Kuwaiti PM to pay historic visit to Iraq

Marks first high-level visit since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

By THE MEDIA LINE
kuwaiti prime minister 88 (photo credit: )
kuwaiti prime minister 88
(photo credit: )
The Kuwaiti prime minister is expected to pay a historical visit to Iraq during the next few weeks, an Iraqi government official said on Sunday. Prime Minister Sheikh Na'sr Muhammad A-Sabah plans to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki during the trip, which will be the first such high-level visit since former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. The two leaders will discuss reparations for Iraq's occupation of Kuwait, debts, borders and improving diplomatic relations, Al-Maliki's media adviser Yasin Majid said, according to Reuters. Reports suggested the visit would take place after Ramadan, which ends at the end of September. Iraq's finance minister headed for Kuwait on Sunday to discuss compensation matters with Iraq officials. Iraq is required to pay five percent of its oil revenues to a fund created by the United Nations as compensation for war damage in Kuwait. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and occupied the country for seven months before being driven out by forces led by the United States. The US is pushing Arab countries to waive Iraqi debts and restore high-level diplomatic ties with Baghdad. Washington wants to see more of its Sunni Muslim allies in the region forging stronger ties with Baghdad to form a counterpoint to the non-Arab Shi'ite Iran and also to prove that its mission has been a success in Iraq. Egypt sent a delegation to Iraq last month to check prospects of reopening an embassy in Baghdad. Cairo closed down the embassy in 2005 after its ambassador to Baghdad Ihab A-Sharif was kidnapped and killed in 2005. Other Arab countries are also considering upgrading diplomatic ties with Baghdad after embassies were closed down or scaled back after the United States-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait are sending ambassadors to Iraq, and other countries are considering following suit. Jordan's King Abdallah II paid an unprecedented visit to the country in August, and was the first Arab leader to go to Baghdad since Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled.