VZCZCXRO9679
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #0217/01 0240709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240709Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2627
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000217 
 
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: SUCCESSION IN KUWAIT 
 
Selected Headlines 
------------------ 
 
¶1. Monday, January 23, 2006 
 
-- Al-Qabas front-page "Oath-taking session on Tuesday; The 
Government 'activation' letter was handed over to the National 
Assembly"; "Goodwill endeavors without any result"; "Al-Khorafi 
optimistic that wisdom will ultimately prevail"; "Amir received 
Speaker Al-Khorafi.  Al-Khorafi stated that National Assembly 
welcomed request by the Amir to hold a special oath-taking session"; 
"Amir asks for special swearing-in session on Tuesday"; "Council of 
Ministers proceeded with procedures for activating Article 3 of the 
succession law"; "There were attempts by all parties to reach a 
reconciliatory solution"; "Al-Khorafi met Sabah Al-Ahmad met and 
hoped that more time would be given to reconciliatory efforts"; 
"Salem Al-Ali received a number of MPs"; "A number of senior royal 
family members met Salem Al-Ali"; "Meeting failed"; "Salem Al-Ali: 
Comprehensive settlement covering all posts is needed"; "National 
Assembly received letter from Government in the evening. National 
Assembly decides which of the two requests should be given 
precedence"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: The two issues are separate but 
connected"; "Council of Ministers drafted its letter on activation 
of article 3 and authorized Minister Sharar to refer it to the 
National Assembly at the appropriate time"; "Statement by political 
powers affirmed necessity of cohesion of ruling family. Seven 
political powers issue statement on constitutional standoff" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 9 "Judicial verdicts carry the name of Shaykh Saad" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 12 "Speaker Al-Khorafi denied receiving Council of 
Ministers' letter" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "The Kuwaiti democratic experiment will 
pass through one of its toughest trials tomorrow"; "Climate 
yesterday indicated imperativeness of collision"; "Race between 
options of constitutional steps"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: If it is our 
destiny to shoulder our responsibility, we will"; "Meeting between 
Shaykh Saad and Al-Khorafi took only five minutes. Meeting was 
attended by Salem Al-Ali, Fahd Al-Salem and Salman Al-Sabah. Ahmad 
Salem Al-Ali, Fahd Salem Al-Ali, Hamad Jaber Al-Ali and Saud Nasser 
Al-Sabah were outside the meeting room"; "Salem Al-Ali received 
Speaker Al-Khrafi at the Shaab Palace"; "It was rumored yesterday 
that Shaykh intended to dissolved the Parliament and the 
government"; "Speaker: We will try to coordinate between the two 
requests"; "A medical report will be attached to the government's 
letter"; "Salem Al-Ali received Al-Saadoun, Al-Saqer and Al-Sane" 
 
-- Al-Watan front page "Council of Ministers' letter will be sent to 
the National Assembly today"; "Al-Khorafi: Committed to 
constitutional procedures"; "Good efforts by Shaykh Mubarak 
Al-Abdullah to heal rifts"; "Al-Watan editorial expresses vigorous 
support to Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "Shaykh Saad summoned Al-Khorafi 
yesterday"; "Saud Al-Nasser seeks to meet Sabah Al-Ahmad"; 
"High-level government source: Deadlock will be over tomorrow 
(today)" 
 
-- Al-Watan p. 40 "Al-Khorafi: Different views on special session"; 
"Shaykh Saad's signature may not be real" 
 
-- Al-Anba front page "Sabah Al-Ahmad to Ministers: I do not accept 
infringement on the status of Shaykh Saad and we hope to avoid 
presenting medical reports to MPs"; "Oath-taking session on Tuesday 
will be preceded by 'activation' session"; "Last minute endeavors - 
which failed- lead by Mubarak Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad, Salem Sabah 
Al-Salem, Nawaf Al-Ahmad and Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem"; "National 
Assembly Speaker receives today request by Council of Ministers to 
hold a closed-door session to complete constitutional procedures"; 
"Why did reconciliatory efforts fail?"; "Silent Brain Infarction"; 
"Speaker received by fax copy of Council of Ministers' request 
yesterday"; "Government received detailed report from Health 
Minister" 
 
-- Al-Anba p. 7 "Al-Khorafi: At least one minister should attend the 
oath-taking session"; "Closed-door session within 48 hours" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah front page "Issue has become complicated....  Two 
sessions tomorrow and 'activation' before 'oath taking'"; "Failure 
of goodwill endeavors and significant statement by Sabah Al-Ahmad in 
the morning session"; "National Assembly's Bureau will hold 
extraordinary session today"; "Al-Feeli: Dissolving both authorities 
prior to oath-taking is not permissible"; "Medical report on Amir's 
health is ready and signed by three physicians" 
 
KUWAIT 00000217  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- Al-Seyassah p. 4 "Al-Khorafi: Request by Amir for oath-taking 
session cannot be turned down" 
 
Block Quotes 
------------ 
 
¶2. Monday, January 23, 2006 
 
-- Khloud Abdullah Khamis wrote in the progressive daily newspaper 
Al-Qabas under the title "The best ruler": "After the hysteria of 
predictions and expectation that has taken place in Kuwait, someone 
should speak publicly and make clear statements not innuendos mixed 
with his opinion about the successive ruler of Kuwait. We are saying 
clearly, Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed is the best qualified to run the 
State of Kuwait at this point in time. The pledging of allegiance by 
the majority of the Al-Sabah family to him concluded the matter. And 
if there are writers and politician-wannabes are trying to make it 
seem like Kuwait is at a constitutional crossroads and are blowing 
the disagreement out of proportion, we say Kuwait is in no danger. 
There is no huge disagreement within the ruling family, yes there is 
disagreement, and everyone knows that. We call on Kuwaitis not to 
believe these people they stand behind out of the light and beg for 
any microphone to enlarge their ugly voices and a screen to display 
their even uglier faces." 
 
-- Nabil Al-Fadl wrote in the moderate daily newspaper Al-Watan 
under the title "A whale and peacocks": "The ability to rule is not 
linked to the ability to swear the oath, while it is important it is 
only a formality. The ability issue comes into play after the oath; 
can the Amir perform his duties with his own will and strength? Or 
will orders coming from be those of the people surrounding him? 
Declaring what they want under his name and forbidding what they do 
not want under his name? It is very nice to take advantage of the 
communication age; rather we insist that advantage be taken of the 
information age.  Why do they not have His Highness Shaykh Saad 
appear on television to assure the citizens of Kuwait that he is in 
good health and demonstrate his ability to perform his duties? Then, 
our society will regain its sense of security that has been blown 
away by the wind. We challenge them to show us our Amir so that we 
can rest assured and close the door in the face of rumors. If he is 
unable to do so or unable to perform his duties then we should all 
resort to logic and to the constitution which in such cases calls 
for the implementation of paragraph 3 of the succession law. They 
should respect His Highness the Amir and his long history and place 
him above the cheap aspiration of those wanting to advance 
themselves through him." 
 
-- Sami Abdul Latif Al-Nesf, editor-in-chief of Al-Qabas newspaper 
wrote in the moderate daily newspaper Al-Anbaa under the title "How 
old is anger?": "No one can claim to oppose His Highness Shaykh 
Sabah Al-Ahmed taking over power and at the same time claim that it 
is for the good of the country. The good of the country and its 
citizens as we approach turbulent times in the Northern Gulf demand 
that the leadership be qualified and able in order to steer in the 
direction that best serves the interests of the country. His 
Highness Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah was one of the founding gathers of 
the constitution as he was a member of the committee charged with 
writing it. His Highness declared his absolute agreement, at that 
time, on the Amir's oath. The very same which some 
constitutionalists are attempting to alter. He also demanded that 
the succession law be included in the constitution. We hope that the 
matter is settled soon so the people can mourn their departed Amir 
and cheer for the coming one." 
 
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LEBARON