VZCZCXRO8018
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #5289 3621412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281412Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2353
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 005289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/PPD, INR/NESA 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KPAO KMDR KISL OEXC KU
 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: International Conference on 
Using Education to Combat Terrorism and Extremism II 
 
Ref: Kuwait 5287 
 
¶1. Summary:  Kuwaiti daily newspapers provided coverage on 
their pages of the first International Conference on the 
Educational Dimensions in the Treatment of Terrorism and 
Extremism Phenomenon, reporting on it as a news piece.  Dr. 
Shamlan Yousef Al-Issa is a professor of political science 
at the University of Kuwait and is the only person who 
commented on the conference.  End Summary. 
 
Block Quotes 
------------ 
 
¶2. Wednesday, December 28, 2005 
 
-- Under the title "Education and terrorism," Dr. Shamlan 
Yousef Al-Issa wrote in the moderate Arabic-language daily 
Al-Seyassah:  "Kuwait hosted the first International 
Conference on the Educational Dimensional Impact in the 
Treatment of Terrorism and Extremism Phenomenon.  The goal 
of the conference as Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of 
Higher Education, stated, is to put a mark of knowledge on 
the road to moderation and the isolation of extremism and 
terrorism.  More than 15 research papers were presented 
during the conference all dealing with the social, 
educational, religious, and cultural aspects of terrorism. 
I have noticed that some officials and academics attempted 
to explain what happened by speaking of terrorism as a 
foreign phenomena to Gulf and Arab societies and that Gulf 
societies are traditional, peaceful, and adhere to religion 
and its teachings of tolerance.  This type of talk is an 
attempt to clear one's name from all the accusations that 
are falling onto the government from all sides.  The 
importance of the Conference on the Educational Dimensional 
Impact in the Treatment of Terrorism and Extremism 
Phenomenon lays in the participation of youth, as they 
discussed many good ideas on how to better spend their free 
time in order to curb extremism and terrorism.  Of most 
importance among the ideas put forth is that of assuring 
others the freedom of culture and the freedom of religion. 
They also called on the government to allow them to have a 
voice in the making of decisions that affect their future. 
We hope these suggestions will materialize and be 
implemented." 
 
********************************************* 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
********************************************* 
 
LeBaron