Kuwait’s First deputy premier and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah asked visiting US Vice President Richard Cheney to pave the way for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to take part in the upcoming Arab summit due to take place in Beirut at the end of this month.
Speaking at a joint news conference with the Vice President, Sheikh Sabah asked Washington to take into consideration, "the presence of our brother, [Palestinian leader] Yasser Arafat at the Arab summit to be held in Beirut."
Sheikh Sabah emphasized that, "if that happens it will be recorded in favor of the US and that it has done something for the Palestinians and the Palestinian cause."
He condemned the acts of violence being carried out by Israel in which hundreds of victims have been killed and stressed that it is not in the favor of the Palestinian cause, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
In a separate matter, Sheikh Sabah said that Kuwait does not support any military strike against Iraq, "not because Iraq is a friend of Kuwait but because the current circumstances are not appropriate, it will not harm the Iraqi regime as much as it will harm the Iraqi people."
Furthermore, he expressed his hope that the Iraqi regime would take this into consideration and comply with the UN security council resolutions related to Kuwait, especially letting back in the UN inspectors to check weapons of mass destruction.
Sheikh Sabah pointed out that the joint Kuwaiti-US security agreement was still strong and valid. "Nothing has changed with regards to the agreement".
Cheney arrived in Kuwait from Qatar. His next stop, in the context of his regional tour, is Israel.
(Albawaba.com)
