Kuwait has not yet decided to participate in MENA
Gulf Region, Politics, 10/22/1997

Kuwait has not up till now decided whether it will participate in the Middle East-North Africa Conference or not. The conference will be held in Qatar next month with the participation of Israel.

Kuwait is contacting the Gulf countries on top of which are Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE in order to reach a final decision regarding the issue so as not to break Gulf and Arab unity.

Kuwait believes that it has ample time to consult the other Arab countries and it entrusted its Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed with the responsibility for the contacts with these countries before it declares its final answer to the Qatari invitation.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Karim Al Ariany received the Qatari Ambassador Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Sanaa, the latter gave the Yemeni Foreign Minister a letter from the Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Gassem. Sanaa also did not declare its final decision regarding its participation in the MENA Conference.

Saudi Arabia, however, confirmed its refusal to participate in the conference in spite of the US attempts to embarrass it when an official in the White House said that Saudi Arabia had decided to take part in the conference. Saudi Arabia refuted this statement as baseless and untrue.

Previous Stories:
  Jordan to participate in Mena   (10/21/1997)
  Egypt's views unchanged on MENA despite US statement   (10/18/1997)
  Qatar expects 12 Arab countries to attend - Iraq, Syria, Libya not invited!   (10/14/1997)

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