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OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #0147/01 0180451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180451Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2551
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3042
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 0942
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, 
B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KPAO PREL KDEM IZ KMDR KU
 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: THE DEMISE OF KUWAIT'S 
RULER 
 
 
¶1. Summary: All Arabic and English newspapers continued to 
dedicate the majority of each edition to the recent passing 
of the Amir.  Some dailies published more photos of the Amir- 
designate, Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, during 
his calls on various sites in Kuwait or with visiting heads 
of state.  Al-Anbaa Arabic daily broke its silence with a 
special supplement about Shaykh Saad.  End Summary. 
 
Selected Headlines 
------------------ 
 
¶2. Tuesday, January 17, 2006 
 
-- Al-Qabas front page "Family agreement facilitates oath- 
taking. Consultative meeting of MPs touches on a number of 
proposals"; "Specifications of oath-taking"; "Speaker Al- 
Khrafi: Keen on enforcing constitutional procedures" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 6 "Kings and leaders of states and 
governments, official personalities and popular delegations 
extend condolences on the demise of the late Amir" 
 
-- Al-Qabas, p. 8 "Cheney arrives in Kuwait today"; "Dr. 
Ayed Al-Manaa: I am extremely happy for the transition of 
power pursuant to constitutional channels" 
 
-- Al-Qabas, p. 19 "Citizens and expatriates visited Jaber 
Al-Ahmad's grave" 
 
-- Al-Qabas, p. 21 "Al-Tabtabaei: Oath-taking is a 
prerequisite for completing procedures for naming Shaykh 
Saad as Amir" 
 
-- Al-Qabas, p. 22 "Westerners share sadness with Kuwaitis" 
 
-- Al-Qabas, p. 136 "Kuwaiti women express grief on demise 
of Amir" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "Oath-taking is key to powers of 
leadership"; "Al-Tabtabaei is for `leniency' with respect to 
oath-taking"; "Al-Tabtabaei: Separation of posts of `Crown 
Prince' and `Prime Minister' is a reformist step but not a 
prerequisite" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 12 "Arab States eulogized Shaykh Jaber" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 8 "Bayan Palace -- a United Nations" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 14 "Kuwaiti embassies abroad received 
mourners" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 15 "Palestinian community: We will 
never forget the Amir's support for the determination of 
`our occupied people'" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 17 "Speaker Al-Khrafi: The oath should 
be taken pursuant to constitutional stipulations; the 
session will be open unless the government or ten MPs ask 
otherwise" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 18 "Families cancelled receptions" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 72 "Gulf, Arab and international 
dailies widely cover death of the Amir" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam, p. 83 "Optimism about the new leadership" 
 
-- Al-Watan, p. 7 "British Ambassador: The Amir's wisdom was 
evident during both good times and bad times" 
 
-- Al-Watan, p. 18 "Kuwaiti families postponed their social 
events and occasions" 
 
-- Al-Watan, page 34 "MPs continue to mourn the late Amir" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah, front page "Speaker Al-Khrafi: No dispute on 
oath-taking by Shaykh Saad"; "Al-Khrafi will call for a 
special session within hours and demands for leniency in 
oath-taking procedures"; "Royal Family will hold important 
 
KUWAIT 00000147  002 OF 003 
 
 
meeting this evening at Dasman Palace"; "Al-Saadoun 
boycotted the consultative parliamentary meeting and Al- 
Rashed stresses enforcement of constitutional provisions" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah, p. 8 "`Oath-Taking Session' will be open and 
it will be held by next Monday" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah, p. 39 "History will record that Jaber was 
fair to women" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah, p. 40 "Amir was chosen as the International 
Charitable Personality of the year in 1995" 
 
-- Al-Anbaa front page "Speaker Al-Khrafi: Oath-taking 
session should be held as quickly as possible. Al-Khrafi 
asserts clarity of article 60 of the constitution and MPs 
believe that the session will most probably be held at the 
beginning of next week"; "Cheney arrives in Kuwait today" 
 
Block Quotes 
------------ 
 
¶3. Tuesday, January 17, 2006 
 
-- Mohamed Abdul Mohsen Al-Barjas wrote in the moderate 
daily Al-Qabas under the title "Departure of the Prince of 
Hearts": "The man, the ruler, the father has departed.  Our 
hearts are full with sorrow as the `prince of hearts' 
departed this mortal life to the eternal life.  By losing 
you Jaber we have lost all sense of joy. Moreover, how could 
the loyal people of Kuwait be happy when they have lost a 
kind father, a fair ruler, and a wise man?  You were an Amir 
as well as a symbol of humility and dedication. Jaber Al- 
Ahmed, you have left behind men capable of steering the ship 
to the port of safety." 
 
-- Dr. Shafiq Nazem Al-Ghabra, President of the American 
University in Kuwait, wrote in the moderate daily Al-Rai Al- 
Aam under the title "The absence of an Amir": "Shaykh Jaber 
led Kuwait through many political turns.  At the outset of 
his rule, he reorganized Kuwait administratively and 
financially, which contributed to the development of the 
modern state.  Shaykh Jaber's era was littered with many 
sharp political and regional turns. The Iran-Iraq war began 
a few years after he was appointed.  He had to deal with the 
ramifications of that war, as well as, those of the Iranian 
Revolution.  At that point in time, he stood firmly against 
allowing Kuwait being swept up in the violence of the region 
and he almost lost his life as a result of his courageous 
stance.  He was not a fan of violence or dictatorship, he 
was humble and pious.  The Iraqi invasion in 1990 was a 
great shock to Shaykh Jaber. After all that he had given 
Saddam's government during the Iran-Iran war, and after the 
terror Kuwait faced as a result of its support for Iraq 
during that war, Shaykh Jaber stood in awe of the magnitude 
of this betrayal to Kuwait.  He also achieved great strides 
on the domestic political front, as it was he who dissolved 
the National Council in 1986 unconstitutionally when it was 
unable to work with the government.  It was he who also 
refused the same type of action without the proper 
constitutional means. It was his adherence to the 
constitution that shaped Kuwait as an organization-based 
state. That is why Kuwait can still follow his teachings in 
its quest to strengthen democracy while enacting political 
and economic reform." 
 
-- Ahmed Mohamed Al-Fahd wrote in the moderate daily Al- 
Watan under the title "The impolite ones": "It was a sad 
evening in Kuwait after the burial of everyone's father, 
Jaber Al-Ahmed. Sadly, all countries Arab and non-Arab felt 
the sorrow that some impolite people did not.  Some shop and 
caf owners opened yesterday not caring for the great 
calamity and not accounting for the citizens' feelings for 
the death of their father and their leader. Of course, there 
are stores that must remain open out of necessity because 
people need them such as grocery stores, drug stores, and 
restaurants. The Ministry of Commerce should punish other 
shops owners that remained open while they used to close on 
religious holidays. These shop owners should be punished for 
 
KUWAIT 00000147  003 OF 003 
 
 
their disrespect of the event.  I do not want my words to be 
understood as incitement against certain types of shops as 
much as I want them to be a warning to some owners that do 
not care what happens in Kuwait, so long as they ravish what 
is in the pockets of its citizens.  Kuwait will not force 
them to close their shops and will not revoke their licenses 
because it is not a barbaric state." 
 
-- Dr. Shamlan Al-Eisa wrote in the pro-government daily Al- 
Seyassah under the title "The peaceful transition of power": 
"The massive crowds that came out to bid farewell to their 
beloved departed Amir is clear evidence of the people's 
close ties to their political leadership and a distinct 
declaration of their renewed loyalty to the legitimacy of 
the Al-Sabah family. Declaring Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah Al- 
Salem Al-Sabah as Amir of Kuwait at this time is clear 
evidence of the regime's respect for the constitution and 
the traditions. The new Amir will follow in the footsteps of 
the previous Amir, as they were companions. As soon as the 
Amir was buried a question rose in Kuwait and outside it; 
who will be named Crown Prince?  Although the constitution 
provides the Amir with a year to select his Crown Prince, 
the current domestic, regional, and international situation 
urges the quick selection of a Crown Prince. We have 
complete confidence in the ruling family has the qualified 
people who will facilitate the best selection." 
 
-- Sami Abdul Latif Al-Nesf wrote in the moderate daily Al- 
Anbaa under the title "The Great Kuwait beloved has gone": 
"The beloved Amir Jaber Al-Ahmed has gone, the one to whom 
the people pledged allegiance twice, the one famous for his 
wisdom, humility, and mercy. The one who led the nation with 
great ability amidst storms forced upon us by geography and 
location. The policies, which the departed Amir believed in 
and the great work that he did domestically, regionally, and 
internationally are what contributed to the salvation of 
Kuwait from the biggest catastrophe in its history. Had it 
not been for the investments and funds for future 
generations, the Kuwaiti people would not have been able to 
hold up against the invasion both domestically and 
internationally. We offer the sincerest condolences to the 
family, to the loyal Kuwaiti people, to the Arab, Islamic, 
and international communities." 
 
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LEBARON