KUWAIT: Kuwait has dismissed Iraqi objections that a platform installed within Kuwait's territorial waters would affect demarcation of maritime borders, affirming that the country was exercising its full sovereignty. A Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry source was reacting to a reported Iraqi memorandum submitted to the UN Security Council (UNSC) to protest Kuwait's installation of a platform over Fisht Al-Eij - a piece of land located within Kuwait's territorial water, claiming it would undermine demarcation of maritime borders beyond sign No 162.

The source, in a statement to KUNA, said Kuwait received the Iraqi memo and responded to it immediately. The source said Kuwait's territorial waters were specified by a decree issued on December 17, 1967, and updated on October 19, 2014. The decree was in compliance with UN treaty on law of seas of 1982. He said Fisht Al-Eij is a natural piece of land over the sea level and is located within Kuwait's territorial waters."

Therefore, the installation of the platform is a sovereign right of the State of Kuwait within its territories and territorial waters," affirmed the source. The platform installed in Khor (inlet) Abdullah is for security purposes, said the source, and Iraq has been informed about it. An official letter informing the Baghdad government was sent to the Iraqi embassy in Kuwait on February 8, 2017.

Kuwait answered memos sent by Iraq on September 5, 2017 and September 12, 2018, in which Baghdad urged Kuwait to delay the installation of the platform until after installation of maritime border signs beyond sign No 162. The source said the Kuwaiti position was included in two memos sent from Kuwait Embassy in Baghdad to the Iraqi foreign ministry on July 26, 2017 and on September 26, 2018, affirming Kuwait was exercising its sovereignty.

The Foreign Ministry source said Kuwait has been requesting Iraq to start maritime border demarcation negotiations ever since 2005. "The State of Kuwait called on the brothers in Iraq to end this issue through international maritime arbitration in line with the UN treaty on law of sea of 1982," he said. Kuwait, he said, would continue to coordinate with Iraq to address all outstanding issues "in order to prevent distortion of relations." - KUNA