VZCZCXRO7488
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #0346/01 0311323
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311323Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2781
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 000346 
 
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 KMDR KU
 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: KUWAIT'S NEW AMIR 
 
 
¶1. Summary: All major Arabic-language newspapers printed photographs 
of the new Amir, spanning the entirety of his political career. Both 
Al-Seyassah and Al-Rai Al-Aam included special appendices focusing 
on the same topic. In general, the Kuwaiti media celebrated the 
constitutional transfer of power to the new Amir. End Summary. 
 
Selected Headlines 
------------------ 
 
¶2. Monday, 30 January 2006 
 
-- Al-Qabas front page "Amir: New page toward promising future"; 
"Historic session and unanimous pledge of allegiance to Sabah 
Al-Ahmad as 15th Amir of Kuwait"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: Continuing 
reform, boosting of sovereignty of law and state of institutions" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 8 "In a historic pledge of allegiance session, 
National Assembly names Shaykh Sabah as Amir of Kuwait"; "Al-Khorafi 
eulogizes late Jaber Al-Ahmad" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p.10 "Nation Invariables Grouping pledges allegiance to 
Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "ICM congratulates Sabah Al-Ahmad and calls for 
maintaining popular gains"; "Al-Kandari: We hope that the new 
government will be up to the responsibility" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 12 "Ahmad Al-Fahd: Sabah Al-Ahmad's era will witness 
prosperity in all spheres"; "Ali Al-Rashed: We hope that the 
positions of Crown Prince and Prime Minister will continue to be 
separated" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 14 "Amir takes constitutional oath of office"; "Sabah 
Al-Ahmad: Positive cooperation between the two authorities will push 
forward march of construction and development"; "Speaker Al-Khorafi: 
Our constitutional system has effectively responded to facts of the 
past phase"; "Council of Ministers names Shaykh Sabah as Amir" 
 
-- Al-Qabas p. 20 "Sabah Al-Ahmad received cables of 
congratulations" 
 
-- Al -Seyassah front page "Amir of Kuwait: What happened a few days 
ago was a triumph for democracy. We will start writing a new page in 
Kuwait's history"; "Salem Al-Ali pledged allegiance to Sabah 
Al-Ahmad"; "LeBaron extended congratulations of President Bush and 
Secretary Rice to Amir"; "Amir received King of Bahrain"; "Release 
 
SIPDIS 
of military jailed for disciplinary penalties" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah p. 14 "Shrewdness of Sabah Al-Ahmad safety valve for 
Kuwait and the entire Arab nation"; "First two verdicts issued in 
the name of the new Amir" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah p. 22 "LeBaron: Kuwait affirmed greatness of its 
democracy and its constitutional laws" 
 
-- Al-Seyassah p. 24 "Demands of Kuwaiti citizens in the new era" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "The new era has started"; "Al-Khorafi 
hoped that appointing Prime Minister would be expedited"; "Prince 
Sultan in Kuwait today and Clinton tomorrow and King of Bahrain was 
the first to congratulate Sabah Al-Ahmad"; "Omani sweets and 
Al-Sane's tears"; "What happened at 1135?" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 16 "Amir: Fruitful positive cooperation between 
the two authorities is an imperative destiny for realizing the 
quantum transition towards change and reform" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 17 "A long handshake between Shaykh Sabah and 
Al-Saadoun" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 18 "Suad Al-Sabah: Oath-taking session is a 
victory for the constitution" 
 
-- -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 19 "Fahd Salem Al-Ali: We have started the 
era of completing democratic reforms"; "Ahmad Al-Fahd: Kuwait 
asserted its transparency and Kuwaitis are united" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 22 "GCC Secretary General: Kuwait gave an 
example for the rule of law and institutions" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 25 "Ahmad Baqer was the only minister to speak 
being an MP" 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 26 "Bassel Al-Rashed: Second line royal family 
members should be relied on to prohibit recurrence of mistake" 
 
KUWAIT 00000346  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 65 "American Ambassador: Kuwait has been and 
still is an example for development of democracy in the region"; 
"Islam Presentation Committee: Shaykh Sabah's era will witness 
openness in the charity work sphere" 
 
Block Quotes 
------------ 
 
¶3. Monday, 30 January 2006 
 
-- Dr. Abdul Mohsen Hamada wrote in the progressive Al-Qabas 
Arabic-language daily under the title "Sunset and sunrise": "His 
Highness Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmed departed the Kuwait that he loved 
with his heart and soul and it loved him as if it loved no one but 
him. He left her vibrant with democracy, love, and justice; free 
from injustice, tyranny, and repression. Without political 
prisoners, he left her scientifically and economically developed. He 
fought illiteracy and ignorance and worked hard to develop the 
economy and made sure to guarantee the future of the coming 
generations. It is our duty towards Kuwait to continue the policy of 
advancement drawn up by the departed Amir. Will we adhere to the 
constitution that helped us out of the succession crisis or will we 
turn on it one day and work against it and limit its powers? Will we 
be able to implement the constitution in order to increase popular 
participation and the development of the legislature?" 
 
-- Jassem Boodai editor-in-chief of the moderate Arabic-language 
daily Al-Rai Al-Aam on the front page under the title "Sabah 
(meaning morning) of change and reform": "The loyalty with which 
Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed spoke of the departed Amir Shaykh Jaber 
Al-Ahmed and of the father Amir Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah is not 
foreign to him. His concentration on the nation's role in making the 
decision popularly, preliminarily, and through the media is not far 
from his political experience, which he carried out with complete 
faith in democracy, freedom, and human rights. Those who paid close 
attention to the oath taken yesterday would realize that Kuwaitis 
were and remain the main concern of His Highness the Amir Shaykh 
Sabah Al-Ahmed. Shaykh Sabah entered the National Council yesterday 
as Prime Minister and left an Amir but the most important part was 
the storm of applaud and tears of joy that received him and the 
dozens of kisses planted on his forehead and shoulders and the 
thousands of flowers that blossomed in the gardens of hope with 
change and reform." 
 
********************************************* 
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