Cablegate: Kuwait Providing 800 Million Plus in Official And
VZCZCXRO0489
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #3309 2270929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150929Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6280
INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 1029
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
UNCLAS KUWAIT 003309
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TO USAID
NEA/ARP FOR JACKSON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EAID KU LE
SUBJECT: KUWAIT PROVIDING 800 MILLION PLUS IN OFFICIAL AND
PRIVATE AID TO LEBANON
1. (SBU) In a 15 August meeting with Kuwaiti Minister of
Finance Badr Meshari Al-Humaidhi, Ambassador asked about GOK
aid to Lebanon. The Finance Minister responded that the
Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) would be depositing $500
million in the Lebanese Central Bank. (Note: KIA is Kuwait's
government investment arm which manages Kuwait's General
Reserve Fund, Future Generations Fund and any other monies
committed by the Ministry of Finance. It can make deposits
in foreign banks at the Government's discretion without
seeking National Assembly approval. End Note.) Additionally,
the Government pledged a cash grant of $300 million; this
grant requires approval by the National Assembly. The
Minister thought that approval would be swift. The Cabinet
also promised to grant $2 million to UN humanitarian bodies
distributing relief in Lebanon in addition to an earlier
grant of $20 million in urgent relief to Lebanon and the
Palestinians.
2. (U) Separately, the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS)
announced that it had rented seven buses to begin
transporting Lebanese refugees from Syria to Beirut. On
August 15, the KRCS is sending a truck convoy with 240 tons
of food aid, medical supplies, blankets, and clothing.
Cumulative aid from KCRS delivered in 12 convoys since the
conflict began amounts to 1734 tons. These supplies were
provided largely from private donations collected by the
Kuwait Lebanese Solidarity Committee, a newly established NGO.
3. (SBU) Embassy is checking into any fuel assistance being
provided.
********************************************* *
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