Kuwait, Arab League Protest Iraqi Statement on Kuwait Border
Iraq News JUNE 8, 1998
By Laurie MylroieThe central focus of Iraq News is the tension between the considerable, proscribed WMD capabilities that Iraq is holding on to and its increasing stridency that it has complied with UNSCR 687 and it is time to lift sanctions. If you wish to receive Iraq News by email, a service which includes full-text of news reports not archived here, send your request to Laurie Mylroie .
I. RAMADAN STATEMENT ON IRAQ-KUWAIT BORDER, AFP, JUN 7
II. KUWAIT PROTESTS RAMADAN'S STATEMENT, KUNA, JUN 7
III. ARAB LEAGUE SEC GEN PROTESTS RAMADAN'S STATEMENT, MENA, JUN 7
IV. RAMADAN DENIES HIS STATEMENT, MENA, JUN 7
I. RAMADAN'S STATEMENT ON IRAQ-KUWAIT BORDER
KUWAIT CITY, June 7 (AFP) - Kuwaiti newspapers warned on Sunday that
former occupier Iraq can not be trusted to respect the UN demarcation of
the border between two countries.
"We in Kuwait have repeatedly stated said that we have lost hope
because we are convinced the Baghdad regime is not credible and can not
be trusted," said Al-Siyassah.
It was reacting to a comment from Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin
Ramadan who reportedly said in Morocco that the border had "no judicial
value because it was drawn up by the (UN) Security Council, in an
unprecedented case."
The comment was made to a small group of journalists during Ramadan's
visit to Rabat, Al-Ittihad daily in the United Arab Emirates reported on
Thursday.
"The entire problem with Iraq is back to Square A. The world cannot
trust it anymore. The Iraqi regime will now remain isolated," was the
reaction from Kuwait's English-language Arab Times.
The United Nations laid down the new border demarcation in 1993 and
it was officially recognized by Baghdad a year later, even though a part
of the Gulf port city of Umm Qasr was handed over to Kuwait. . . .
II. KUWAIT PROTESTS RAMADAN'S STATEMENT
[FBIS Translated Excerpt] Kuwait, 7 Jun (KUNA)--The State of Kuwait
reiterated today its concern and resentment at the statements made by
the Iraqi regime's Vice President, Taha Yasin Ramadan, in which he
expressed doubt about Security Council Resolution No 833 on the
demarcation of the border between the State of Kuwait and Iraq, and
called on the UN Security Council to take serious steps to guarantee the
sanctity of the Kuwaiti border.
This was made at the Council of Ministers' weekly session, held under
the chairmanship of Shaykh Sa'd a1-Abdullah al-Salim al Sabah, Heir
Apparent and Prime Minister.
Nasir al~Rawdan, the deputy prime minister and minister of state for
cabinet affairs, said in a press statement after the meeting, "The
Council followed with extreme concern and resentment the statements of
the Iraqi regime's vice president, which expressed doubt about Security
Council Resolution No 833 on the demarcation of the border between the
State or Kuwait and Iraq."
Al-Rawdan considered this Iraqi stance "to constitute a dangerous
threat that reveals the aggressive Iraqi intentions toward the State of
Kuwait and reflects the essence of the Iraqi position toward the UN
resolutions in connection with its aggression against the State of
Kuwait and its determination to challenge the international will."
Al-Rawdan said that the Council of Ministers stressed that the
determination of the border coordinates between the State of Kuwait and
Iraq was based on existing agreements between the two countries and on
the documents, evidence, and exhibits presented by each one of them."
He added that the border demarcation "is the result of a precise and
faithful technical operation carried out by the international committee
in charge of demarcating the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border, and is not an act
aimed to redistribute land between them. This matter was stressed by
the Security Council, which adopted unanimously the decisions reached by
the committee and considered them to be final, in addition to the
endorsement of that decision by the Iraqi Government."
Al-Rawdan added that the council has called on the international
community and the Security Council member countries to take practical
and serious steps to guarantee the sanctity of the border, approved by
Security Council Resolution 823, and the total implementation of all
relevant international resolutions in order to achieve peace and
stability in the region." [passage omitted: Agency recalling that the
Foreign Ministry had denounced the statements made by Ramadan in the
Moroccan capital.]
III. ARAB LEAGUE SEC GEN PROTESTS RAMADAN'S STATEMENT, MENA, JUN 7
Cairo MENA in Arabic 1430 GMT 7 Jun 98
[FBIS Translated Text] Cairo, 7 Jun (MENA) -- Arab League Secretary
General Dr. 'Ismat 'Abd~al-Majid said that the media reports on the
statements made by Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan regarding the
borders between Kuwait and Iraq could be depicted as a breach of Iraq's
official recognition of the borders with Kuwait, which was carried out
according to Security Council Resolution 833. He added that the
resolution was approved by Iraq's National Council, the Revolution
Command Council, and the Iraqi government. He added that the documents
on the recognition were officially lodged with the United Nations.
The above came in comments by 'Abd-al-Majid today on the statements
made by the Iraqi official in Rabat in which he said that the resolution
stipulating the border between Kuwait and Iraq has no legal value and
that the Security Council had never before issued a resolution aimed at
drawing the borders between any two countries that are members of the
United Nations.
The Secretary General said that the Arab League is making relentless
efforts to lift the suffering of the fraternal Iraqi people by relying
on Iraq's adherence to the Security Council's resolutions related to the
Gulf War He added that the League is trying to clear the atmosphere
among the Arabs and bring Arab ranks closer at a time when the Arab
nation is in dire need of staying united in the face of the challenges
and the risks facing it. He added that it is imperative to refrain from
tack1ing issues that can negatively affect inter-Arab relations and
impede the efforts being made to build confidence between brothers.
'Abd-al~Majid appealed to all to put their efforts into creating a
suitable atmosphere that would lesad to reconciliation among Arabs and
entrench the bases of trust and stability in the region.
The Secretary General of the Arab League had a meeting today with
Badr Salih, Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the Arab League, who
conveyed to him his country's objection towards the Iraqi official's
statements, describing them as irresponsible.
IV. RAMADAN DENIES HIS STATEMENT, MENA, JUN 7
[FBIS Translated Text] Baghdad, 7 Jun (MENA) Iraqi Vice President Taha
Yasin Ramadan has denied reports attributed to him regarding Security
Council Resolution 833 on the demarcation of the border between Iraq and
Kuwait, that Iraq backed down on the Resolution, and that it has no
legal basis. In a statement to a MENA correspondent, Ramadan emphasized
that Iraq is known for its accurate commitment to everything it signs.
He noted that his remark related to the US behavior, exploiting the
Security Council to serve aggressive purposes and implement a
double-standard policy, including the resolutions on the Palestinian
issue. He said the Security Council stands with folded hands toward
Israel, which never implemented UN resolutions on withdrawal from the
occupied Arab territory, while the United States supports this entity in
perpetuating its occupation of the Arab land and persisting in its
aggressive expansionist policy.
Ramadan emphasized that he did not refer to Resolution 833 nor did he
mention it in his statement or say that Iraq rejects or will back down
on it. He said this idea may be in the minds of those working on
Kuwait Radio or those who claim it. Referring to the Security
Council's latest resolution on the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests,
he noted that the Security Council was content to only request them to
stop nuclear tests, but did not call for a meeting to debate this issue,
because of US domination. He said this happens at a time when the
Security Council intervened even to demarcate the border between Iraq
and Kuwait in a way unprecedented in its history. He said the Security
Council throughout its history has never passed any resolution
demarcating borders between any two countries because this issue is
linked to national sovereignty and is up to neighboring countries
themselves, noting that this fact is known to all the public.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
