPECTED BACK IN KUWAIT THE END OF THIS WEEK 
OR THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT. 
 
3.  (C)  WHILE SHAYKH SABAH MAY SOON BE BACK ON THE JOB, THE RIFT 
BETWEEN KUWAIT'S SECOND AND THIRD RANKING OFFICIALS WILL 
CONTINUE, AND MAY BE MORE PRONOUNCED.  INFORMATION MINISTER SAUD 
NASIR, A BITTER CRITIC OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER (AND A 
CORRESPONDINGLY CLOSE ALLY OF THE CROWN PRINCE), JOINED KUWAIT'S 
DELEGATION TO THE CAIRO SUMMIT AFTER SHAYKH SABAH DECAMPED, AND 
WILL USE THE EPISODE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO 
ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO TAKE ON THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO. 
 
4.  (C)  AS NOTED REFTEL, WHILE THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THIS 
LATEST FLARE UP WAS THE ONGOING FEUD OVER RELATIONS WITH JORDAN, 
THE TENSION BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND CROWN PRINCE IS 
ROOTED IN FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY AND STYLE.  THE 
DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF OF KUWAIT'S ARMED FORCES, FAHED AL-AMIR (A 
SUPPORTER OF SHAYKH SABAH AND A RELATIVE BY MARRIAGE) TOLD THE 
AMBASSADOR RECENTLY THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER IS INCREASINGLY 
FRUSTRATED WITH THE CROWN PRINCE'S DECISION MAKING STYLE WHICH HE 
DESCRIBED AS THE CAPACITY TO AVOID MAKING DECISIONS. 
 
5.  (C)  WE SUSPECT THAT TIME AND AGE HAVE ALSO SHARPENED THE 
RIVALRY FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S SIDE.  AT 66, HE IS A YEAR 
YOUNGER THAN THE AMIR AND A YEAR OLDER THAN THE CROWN PRINCE, AND 
THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE WILL NEVER RUN THE GOVERNMENT (LET ALONE 
THE STATE) MAY BE INCREASINGLY APPARENT TO HIM.  WHATEVER THE 
REASONS FOR THE DIVISION, THE FACT THAT IT IS A VERY PUBLIC ONE 
MAKES KUWAITIS NERVOUS.  FAHED AL-AMIR AND PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN 
RELATIONS CHAIRMAN JASSIM AL-SAGER COMMENTED SEPARATELY TO THE 
AMBASSADOR THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER ALL THE WAY AROUND IF THE 
SENIOR AL-SABAHS COULD KEEP THEIR DIFFERENCES TO THEMSELVES, 
PARTICULARLY DURING SUCH CHALLENGING TIMES IN THE REGION. 
 
 
CROCKER