Iraqi speaker''s visit to Kuwait important -- FM
Politics 7/7/2009 5:03:00 PM
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah
By Mona Sheshtar
KUWAIT, July 7 (KUNA) -- Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah underscored Tuesday the importance of the ongoing visit by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad Al-Samarraie to Kuwait, and said that "he delivered a message of desire to consolidate relations between the two sides." Speaking to reporters prior to his departure to Istanbul, where he will take part in the GCC-Turkish Ministerial Meeting, he commented on the role of parliaments in forming committees to resolve pending problems between states, saying that parliaments "reflect the will of the people, and their aspirations, causes and concerns." He added, "I believe that it is important to have friendship parliamentary committee, and these are already in place," adding that the task of such committees was to convey messages of peace and love, and the desire to boost relations.
As for issues related to negotiations and agreements, he said that "these pertain to the executive authority on account of details, and because they include many issues that the (executive) authority is always tasked with, such that it may take the required steps and they refer the issue to the legislative authority for endorsement."
"We view the Iraqi parliament speaker's visit to Kuwait as very important, where he conveyed a very important message - one of love, and the desire to consolidate Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations," he said.
"Al-Samarraie listened to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during their meeting, where His Highness the Amir reiterated Kuwait's desire for launching favorable and strong relations with our brothers in Iraq," he added.
Sheikh Mohammad said, however, that the launch of these relations must take place in a "correct (manner) and must be based on clear principles of bilateral relations (known) in international law and international conventions and treaties, from which we - together with the Iraqis - can move on to greater cooperation."
Moreover, he said, "What we were told by Al-Samarraie was good, and he reaffirmed his country's desire to cooperate in many areas, especially those of interest to Kuwait, and we also discussed many ideas."
The foreign minister said that the Kuwaiti side was of the opinion that the exchange of ideas that were brought up during the meetings between Al-Samarraie and Kuwaiti officials "will take place through official channels, and the media will not be the medium through which to exchange messages" with the Iraqi side.
As to the importance of Al-Sammaraie's visit to Kuwait, Sheikh Mohammad said, "Any visit of a high-ranking official who is carrying a message of love will be received with an even better message."
Asked about whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's recent demands for Kuwait to write off his country's debts and compensations meant the failure of the recent Kuwaiti-Iraqi meeting in Jordan, he said, "Do not mix debts and compensations, because they are two separate issues."
He explained that the issue of debts "is a bilateral issue between Kuwait and Iraq," while compensations "are related to decisions of the UN Security Council," adding that he could "not describe" the dialogue in Jordan "as a failure at all."
He reminded that those meetings "took place under the UN's umbrella, and we will continue to meet under the umbrella of the UN."
When asked to confirm reports that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was due to visit Kuwait before the UN Security Council's meeting to discuss Iraq's Chapter VII status next week, Sheikh Mohammad said, "We welcome Minister Zebari at any time - he is a friend of Kuwait and is a man of great credibility and wisdom," adding that the meeting at the UN "is to review the steps taken by Iraq to implement UN resolutions."
In response to a question about the broadcast of an old map that showed the borders of Basra extending to Qatar by an Iraqi news agency, and whether this constituted a new threat, Sheikh Mohammad said, "There are many old maps."
He noted that Turkey had maps of the Ottoman Empire, and within it was Iraq, and wondered, "Does this constitute a threat to Iraq?"
The foreign minister reaffirmed that the State of Kuwait had its acknowledged independent entity "and this is important," adding that the issue of Kuwait's border "will not be affected by maps drawn 300 years ago or even 1000 years ago."
As for Kuwait's role in Qatar-Egyptian reconciliation, after the progress shown in Syrian-Saudi reconciliations, Sheikh Mohammad said that the reconciliation efforts were lauded at the Arab Economic Summit hosted by Kuwait in January, and noted that the meeting in Riyadh after the summit grouped Egypt and Syria, under Kuwaiti and Saudi sponsorship.
He expressed great optimism over when the coming days would bring, in light of changing "taking place on the ground" that brought signs of good inter-Arab relations, among them the Lebanese elections and Arab efforts to assist in the formation of a Lebanese government.
"All of these are positive indications, and we hope that they reflect on negotiations between our Palestinian brothers so that they may be able to overcome their differences," he said.
Moreover, he said, "I cannot speak about such manners publically, so that they don't lose their strength, because speaking about the details can take them out of context. We are not looking for media gains, and we have a true belief in the efforts of His Highness the Amir." (pickup previous)
ms.ema
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2012698&Language=en
Politics 7/7/2009 5:03:00 PM
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah
By Mona Sheshtar
KUWAIT, July 7 (KUNA) -- Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah underscored Tuesday the importance of the ongoing visit by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad Al-Samarraie to Kuwait, and said that "he delivered a message of desire to consolidate relations between the two sides." Speaking to reporters prior to his departure to Istanbul, where he will take part in the GCC-Turkish Ministerial Meeting, he commented on the role of parliaments in forming committees to resolve pending problems between states, saying that parliaments "reflect the will of the people, and their aspirations, causes and concerns." He added, "I believe that it is important to have friendship parliamentary committee, and these are already in place," adding that the task of such committees was to convey messages of peace and love, and the desire to boost relations.
As for issues related to negotiations and agreements, he said that "these pertain to the executive authority on account of details, and because they include many issues that the (executive) authority is always tasked with, such that it may take the required steps and they refer the issue to the legislative authority for endorsement."
"We view the Iraqi parliament speaker's visit to Kuwait as very important, where he conveyed a very important message - one of love, and the desire to consolidate Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations," he said.
"Al-Samarraie listened to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during their meeting, where His Highness the Amir reiterated Kuwait's desire for launching favorable and strong relations with our brothers in Iraq," he added.
Sheikh Mohammad said, however, that the launch of these relations must take place in a "correct (manner) and must be based on clear principles of bilateral relations (known) in international law and international conventions and treaties, from which we - together with the Iraqis - can move on to greater cooperation."
Moreover, he said, "What we were told by Al-Samarraie was good, and he reaffirmed his country's desire to cooperate in many areas, especially those of interest to Kuwait, and we also discussed many ideas."
The foreign minister said that the Kuwaiti side was of the opinion that the exchange of ideas that were brought up during the meetings between Al-Samarraie and Kuwaiti officials "will take place through official channels, and the media will not be the medium through which to exchange messages" with the Iraqi side.
As to the importance of Al-Sammaraie's visit to Kuwait, Sheikh Mohammad said, "Any visit of a high-ranking official who is carrying a message of love will be received with an even better message."
Asked about whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's recent demands for Kuwait to write off his country's debts and compensations meant the failure of the recent Kuwaiti-Iraqi meeting in Jordan, he said, "Do not mix debts and compensations, because they are two separate issues."
He explained that the issue of debts "is a bilateral issue between Kuwait and Iraq," while compensations "are related to decisions of the UN Security Council," adding that he could "not describe" the dialogue in Jordan "as a failure at all."
He reminded that those meetings "took place under the UN's umbrella, and we will continue to meet under the umbrella of the UN."
When asked to confirm reports that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was due to visit Kuwait before the UN Security Council's meeting to discuss Iraq's Chapter VII status next week, Sheikh Mohammad said, "We welcome Minister Zebari at any time - he is a friend of Kuwait and is a man of great credibility and wisdom," adding that the meeting at the UN "is to review the steps taken by Iraq to implement UN resolutions."
In response to a question about the broadcast of an old map that showed the borders of Basra extending to Qatar by an Iraqi news agency, and whether this constituted a new threat, Sheikh Mohammad said, "There are many old maps."
He noted that Turkey had maps of the Ottoman Empire, and within it was Iraq, and wondered, "Does this constitute a threat to Iraq?"
The foreign minister reaffirmed that the State of Kuwait had its acknowledged independent entity "and this is important," adding that the issue of Kuwait's border "will not be affected by maps drawn 300 years ago or even 1000 years ago."
As for Kuwait's role in Qatar-Egyptian reconciliation, after the progress shown in Syrian-Saudi reconciliations, Sheikh Mohammad said that the reconciliation efforts were lauded at the Arab Economic Summit hosted by Kuwait in January, and noted that the meeting in Riyadh after the summit grouped Egypt and Syria, under Kuwaiti and Saudi sponsorship.
He expressed great optimism over when the coming days would bring, in light of changing "taking place on the ground" that brought signs of good inter-Arab relations, among them the Lebanese elections and Arab efforts to assist in the formation of a Lebanese government.
"All of these are positive indications, and we hope that they reflect on negotiations between our Palestinian brothers so that they may be able to overcome their differences," he said.
Moreover, he said, "I cannot speak about such manners publically, so that they don't lose their strength, because speaking about the details can take them out of context. We are not looking for media gains, and we have a true belief in the efforts of His Highness the Amir." (pickup previous)
ms.ema
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2012698&Language=en