Kuwait and Iraq clash again, over sports
Regional, Sports, 7/9/1997

With three days to go before the launching of the eighth pan-Arab Games in Beirut, the seven-year-old dispute between Iraq and Kuwait is threatening to overshadow the landmark event designed as a showcase of Lebanon's revival.

Arab League secretary-general Esmat Abdel Majid on July 8 stepped in to resolve the growing dispute, contacting the Lebanese authorities to try to secure clearance for the Iraqi athletes to take part in the games opening in Beirut on July 12.

Iraq has accused Kuwait of using its money and power to try to eliminate Iraqi teams from taking part in the games.

Baghdad would be competing for the first time since the 1991 Gulf war, but Kuwait has threatened to boycott contests in which its old enemy participates.

Host Lebanon, caught in the middle, does not want to upset friendly Kuwait but is shackled by an Arab league invitation to Iraq to join in the competition, which runs until July 27.

Abdel Majid contacted foreign minister Fares Boueiz to relay a complaint by Iraq that its teams have been excluded from the list of participants in the event, which is attracting teams from 20 other Arab countries.

Diplomatic sources said Boueiz, an advocate of better ties with Baghdad though still reluctant to restore diplomatic relations in the absence of an Arab consensus, promised to look into the case.

Lebanon first sought to cool tension by trying to avoid the two countries having to compete face to face. Sheikh Ahmed al-Fahad al-Sabah, head of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, has said Kuwaiti athletes will not take part in any sport in which any Iraqi takes part at all.

He said if Iraq attends, the Emirate's 277 member delegation will march in the opening ceremony holding pictures of Kuwaitis reported missing in the Gulf war. "We will not accept to meet them as long as we have one prisoner" in Iraq, said Sheikh Ahmed, whose father was killed by Iraqis during the invasion.

Meanwhile, the end of construction work on the sports city stadium was marked on July 8 by a "topping out" ceremony.

In a telephone contact with Jean Obeid, the minister of education, youth and sports, Boueiz was told the government of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, through their envoys here, had expressed "hope" that Lebanon would not allow Iraqi participation.

In a later contact with prime minisiter Hariri, it was agreed Boueiz would approach the ambassadors of the two countries on the issue.

Saudi Arabia's envoy Ahmed Al Kohaymi and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Abdel Razzak al Kandary, said they would consult with their governments and advise Beirut of their final stance on the issue on July 9, the diplomatic sources said.

The sources disclosed that the Arab league secretary-general will arrive on July 10 to take part in Saturday's opening of the sports event. On the sidelines, he will hold political talks with president Hrawi, speaker Berri and Hariri.

On Monday, when selections were made for teams in soccer, volleyball and basketball, Iraq's name was not included in the draw. An official on the organizing committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, conceded Iraq was "deliberately ignored in the selections in order to avoid a Kuwaiti walkout."

He said Lebanon did not invite Iraq to participate. But Iraq says an invitation from the Arab League means approval of the host country is not needed.

Monday's draw was condemned by Babil, a government daily run by Odai Hussein, son of Saddam Hussein.

Referring to Kuwait without naming it, Babil said the organizing committee for the games "is a toy in the hands of those who have the power of money, thinking that by this power they can scratch the name of Iraq out of the records."

Iraq was left out of the Seventh Arab Games in Syria during 1992, but rapprochement between Baghdad and other Arab capitals prompted the Cairo-based league to invite it to Beirut.

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search