Al-Jazeera: Palestinians surprised by Kuwaiti request for apology
Palestine-Kuwait, Politics, 8/11/2003

The Palestinian foreign affairs minister Nabil Shaath said that Iraq's invasion of Kuwait was a mistake. Shaath added in an interview with the Qatari al-Jazeera TV that the Palestinians were surprised over Kuwait's demands for an official apology and that none in the Kuwaiti side had asked that from them before.

He explained that the Palestinians need Kuwait's support at the meantime.

The statements of the Palestinian minister came in reply to the demands made by the Kuwaiti government for an official apology from the Palestinian national authority for the Palestinian position adopted during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This was before the expected visit of the Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas to Kuwait. A visit which seemed to be postponed because of a difference on the final statement on the condemnation of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.

Kuwait's prime minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah told the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyasah that the hesitation of the Palestinian authority to apologize was the real reason behind postponing the visit of Mahmoud Abbas. al-Ahmad, adding that a joint statement was presumed to be issued at the end of Abbas's visit including "clear and frank condemnation by the Palestinian authority to the crime of the Iraqi occupation," noting that the Palestinian side showed hesitation to accept that.

However, had the Abbas visit been made to Kuwait, it would have been the first for a high ranking Palestinian official since 1990. Kuwaiti dailies quoted Palestinian officials as saying that Abbas will visit Tunisia instead of Kuwait.

Previous Stories:
  Mahmoud Abbas in Saudi Arabia, cancels visit to Kuwait   (8/8/2003)
  Kuwait welcomes Abu Mazen's visit 'at any time'   (8/6/2003)
  Kuwait: one million signatures on a request to investigate Israeli crimes   (9/27/2002)

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