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Viewing cable 07KUWAIT514, MPS ASK FOR INFO ON KUWAIT'S PREPAREDNESS FOR A

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If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07KUWAIT514.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07KUWAIT514 2007-04-09 13:44 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kuwait
VZCZCXRO8636
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #0514 0991344
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091344Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8740
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000514 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: MPS ASK FOR INFO ON KUWAIT'S PREPAREDNESS FOR A 
U.S. ATTACK ON IRAN; FM WARNS OF ESCALATION 
 
REF: A. STATE 45880 
     B. KUWAIT 486 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified; not for Internet distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) Responding to recent speculations in local press 
about an imminent U.S. attack on Iran (ref B), several 
parliamentarians (MPs) submitted questions to the Interior 
Minister asking him to outline the steps Kuwait has taken to 
prepare for such a possibility.  Independent, tribal MP 
Saadoun Al-Otaibi and controversial Islamist MPs Faisal 
Al-Muslim and Waleed Al-Tabtabaei wanted to know if the U.S. 
had requested the use of Kuwaiti facilities for such an 
attack and, if not, what Kuwait's position would be if 
American officials did make such a request.  They also 
inquired about security at "sensitive facilities" in Kuwait, 
surveillance of suspected (Iranian-backed) domestic terrorist 
groups, Kuwait's air defense capabilities, and defense 
cooperation with other Gulf countries.  In addition, they 
asked if Kuwait had discussed security arrangements with 
"countries with which it has signed security agreements to 
protect the country."  Al-Tabtabaei said he would submit a 
request soon to hold a special session of Parliament to 
discuss Kuwait's preparations to deal with a possible war 
between the U.S. and Iran. 
 
2.  (SBU) Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Salem 
Al-Sabah warned that "the situation (with Iran) is moving 
towards escalation and confrontation in the region," in a 
April 8 interview with the Saudi-owned, pan-Arab Al-Hayat 
newspaper that was widely republished in Kuwait.  Shaykh Dr. 
Mohammed stated that UNSCR 1747 put "a timeline of escalation 
against Tehran," and said he feared that "what happened to 
Saddam Hussein might happen to the Iranians."  The Foreign 
Minister claimed he urged his Iranian counterpart to "work 
with wisdom, with lawful international decisions" during the 
Arab Summit in Riyadh last month.  Coupled with recent 
provocative reports in local press, such official statements 
are contributing to growing conviction among Kuwaitis that a 
U.S. strike on Iran is imminent; indeed, this issue has 
become the main topic of conversation in Kuwaiti diwaniyas. 
 
3.  (SBU) Per ref A demarche, PolChief asked MFA Iran Desk 
Officer Mansour Al-Oulaimi April 8 about Kuwaiti attendance 
at the expected ribbon-cutting ceremony at Iran's Natanz Fuel 
Enrichment Plant.  Al-Oulaimi was aware of the details of the 
event, but said he was not aware of any plans to attend. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
Tueller