VZCZCXRO6271
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #1451 1170833
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270833Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4156
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001451 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IR, AND T 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2016 
TAGS: PARM PREL PGOV KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS
SUBJECT: RAFSANJANI VISIT TO KUWAIT: GOK SAYS IRANIAN 
ESCALATION WILL DESTROY THE WHOLE REGION; AMBASSADOR 
PRESSES ON PSI 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 1346 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 1342 
     ¶C. KUWAIT 1319 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Khaled 
Al-Jarallah told the Ambassador April 26 that April 16-17 
discussions with former Iranian president Rafsanjani failed 
to produce any flexibility from the Iranian government on its 
nuclear ambitions.  Al-Jarallah said what was supposed to be 
a private trip in response to a longstanding Kuwaiti 
invitation, was in fact "almost official."  Rafsanjani met 
with the Amir and Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Al-Mohammed 
who both stated GOK concerns, expressed GCC desire for a 
"peaceful solution," and encouraged the GOI to "say something 
positive."  The GOK further called for "positive steps 
vis-a-vis the IAEA and the international community." 
Instead, Rafsanjani told the same story:  the GOI nuclear 
program is for peaceful purposes only, GCC states have 
nothing to fear, and Iran's nuclear success will benefit the 
entire regime. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Al-Jarallah described as "strange" a press report 
the day after the Rafsanjani visit to Kuwait citing 
Rafsanjani that Kuwait and the GCC would stand by Iran in the 
event of a military confrontation with the U.S.  Jarallah 
said, "this is not true."  He continued that Amir Shaykh 
Sabah told Rafsanjani to "be realistic because there is 
nothing to be gained from escalation."  Al-Jarallah said 
Rafsanjani occasionally characterized the nuclear issue as a 
U.S.-GOI problem, but generally focused on Iran's purported 
right to nuclear technology.  Rafsanjani also talked about 
bilateral issues such as the ongoing maritime boundary 
dispute, but without any clear result.  Al-Jarallah commented 
that Rafsanjani's general discontent with the new Iranian 
President was palpable and the former president, in "polite 
language" alluded to internal conflict in Iran, but was 
careful not to be explicitly critical. 
 
GCC Will Support UNSC Resolution on Iran 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  Turning to the expected April 28 IAEA report, the 
Ambassador asked Al-Jarallah about GCC views on a UN Security 
Council resolution and invoking Chapter VII.  Al-Jarallah 
responded that publicly, the GCC preferred to keep all 
channels of communication open, but quickly added, "I'm sure 
it's a hopeless cause," and stated confidently the GCC would 
support a unified UNSC position.  He agreed with the 
Ambassador that Iran's nuclear aspirations were a global 
problem.  He further told the Ambassador GCC Heads of State 
would discuss Iran at a May 6 summit in Riyadh. The 
Ambassador urged Jarallah to make sure that the Russians and 
the Chinese were aware of strong Kuwaiti and GCC views about 
the danger of Iranian nuclear developments.  Jarallah stated 
he had recently met with an adviser to Putin (he did not 
remember the name) and had made the GOK's views known. 
 
Ambassador Presses for PSI Endorsement 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C)  On a related issue, the Ambassador reviewed with 
Al-Jarallah the April 11 visit of Under Secretary of State 
for Arms Control and International Security Joseph and 
encouraged the GOK to endorse the Proliferation Security 
Initiative (PSI).  He said other Gulf states had indicated 
interest in PSI and would participate in a May meeting in 
Poland.  He encouraged Kuwait PSI endorsement and 
participation. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
LEBARON