US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2456

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 002456 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2013 
TAGS: PREL, KU, OVIP 
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS VERY DISAPPOINTED AT POTUS CANCELLATION 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) During their June 4 meeting, MinState for Foreign 
Affairs Shaykh Dr. Mohammed al-Sabah shared with the 
Ambassador Kuwait's extreme disappointment at the 
cancellation of POTUS' visit to Kuwait.  Dr. Mohammed led off 
the meeting by noting that the Kuwaiti people had looked 
forward to the visit as an opportunity to show their 
gratitude and sincere appreciation to President Bush, for 
whom he said all Kuwaitis have "enormous respect." 
Unfortunately, the height of their original expectations was 
now matched by the depth of their disappointment. 
 
2. (C) The Ambassador agreed that the opportunity for the 
Kuwaiti people to personally show their support for the 
President would have been a welcome one, but noted that the 
President would be telephoning the Amir and Shaykh Sabah and 
he understood they planned to discuss the possibility of a 
future visit. 
 
3. (C) Comment:  The local popular impact of the cancellation 
and importance of trying to reschedule such a visit should 
not be underestimated.  Kuwaitis are genuinely and deeply 
appreciative of all that the US has done for Kuwait under the 
leadership of both POTUS and his father.  The special 
relationship between our two countries is one that Kuwaitis 
feel very personally, and they remain eager to show their 
support for President Bush.  A POTUS visit to Kuwait at an 
appropriate early date would be an enormous gesture of 
goodwill, especially when one considers Kuwait's very 
significant and very public support of the U.S. and coalition 
efforts in Iraq. 
JONES