Al-Rai al-Aam: Kuwait, Russia and the US

The Kuwaiti defense minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak has denied news that the Kuwaiti ministry of defense to have had received an official request for positioning forces of the fifth contingent and the "first force" of the US Marines in Kuwait, noting that the decision provided for permitting the entry of these units is decided by the Kuwaiti political leadership.

This statement was made to the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Aam in its Sunday's issue in replying to the announcement of the US defense department ( the Pentagon ) that it will transfer to Kuwait some 1,000 soldiers in preparations for the arrival of a larger land force, if the US President George Bush will decide to direct an attack to Iraq.

Meantime, the Russian ambassador in Kuwait Vladimir Sheshov stressed on Saturday his country's reservation on any American decision that permits the US to use military force in the region without the consent of the UN Security Council.

In a statement on the sideline of opening the Russian cultural day in Kuwait, the Russian ambassador said "I do hope that the UN Security Council permanent member states will reach a decision to this effect." He considered that the return of the UN inspectors to Iraq is the most important step in this phase.