KUWAIT URGES CAUTION AFTER IRAQ SCRAPS NAVIGATION, SECURITY

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 11: The State of Kuwait has wasted no time in reacting to recent decisions by Iraq to annul the Kuwait-Iraq accord on regulating navigation via Khor Abdullah and scrapping a security coordination protocol while reserving the right to consider the two agreements effective. Moreover, it has explicitly warned that these steps will lead to chaotic conditions in the northernmost Gulf waters where illegal drug and arms trade might thrive due to the loophole in coordination between the two countries’ security authorities.

The Kuwaiti diplomacy let its voice heard at the highest and various quarters, namely the United Nations, where Representative of His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, affirmed that the Iraqi court ruling was based on false information and allegations. Significantly too, Sheikh Ahmad explained to the world community that slack security in these strategic and sensitive waters will play into the hands of terrorists who use proceeds from the illegal trades.

The treaty had been endorsed by the Kuwaiti and Iraqi governments for regulating navigation via the waterway in 2012. It had been blessed by the Iraqi parliament according to Law 42/2013, and by the Kuwait National Assembly based on Law 4/2013. A copy of the agreement had been delivered to the United Nations.

In his reaction during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf stated, “We in the State of Kuwait were surprised with the ruling of the Supreme Federal Court in the brotherly Republic of Iraq stipulating non-constitutional bases of the law of endorsing the 2012 treaty for regulating the navigation via Khor Abdullah.” The treaty that had been endorsed and deposited with the UN was peppered with false historical information regarding the State of Kuwait. Sheikh Ahmad stated.

In the wake of the controversial and groundless court verdict, Sheikh Ahmad revealed that Baghdad, surprisingly too, scrapped “the security swap protocol,” inked by the Kuwaiti and Iraqi navies in 2008, warning that this decision would lead to negative ramifications on the marine security and regulation of navigation via Khor Abdullah. The State of Kuwait, he announced, “will consider the agreement for regulating navigation through Khor Abdullah and the security swap protocol effective for they are necessary to preserve marine security and sanctity. These two accords, His Highness the Prime Minister explained further, “prevent chaos and borders breaches by traffickers of arms and narcotics, two main sources for funding various terrorist militias.” “From this highly prestigious podium where the march of multiple-party diplomacy had been launched to preserve global security and peace, the State of Kuwait affirms the necessity that the government of the Republic of Iraq takes decisive and tangible measures to tackle repercussions of the rule and the distorted historic information for sake of preserving the good neighborliness relations.

“Moreover, my country stresses the necessity of adherence to the security, independence, and territorial sanctity of the two countries, the endorsed treaties between them, their territories’ sanctity, and the relevant international resolutions namely the Security Council resolution 833 according to which the land and sea borders had been demarcated until the marine mark Number 162,” His Highness the Amir Representative said in his address at the UNGA session. Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf called on Iraq to “substantiate its good intentions” and complete the tasks of the technical teams for the border demarcation until the Mark 162 according to international laws and covenants.” (KUNA)