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Cablegate: Returning Stolen Kuwaiti Property

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001973

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL IZ KU
SUBJECT: RETURNING STOLEN KUWAITI PROPERTY

1. This is an action request. Please see para. 5

2. Summary: A member of Kuwait's ruling family met with the
Ambassador on May 4 to seek his assistance in reclaiming
property stolen by Iraqis during the 1990-91 occupation of
Kuwait. The request highlights the need to establish a
procedure for current and future property claims. End Summary.

3. Shaykh Ahmed Jaber al-Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah paid a
visit to the Ambassador on May 4, and asked him to help
recover property he and his family had stolen from them
during the occupation of Kuwait. Shaykh Ahmed said he had
recently seen the articles -- a 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud
vehicle with historical significance to the State of Kuwait,
and a personalized china set -- on television, when camera
crews displayed vehicles and other property in the palace of
Uday Saddam Hussein. Shaykh Ahmed presented the Ambassador
with a letter in imperfect english from his father, Shaykh
Jaber al-Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah, and a packet of papers,
including photos and a vehicle title, showing his ownership
of these items.

4. The text of the letter follows:

28 April 2003

Your Excellency Richard H. Jones
Ambassador of the United States of America
To the State of Kuwait

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Among my invaluable fortune looted by Iraqi soldiers
during the Iraqi invasion of the State of Kuwait in 1990,
there's a unique antique "Rolls Royce ) Silver Cloud 64"
that had been shown on TV's and other media when displaying
cars in the Palace of Odai, Saddam Husein's elder son. This
Rolls Royce is so important that several foreign heads of
state and top officials who visited Kuwait in the past used
it. I enclose the car's traffic documents. Among my
belongings, there's also an official coffee china-set had
been shown in newspapers April 16. It goes back to 1960's
and served many heads of state I hosted. I enclose photos
verifying that the china-set belongs to me. You'll find my
name on each piece. Photos of the rest of the set, that I
still have, are also enclosed. Please kindly let me know the
proper procedures to restore the above-mentioned Rolls Royce
and other belongings from Iraq? Thank you in advance for
your kind help in this regard.
With best regards.

Yours Sincerely,

Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

END TEXT.

5. Action: Embassy requests State Department coordinate with
appropriate Department of Defense elements to locate these
items, and inform us of the proper procedure for Shaykh Jaber
to follow to ensure their return.
URBANCIC

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