Stunned Kuwait demands clarification from Iraq over new land claims
(AFP)
22 February 2004
KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait, invaded and occupied by Saddam Hussein’s army, said on Sunday it was amazed and concerned by new territorial claims from Iraq and demanded clarification from the interim Governing Council over statements attributed to its current president.
“The State of Kuwait followed up the statement with concern and amazement. We are awaiting clarification from the interim Governing Council of brotherly Iraq about the truth of the statement and its aim,” the state-run KUNA news agency quoted an official source as saying.
It was Kuwait’s first official reaction to the council’s president who said on Saturday that Baghdad could consider territorial claims over neighbouring Jordan and Kuwait in the future.
“We need our Arab brothers around us. Now, we cannot discuss this matter with them at all, but in the future, we’ll see,” said Mohsen Abdul Hamid, in response to a question from a Baghdad consultative council member.
Abdul Hamid had been asked about the status of territory, once linked to Iraq, such as Jordan and Kuwait, at an extraordinary meeting of the 37-member consultative council.
Saddam Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and annexed the oil-rich Gulf emirate, before the former Iraqi president’s troops were chased out seven months later in the US-led 1991 Gulf War.
Baghdad has for decades laid claim to Kuwait as an integral part of Iraq, arguing the emirate was artificially separated by the British colonisers.
The oil-rich emirate is preparing to mark its 13th anniversary of its liberation from Iraq on February 26, and the 43th anniversary of independence from British rule on February 25.
Kuwait acted as a springboard to the US-led invasion of Iraq last year that ousted Saddam.
Many of the 25 members of Iraq’s Governing Council have visited Kuwait, some several times, during the past several months as new ties are established.
Interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has said Iraq was prepared to sign a “treaty of guarantees” with Kuwait once a sovereign government was established in Baghdad.
A Jordanian government spokeswoman said Amman would demand an explanation of Abdul Hamid’s comments.
“If the comments attributed to the current president of the interim Governing Council are confirmed, Jordan will demand clarifications from Iraq,” Asma Khodr said in Amman.
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