International legitimacy maintains Kuwait's full sovereignty

Egypt's Ambassador Mohammed Al-Arabi, Assistant Foreign Minister, Thursday held a meeting with Kuwait's Ambassador in Cairo and Permanent Delegate to the Arab League Abdel Aal Al Qanai.

Emerging from the meeting, Qanai said that he conveyed to Foreign Minister Amr Moussa a memo on Kuwaiti stance towards the recent threats made by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Aziz and Uday, the eldest son of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, against Kuwait. He branded as serious those threats.

He stressed that the threats would not serve peace security in the region. "They also reflect Iraq's failure to abide by UNSC resolutions, especially resolution 833 pertaining to demarcation of Iraqi-Kuwaiti borders," he added.

"As for Iraq, it is futile to hold dialogue with it in the absence of trust and credibility and in light of continued aggressive threats against the Kuwaiti government," he added.

"Holding dialogue with Iraq will lead nowhere as we do not see any change on its part that might help close this chapter in our relations," Qanai said.

On the other hand, Moussa said that international legitimacy maintains Kuwait's full sovereignty. Egypt cannot accept the sovereignty of Kuwait to be touched, said Moussa, adding that is in the interest of all Arabs to forget the past and turn a new chapter.

Moussa's statements came in response to queries reporters on the threats issued recently by some Iraqi officials.

On whether the new US Administration would continue support for the Iraqi opposition, Moussa said Egypt's stance is very clear, adding that this was not the only way to solve the Iraqi issue.

Asked whether Egypt had found any maturity in the situation between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, on the one hand, and Iraq, on the other, Moussa said that there were developments during the statements issued by the summits of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Doha and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Manama.

On the visit to Egypt by Iraqi officials during the past days, the Foreign Minister said that Egypt was keen on promoting relations between Iraq and all Arab states.