Tangible efforts boost Kuwait-Iraq relations – Iraqi envoy optimistic on ties

KUWAIT: Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait Mohammad Bahar Al-Oloum has voiced satisfaction at the distinguished and positive improvement of Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations and the two countries’ mutual cooperation to “close the chapter of the past”.

In an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) marking the 10th anniversary of the restoration of relations, the Iraqi ambassador said the two countries succeeded in making substantial improvement in relations, particularly during the last three years.

He urged Kuwait and Iraq to work further to heal strains resulting from the 1990 “Saddam aggression on dear Kuwait,” stressing that the Iraqi people should not bear brunt of the evil actions of the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein, whose forces invaded and occupied Kuwait for seven months.

“The aggression was a crime committed by a man who broke all bonds of Arab brotherhood, neighborliness, friendship and compassion … such acts are neither taught by Islam nor Arab values; nor they are synonymous of the Iraqis’ traits, morals, traditions and nature,” he said.

Oloum lauded Kuwait’s role in liberating the Iraqi people from suppression of Saddam’s tyrannical regime and re-affirmed that the two countries have made concrete strides forward for cementing bilateral ties, recalling in particular Kuwait’s stance at the Arab League meeting in 2003, when the issue of reaccepting Iraq as a member state was raised.

He also hailed HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during the Arab summit in Sirte, Libya, where he affirmed Iraq’s right to host the 2012 summit, Moreover, the visit by HH the Amir to Baghdad had given a substantial boost to the efforts for restoration of bilateral relations. Several senior Iraqi leaders, namely President Jalal Al-Talbani and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, have paid visits to Kuwait.

On the other hand, top Kuwaiti leaders, namely HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah have visited Iraq.

These reciprocal visits by the Kuwaiti and Iraqi leaders had resulted in resolving some sticky issues and led to the formation of a joint commission “that constituted the cornerstone for the ties’ new chapter”. The committee later held three rounds of talks, during which two accords for tourism and business cooperation were signed.

Chapter VII
On issues that need to be thrashed out after the “Saddam aggression”, Oloum said the UN had issued 70 resolutions regarding Iraq as a result of Kuwait’s invasion, and a large number of these resolutions were under the UN Chapter VII, including three that tackle “the Kuwait-Iraq situation concerning the borders, compensations, the POWs and the missing as well as Kuwaiti properties.”

In early 2012, a UN team maintained border marks, numbering from one to 106, and later, the international organization announced that the relevant UN resolution concerning the borders had been fully implemented.

“Accomplishment of this historic task,” Oloum said, “was the cornerstone for building future ties on clear bases between Kuwait and Iraq. Iraq has authenticated its good and positive intentions toward its neighbor Kuwait, and the international community and has affirmed its resolve to respect its neighbors through respect and full implementation of international resolutions.”

Placing a nation such as Iraq under Chapter VII “means that this country poses a threat to international peace and security – thus the measure restricts its activities, development and progress and financial transactions and a lot of other activities,” the Iraqi ambassador told KUNA.

Compensation
With respect to the UN resolution on the compensations, he said United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had adopted compensations resulting from the aggression, and a UN panel was formed in 1994, and “Iraq was compelled to pay $52 billion (as compensation) for the aggression.” Iraq has paid most of the required sum but $9 billion has not been paid yet, Oloum said.

Iraq currently pays some $1.25 billion every three months to Kuwait, thus the whole compensation will be paid by 2015, and Iraq would be relieved of the Chapter VII rulings.

As to the issues of the Kuwaiti POWs, the missing and the properties, Oloum said the relevant UN resolution stipulates release of 605 Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti prisoners, and Iraq has to search for them “and hand over their remains to Kuwait” he said, reaffirming that many of the prisoners died after being nabbed by the occupation forces in Kuwait.

Due to the mutual cooperation, embodied with formation of a joint commission under auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), remains of some 247 dead prisoners had been located, he said. “The one responsible for this cause was the head of the regime Saddam Hussein along with his henchmen, so there was scarcity of information about the missing,” the ambassador added, noting that both Kuwaitis and Iraqis had tasted the bitter experience of losing loved ones at hands of the ousted regime.

He acknowledged that there are Kuwaiti properties that should be given back to Kuwait, indicating that some items had been given back to the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry.

Two weeks ago, 4,500 books, three valuable paintings and some other priceless items were brought back.

Regarding the issue between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi airlines, he affirmed that the Kuwaiti company had demanded $500 million in compensation from the Iraqi side. The whole sum has been paid to Kuwaiti Airways.

A US-led international alliance drove the occupiers out of Kuwait in Feb 1991, ending the occupation that began on Aug 2, 1990. – KUNA

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