This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003652 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, USUN FOR JESSICA LAPENN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL PBTS PGOV IZ KU KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS
SUBJECT: ONGOING BORDER DISPUTE: AP ARTICLE CAUSES 
CONTROVERSY 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 3565 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 3523 
     ¶C. KUWAIT 3446 
     ¶D. KUWAIT 3396 
     ¶E. KUWAIT 3331 (NOTAL) 
     ¶F. KUWAIT 3287 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (U) A previously unknown Iraqi Shi'a group, calling 
itself Islamic Jihad, threatened to "attack (Kuwaiti) border 
posts, border patrols and carry out attacks inside Kuwait," 
if Kuwaiti troops did not pull back to the "pre-1991 border," 
an AP article reported August 14.  Kuwaiti Arabic and 
English-language newspapers picked up the article and 
published it prominently on August 15 under the headline, 
"Iraqi Militants Threaten Kuwait."   These new threats are 
part of a series of confrontations over the Kuwait-Iraq 
border (reftels).  With tensions already high, this new 
menace is sure to anger many Kuwaitis and may undermine the 
GOK's attempt to downplay the border dispute. 
 
¶2.  (C) The article itself may be a source of contention. 
Written by Iraqi AP correspondent Abbas Fayadh, who is also 
the Basra director of U.S.-funded television station 
Al-Iraqiya, the article stated that the UN "redrew" the 
border in 1993, the "upshot (of which) was that Kuwait 
received 11 oil wells, some farms and an old naval base that 
used to be in Iraq."  The author failed to mention that 
Kuwait considers the oil wells as part of Kuwaiti territory, 
and that efforts were made to compensate Iraqi farmers for 
land lost since 1993.  According to GOK officials, Iraqi 
farmers were not allowed to accept compensation under 
Saddam's rule; however, discussions about compensation 
recently resumed. 
 
¶3.  (U) Note: The current Kuwait-Iraq border was officially 
demarcated by UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 833 in 
May 1993.  At that time, the UN installed concrete pillars to 
mark the exact location of the border.  Since the exact 
border only existed on paper prior to UNSCR 833, the physical 
demarcation of the border divided a number of farms 
straddling both sides of the border.  Although both sides 
made compromises, many Iraqis, particularly those who "lost" 
land, felt cheated by the demarcation and have disputed the 
border ever since.  Therefore, the exact location of the 
pre-1991 border referred to by the Shi'a group is uncertain. 
In actuality, the pre-1991 border, based on a line 
established by the British and the Turks in 1913, was agreed 
upon by Iraq and Kuwait in 1932 and renewed in 1963 in a 
document entitled "Agreed Minutes Between the State of Kuwait 
and the Republic of Iraq Regarding the Restoration of 
Friendly Relations, Recognition, and Related Matters."  UNSCR 
687 contains a detailed history of the border dispute.  End 
note. 
 
¶4.  (C) Comment: GOK contacts insist that the border dispute 
between Kuwait and Iraq is a localized phenomenon.  The 
recent ITG delegation visit demonstrated Iraqi PM Ibrahim 
Al-Jaafari's interest in resolving the issue diplomatically 
(ref A and B); however, these new threats underscore the fact 
that Baghdad may have difficulty controlling the various 
groups in southern Iraq.  Elements in both Iraq and Kuwait 
are likely to continue to politicize the border issue in 
order to further their own agendas.  While not reaching 
crisis dimensions, we assess that additional border 
confrontations are probable in the near future.  So far there 
have been no serious injuries or deaths, and Iraqi and 
Kuwaiti officials seem to agree on the sanctity of the UN 
demarcated border and the need to de-escalate.  However, an 
incident resulting in Kuwaiti casualties or provocative large 
scale demonstrations could send the Kuwaitis to the Security 
Council for support.   End Comment. 
 
********************************************* 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
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LEBARON