Al-Rai al-Aam: The new Kuwaiti vision for Iraq

Kuwait's first deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has stressed that Kuwait's attitude to the current Iraqi regime will be changed if Iraq's behavior will be changed and recognize, honestly, Kuwait's borders, sovereignty and security.

In a statement to the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Aam issued yesterday, replying to a question on the possibility of restoring back and closing the file of the past with the Iraqi regime, if the future regime will rebuild confidence with its neighbors, Sheikh Sabah said "we, together with all countries of the region have to co-exist with Iraq and this is not only applicable to the next regime."

On the visit of the leader of the Kurdistani National Federation party leader Jalal al- Talibani to Kuwait and before him the visit of the chairman of the Higher Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq Baqer Hakim, Sheikh Sabah stressed that Kuwait does not shelter the Iraqi opposition nor conspire to topple the ruling regime in Iraq. He said that Kuwait discussed with those ( who visited Kuwait ) the future of Iraq because it is "the right of the neighbor to know the situations of its neighbors." He added "we have friends in Iraq and all the Iraqi people are our brothers and we do not have agents there."

He added that Kuwait is not the USA in order to change the regime in Iraq. The Kuwaiti minister hoped that Kuwait will respond to the Arab calls and appeals and the international resolutions so as Iraq will avoid a military attack.

On the Gulf summit, the Kuwaiti minister stressed that this summit will be held in its due place in Doha, and at the set time and will be also attended by all including Saudi Arabia.