VZCZCXRO5941
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #3618/01 2521214
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 091214Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6616
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003618 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/IR AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL IR KU KUWAIT IRAN RELATIONS
SUBJECT: ON IRAN, KUWAIT PREPARING CONTINGENCY PLANS AND 
BEEFING UP SECURITY; COULD SIGN NON-AGGRESSION AGREEMENT 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 3447 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 2883 
 
Classified By: DCM Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (S/NF) Summary: During a September 5 meeting, National 
Security Bureau (NSB) Iran analyst Ghanim Al-Otaibi told 
PolOff that the Kuwaiti government's (GOK) strategy for 
dealing with Iran covered three main areas: political, 
military, and internal security.  According to Al-Otaibi, all 
government ministries were recently tasked to draft 
contingency plans to deal with NSB-developed scenarios 
related to Iran.  Al-Otaibi said the GOK's primary domestic 
security concern was the possibility of Iranian-backed 
terrorist attacks, but the Government believed it had the 
situation under control.  Al-Otaibi confirmed a recent report 
that negotiations on a number of bilateral issues between 
Kuwait and Iran had been "put on hold" until the nuclear 
issue was resolved.  He also reported that Kuwait had drafted 
a Non-Aggression Agreement, which it would submit to Iran if 
tensions increased significantly.  Al-Otaibi said the 
Government was "very disappointed" by the recent 
pro-Hizballah demonstrations in Kuwait and was planning to 
introduce legislation in the next parliamentary session to 
prevent similar demonstrations in the future.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (S/NF) PolOff met September 5 with Ghanim Al-Otaibi 
(please protect), the sole Iran analyst at the National 
Security Bureau, the organization responsible for 
coordinating security and intelligence policy between Kuwaiti 
government agencies and ministries.  (Comment: Former 
Minister of Energy Shaykh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah's recent 
appointment as the new NSB President is likely to 
re-invigorate the organization and substantially increase its 
influence within the Government.  End comment.)  Al-Otaibi 
said Kuwait's strategy to deal with Iran covered three areas: 
political and military affairs, and internal security.  Each 
ministry was recently tasked to form high-level internal 
committees to develop contingency plans to deal with 
NSB-developed scenarios related to Iran, he reported. 
Al-Otaibi cited as an example the Ministry of Communications 
being asked to identify possible backup communications 
systems in case Kuwait's communications were knocked out.  He 
said most of these committees had already finished their work 
and added that the Kuwaiti military was separately developing 
its own contingency plans. 
 
Kuwait Prepared to Face Internal Security Threats 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3.  (S/NF) Al-Otaibi said Kuwait's primary Iran-related 
security concern was the possibility of Iranian-backed 
terrorist attacks in Kuwait, specifically by several radical 
Shi'a individuals linked to "Kuwaiti Hizballah."  (Comment: 
"Kuwaiti Hizballah" is a pejorative term applied to 
conservative Kuwaiti Shi'a primarily by their Sunni political 
opponents and Kuwait State Security (KSS).  The National 
Islamic Alliance (NIA), a conservative Iran-leaning, Shi'a 
political association, is also sometimes referred to as 
"Kuwaiti Hizballah."  End comment.)  Contrary to most other 
contacts, Al-Otaibi claimed "Kuwaiti Hizballah" was a real 
organization with a clear leadership structure, though he 
stopped short of saying it had a militant wing.  While 
concerned about this threat, Al-Otaibi emphasized that the 
GOK had the situation under control, noting that the KSS knew 
the "names and addresses" of these potentially dangerous 
Kuwaiti Shi'a and was "keeping a close eye on them."  "If we 
need to, we are prepared to take drastic measures (against 
these individuals)," he said. 
 
¶4.  (S/NF) Al-Otaibi also noted that Kuwait recently 
implemented more robust security measures, including 
increasing the number of security personnel at vital 
installations and installing "more than 7,000" closed circuit 
television cameras at oil facilities and in public areas.  He 
downplayed the likelihood of Shi'a militia groups in southern 
Iraq launching rocket attacks on Kuwait, saying the GOK was 
"not even considering this possibility."  (Comment: This 
seems to somewhat contradict with Shaykh Ahmed Al-Fahd's 
request for information on Hizballah missile capabilities 
(ref A).  End comment.) 
 
Kuwait-Iran Bilateral Relations 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (S/NF) Al-Otaibi confirmed an August 29 report in the 
Arab Times (local English daily) that many bilateral issues 
between Kuwait and Iran, including negotiations over Kuwait 
importing water and natural gas from Iran, have been put "on 
 
KUWAIT 00003618  002 OF 002 
 
 
hold" until the nuclear issue is resolved.  He was unaware of 
an August 5 report in the Daily Star (local English daily) 
that negotiations over Iran joining Kuwait's fiber optics 
network were expected to be finalized "by early October." 
Al-Otaibi was also unaware of an August 16 article on the 
Iran Students News Agency website (www.isna.ir) that claimed 
a Kuwaiti company was one of three companies the Iranian 
government had allowed to purchase stocks on the Iranian 
Stock Exchange.  After reviewing the reports, however, he 
downplayed them as evidence of "normal economic relations" 
between neighboring countries. 
 
Possible Kuwait-Iran Non-Aggression Agreement 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (S/NF) According to Al-Otaibi, Kuwait has drafted a 
Non-Aggression Agreement, which it plans to submit to Iran 
"when the time is right."  Al-Otaibi said the Iranians 
suggested such an agreement several times before, but the GOK 
always declined, saying it was unnecessary and would damage 
bilateral relations.  The renewed interest in a 
Non-Aggression Agreement was due to the potential for 
increased tension if international sanctions are imposed on 
Iran, he explained. 
 
GOK Disappointed by Pro-Hizballah Demonstrations 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶7.  (S/NF) Commenting on the recent 
pro-Hizballah/anti-American demonstrations in Kuwait (ref B), 
Al-Otaibi said the GOK was "very disappointed" to see 
Kuwaitis, "mainly Shi'a," carrying Hizballah flags and 
pictures of Hassan Nasrallah.  He continued: "We (the GOK) 
see Hizballah as a terrorist organization and Nasrallah as a 
terrorist."  Al-Otaibi claimed "Iran has agents in Kuwait" 
who were involved in organizing the demonstrations and 
specifically mentioned Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Mohri, 
Kuwait's leading Shi'a cleric.  "We are certain that 
(Al-Mohri) is an agent of Iran and has taken orders directly 
from the Iranian regime," he said.  According to Al-Otaibi, 
Al-Mohri worked behind the scenes with Adnan Abdul Samad and 
Ahmed Lari, recently-elected, NIA-affiliated Members of 
Parliament who participated in the protests.  (Comment: While 
the GOK may perceive Al-Mohri to be an Iranian agent, he is 
widely respected in Kuwait's Shi'a community where he plays a 
mediating role between the various Shi'a factions.  Post has 
not seen any evidence to support the claim that he is 
secretly affiliated with Samad or Lari.  End comment.) 
 
SIPDIS 
Al-Otaibi said the GOK was planning to introduce legislation 
during the next parliamentary session to prevent similar 
demonstrations, namely by placing greater restrictions on 
politically-themed public gatherings and by prohibiting "dual 
allegiances" (e.g. publicly displaying a photo of Nasrallah). 
 
********************************************* * 
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