VZCZCXYZ0021
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #0565 0521635
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211635Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1863
INFO RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0856

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2018 
TAGS: PREL EINV ETRDA JO KU
SUBJECT: JORDAN-KUWAIT WARMING TREND CONTINUES WITH VISIT 
OF KUWAITI PM 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) The mid-February visit to Jordan of Kuwaiti Prime 
Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah (and 
several other ministers) is the latest public sign of healing 
- at the government/royal family level, at least - of 
relations strained throughout the 1990s because of Kuwait's 
lingering ire at the GOJ's lack of support for Kuwait during 
the Gulf crisis of 1990-91.  Improving these ties has been a 
priority for King Abdullah since he ascended to the throne in 
early 1999; Kuwait reopened its embassy in Amman soon 
thereafter, and in September that year the King made the 
first visit by a Jordanian ruler to Kuwait since the Gulf 
War.  While the King has made several short trips to Kuwait, 
PM Sheikh Nasser was the most senior Kuwaiti official to come 
to Jordan in many years. 
 
¶2.  (C) The visit was heavily reported by Jordan's state-run 
news agency Petra, which highlighted the importance of the 
strong relationship between the King and the Amir of Kuwait 
in bringing the two nations closer together.  On February 20, 
the pro-government daily al-Dustour published a long 
interview with PM Sheikh Nasser in which he glossed over past 
tensions - "relations between Kuwait and Jordan have always 
been characterized by trust, joint coordination, and the 
strength derived from the deep-rooted fraternal ties" - and 
highlighted Kuwaiti investments in Jordan (totaling more than 
USD 6.5 billion, he said), development projects, and loans. 
Jordan and Kuwait are also reportedly considering a debt swap 
whereby Jordanian debt would be lowered in exchange for 
Kuwaiti interest in local real estate development projects. 
Sheikh Nasser added that Kuwait is interested in increasing 
the number of Kuwaiti students at Jordanian universities 
currently at 2,200, and raised the possibility of the Kuwait 
Fund for Arab Economic Development financing several projects 
here. 
 
¶3.  (U) The PM's trip was followed this week by a visit of 
Kuwaiti parliamentarians lead by MP Marzouq al-Hebaini. 
Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and 
Communications Nasser Joudeh touted the high volume of 
Kuwaiti investments in Jordan, and said the GOJ was committed 
to attracting more.  For its part, the Kuwaiti 
parliamentarians attributed the high level of investment in 
the Kingdom to Kuwaiti faith in the Hashemite leadership and 
Jordan's stability.  Jordanian legislators met with the 
delegation, after which Speaker of the Lower House of 
Parliament Abdelhadi al-Majali hailed bilateral relations, 
and Senate Speaker Zeid Rifa'i said Jordan valued the aid 
provided by Kuwait. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The warm language used by Kuwaitis and Jordanians 
reflects the reality of closer economic ties between the two 
countries.  In 2007, Jordan imported goods valued at USD 136 
million from Kuwait, including manufacturing parts and 
materials, polyethelene, and seafood.  Jordan exported 
produce, air-conditioning equipment, and medication to 
Kuwait.  Total trade between the two countries increased 64 
percent between 2006 and 2007, to USD 210 million.  According 
to the Companies Controller Directorate at the Ministry of 
Industry and Trade, Kuwait had USD 583 million in registered 
capital stock at the end of 2007, second only to Iraq.  The 
Jordan Investment Board reports Kuwait is the third-largest 
source of foreign investment, at 8 percent. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
HALE