Kuwait says it does not want to provoke Iraq

Kuwaiti Minister of Defense Sheikh Salem al-Sabah has stated that his country does not want to provoke Baghdad by making maneuvers with the US Army near the borders with Iraq.

The Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas quoted the minister saying that Kuwait does not intend to provoke Iraq or others through these routine maneuvers. Some 1,400 troops from the US naval forces are carrying out land, air and sea training with the Kuwaiti Army on April 1- 25th, just 50 km from the borders of Iraq.

Meanwhile Sheikh Salem indicated that he will discuss with US Defense Secretary William Cohen, due to visit Kuwait on Saturday in the framework of a tour of the region, issues pertaining to the military maneuvers currently taking place, as well as several political issues.

On another track, the first deputy Kuwaiti premier and foreign minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, has stated that political relations between several Arab Gulf states and Iraq were not severed to say now that these relations are resumed.

In a statement to the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am Sheikh Sabah added that information stated in this regard is wrong, adding that Iraq's relations with Bahrain, Qatar and Oman have been continuous during the past phase, SANA reported.