KUWAIT: Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (center left) attends a banquet for 15 permanent representatives at the UNSC who were en route to Bangladesh and Myanmar. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said Friday ordeal of Rohingya Muslim minority was a priority for Kuwait, especially during its UN Security Council membership. Kuwait's humanitarian policy is one of the country's foreign policy pillars, said Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, also Deputy Prime Minister, thus the great attention to the plight of the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled made the remarks during a banquet he held for 15 permanent representatives at the UNSC, who were en route to Bangladesh and Myanmar.  The mission to the two Asian countries is co-chaired by Kuwait, Britain and Peru, and aimed at getting acquainted with conditions of around 700,000 Rohingyas.  Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said the timing of visits to Bangladesh and Myanmar was crucial because it meant UNSC was following with "great concern" the daily influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

The visits, he added, were sending a "strong signal that the Security Council is determined to follow up this humanitarian issue until it is resolved." The top diplomat wished success for the mission and hoped the ambassadors would have a comprehensive assessment of conditions of Rohingya Muslims.  Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled meanwhile expressed condolences for the passing away of Cote d'Ivoire UN Ambassador Bernard Tanoh-Boutchoue.

The permanent representatives thanked Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled for the host, and commended the State of Kuwait's efforts for the preparation for their mission.  The two sides also discussed issues listed in the agenda of the UNSC meetings.

The banquet was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, Assistant Foreign Minister for the minister's office Ambassador Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah, Assistant foreign Minister for protocols Dhari Al-Ajran, Assistant Foreign Minister for Deputy Foreign Minister's office Ayham Al-Omar, permanent representative to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi and Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Nasser Al-Hayyen.

Integral part

Kuwait will be an integral part of the UNSC delegation tasked with inspecting and evaluating the status of some 700,000 Rohingya refugees and displaced in Myanmar and Bangladesh, said a senior Kuwaiti diplomat Saturday.

Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN headquarters in New York Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi said that the delegation-led by Kuwait, the UK, and Peru-would look into means to ensure the safety of the refugees and enable them to return to their homes and dwellings. Ambassador Otaibi said that Kuwait, since joining the UNSC as a non-permanent, tried to initiate such visit to the Rohingya while presiding over the Presidency of the council back in February; however, the authorities in Myanmar said that such visit was not suitable at that time.

He affirmed that through its time in the UNSC, the State of Kuwait would use all resources to defend just issues pertaining to the Arab and Islamic worlds, noting that the situation of the Rohingya was one of the most urgent humanitarian topics of this age. - KUNA