CONFIDENTIAL
$
нив ого 126
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
774
066766
MDHIAN 3392
CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1933
OF 152108Z AUGUST 90
INFO IMMEDIATE RIYADH, BAGHDAD
20 AUG 1995
DESZ
INDEX
A
INFO PRIORITY CAIRO, AMMAN, ANKARA, PARIS, BONN, MOSCOW INFO PRIORITY KUWAIT, ACTOR
US/KUWAIT: SHAIKH SABAH IN WASHINGTON SUMMARY
1. SHAIKH SABAH CALLS ON BUSH, BAKER AND CHENEY TO EXPRESS KUWAITI GRATITUDE. US TAKE OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE KUWAITIS TO MAINTAIN HIGH PUBLIC PROFILE AND TO CONSIDER ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES BEARING THE BRUNT OF UN SANCTIONS.
DETAIL
2. WHEN I CALLED ON COVEY (PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, MIDDLE EAST) ON 15 AUGUST, I ASKED ABOUT SHAIKH SABAH'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON. COVEY SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN THE PRESIDENT AND BAKER AND WOULD SEE CHENEY TODAY (THE LATTER AS A COURTESY AND TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR US SUPPORT). SABAH HAD NOT HIMSELF HAD MUCH OF SUBSTANCE TO RAISE WITH THE AMERICANS, BUT THE VISIT HAD GIVEN THE KUWAITIS SOME VISIBILITY AND OFFERED THE AMERICANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ACROSS THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
A
-
THE KUWAITIS SHOULD MAINTAIN A HIGH PUBLIC PROFILE. THEY SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WERE STILL A GOVERNMENT AND HAD BOTH FRIENDS AND RESOURCES.
B
-
THE US WOULD OFFER ADVICE ON HOW BEST TO CONDUCT A PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. THEY HAD ALREADY SUGGESTED THAT THE KUWAITIS APPOINT AN APPROPRIATE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE, WHO SPOKE ENGLISH AND COULD HANDLE THE PRESS. COVEY NOTED THAT THE KUWAITIS NEEDED TECHNICAL ADVICE IN THIS AREA. THEY DID NOT KNOW QUITE HOW TO PROCEED. BUT THEY WERE MAKING EFFORTS: THEY HAD OPENED A QUOTE RESISTANCE RADIO STATION UNQUOTE IN CAIRO, WHICH THE US WOULD HELP SUPPORT.
C - THE KUWAITIS MIGHT ALSO THINK ABOUT SUPPORT FOR COUNTRIES WHO WOULD BEAR THE BRUNT OF UN SANCTIONS. CHIEF AMONG THESE WAS JORDAN, ALTHOUGH PERSUADING THE KUWAITIS TO ASSIST HERE WOULD NOT BE EASY. THEY HAD GIVEN JORDAN ECONOMIC HELP FOR YEARS AND FELT BETRAYED. COVEY THOUGHT THAT GIVEN QUOTE WELL-FRAMED ADVICE
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL