Iraq accuses Kuwait of making geographic changes to maritime borders

KUWAIT: Lawmakers yesterday blasted the Iraqi government for filing a complaint at the United Nations Security Council against Kuwait for building a maritime facility which Iraq claims undermined common borders near Khour Abdullah. In its complaint, Iraq accused Kuwait of making geographic changes to the maritime borders between the two countries close to Boubiyan Island where Kuwait is building a huge container harbor.

Head of the National Assembly Foreign Relations Panel MP Abdulkarim Al-Kundari called on the Foreign Ministry for an explanation over what Iraq has done, describing the Iraqi measure as "provocative". Kundari described the complaint as a dangerous development in the bilateral relations with Iraq that requires caution, adding the provocative action is totally rejected and must be confronted.

He said that the Kuwaiti-Iraqi borders had been demarcated by the UN Security Council in resolution 833 issued in 1993 and any aggression against the demarcation is an aggression against the sovereignty of Kuwait. The lawmaker said that the government must deal with this claim firmly at an international level and be highly transparent with the Kuwaiti people.

He said that it is not acceptable that this official Iraqi protest comes after the positive development in bilateral relations and the exchange of high-level official visits between the two countries, adding that such a step only affirms ill intentions on the part of Iraq. MP Osama Al-Shaheen said the Iraqi provocative action must be met by practical objective responses and by taking complete security and diplomatic precautions.
MP Hamdan Al-Azemi said the government must provide full explanation to what Iraq has done and called for taking all necessary measures. MP Safa Al-Hashem recalled the gestures that Kuwait has made to Iraq even after the 1990 invasion that included postponing debt repayment and the extended hand to take part in Iraq's reconstruction, adding that the Iraqi government has surprised Kuwait with the complaint.

By B Izzak