VZCZCXRO8142
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #0200/01 0221430
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221430Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2605
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NSC FOR RAMCHAND, LONDON FOR TSOU, 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KU SUCCESSION
SUBJECT: SUCCESSION STRUGGLE: JABERS VS. SALEMS WITH 
PARLIAMENT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE 
 
REF: KUWAIT 184 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: Dr. Yousef Al-Zalzalah, a moderate Shi'a 
member of Parliament, told visitors to his diwaniya 
(traditional gathering) the evening of January 21 that the 
National Assembly had received two contradictory requests: 
one from the Cabinet to begin proceedings to declare Shaykh 
Saad medically unfit to be Amir and the other from Shaykh 
Saad, via agents, calling for a special parliamentary session 
on January 22 at 6:30pm to take the constitutionally-mandated 
Amiri oath.  The latest reports on succession suggest Shaykh 
Saad is still insisting on holding the special parliamentary 
session, though ruling family members are in intense 
negotiations to resolve the leadership controversy.  Dr. Saad 
Bin Teflah told Poloffs at his diwaniya that the ruling 
family dispute was being exacerbated by the "younger Shaykhs" 
from the Al-Salem and the Al-Jaber branches of the Al-Sabah 
family who feared being left out of any long-term compromise 
deal on succession.  Bin Teflah claimed the Al-Salems feel it 
is their turn to exercise political power, even through a 
physically incapacitated Amir.  Kuwaitis are expressing 
common disappointment in the ruling family for letting their 
differences deteriorate to such a point, but also evince 
confidence that a solution will finally be reached.  End 
summary. 
 
Leading MP: Parliament Received Contradictory Requests 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (C) In visits to diwaniyas (traditional gatherings) the 
evening of January 21, Kuwaitis shared with Poloffs their 
views on the succession crisis currently dominating 
discussion in Kuwait.  Dr. Yousef Al-Zalzalah, a moderate 
Shi'a member of Parliament (MP), told visitors to his 
diwaniya that the National Assembly had received two 
conflicting letters on January 21: one from the Council of 
Ministers requesting activation of Article 3 of the 
Succession Law, which provides for removal of the Amir for 
health reasons (reftel), and the other from Amir-designate 
Shaykh Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah calling for a special 
parliamentary session to allow him to take the 
constitutionally-mandated Amiri oath.  Al-Zalzalah noted 
that, procedurally, Amiri requests should come through the 
Council of Ministers, which is chaired by Prime Minister 
Shyakh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, widely seen as the 
exclusive candidate to replace Shaykh Saad, rather than 
directly from the Amir.  According to Al-Zalzalah, National 
Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi requested a meeting with 
Shaykh Saad to explain the proper procedures, but was turned 
down. 
 
¶3.  (C) Al-Zalzalah also outlined a couple of scenarios that 
could throw the country into a "constitutional crisis."  What 
if the requisite two-thirds majority (44 votes) in Parliament 
needed to remove the Amir for health reasons was not 
obtained?  What if the 16 Government Ministers, who are ex 
officio MPs, did not attend the special Amiri oath-taking 
session, if held?  He admitted that he could not answer his 
own questions, but speculated that constitutional issues 
would be referred to the Constitutional Court.  He expressed 
frustration that the Al-Sabah family had not resolved its 
internal differences prior to the Amir's death, but he was 
confident that family members would do so soon.  Al-Zalzalah 
said MPs would meet on January 22 to determine how to respond 
to the conflicting requests.  (Note: The latest reports are 
that the Council of Ministers was also meeting January 22 to 
prepare a medical report on Shaykh Saad, which it intends to 
submit to Parliament to facilitate the activation of Article 
3 of the Succession Law.  However, there are also reports 
that Shaykh Saad's doctor will not sign the report.  The 
doctor was dumped as Health Minister by Shaykh Sabah last 
year.  End note.) 
 
Al-Salems and "Younger Shaykhs" Demand Their Turn 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4.  (C) Dr. Saad Bin Teflah, professor at Kuwait University 
and a former Minister of Information, told Poloffs at his 
diwaniya that the current internal family dispute was 
exacerbated by the "younger Shaykhs" of both the Jaber and 
Salem branches who feared being edged out of power by a 
long-term compromise arrangement on succession.  Without 
naming names, he insinuated that Energy Minister Shaykh Ahmed 
Al-Fahd Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah -- only 42, but widely 
rumored to be corrupt and ambitious -- was part of the 
problem, as well as former ministers not from the Al-Jaber 
branch who were replaced when Shaykh Sabah became Prime 
 
KUWAIT 00000200  002 OF 002 
 
 
Minister in 2003.  (Note: Shaykh Mohammed Al-Khalid Al-Hamad 
Al-Sabah was replaced as Minister of Interior by Shaykh 
Sabah.  Other contacts have suggested he is one of the key 
family members resisting Shaykh Sabah's assumption of the 
amirship.  End note.) 
 
¶5.  (C) According to Bin Teflah, Al-Salems feel it is their 
turn to exercise political power, even through a physically 
incapacitated Amir: a situation they argue is similar to the 
Jabers' exercise of political power under the ailing Amir 
Shaykh Jaber.  Bin Teflah claimed some Al-Salems would even 
like to issue a decree stripping Shaykh Sabah of his power. 
(Comment: The de facto ruler of Kuwait for the past five 
years, Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah has considerable power and 
broad public support.  It is highly unlikely that he could be 
removed from his current position or realistically prevented 
from becoming Amir.  End comment.) 
 
Kuwaitis Disappointed, But Trust Constitutional Process 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Among all the rumors, gossip, and speculation in 
Kuwait about ruling family negotiations over succession, 
there is a common sense of disappointment that the Al-Sabah 
family let things deteriorate to this point.  Kuwaitis 
respect the ruling family and defer to its members on 
succession issues, but feel embarrassed that the family's 
dirty laundry would be aired in such a public and humiliating 
way.  Bin Teflah noted, however, that there is a positive 
side to the current situation: public debates focus on the 
constitutionality of succession procedures, an indication, 
according to Bin Teflah, of the depth of political freedom in 
the country and the commitment to upholding the Constitution. 
 
 
********************************************* 
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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
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********************************************* 
LeBaron