NEW YORK:
Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled
Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the
fringes of the 74th UN General Assembly session. The meeting, which took place
on Friday night, focused on cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the
various UN agencies, a number of regional and global challenges and the UN
program of action for the coming years. The UN chief commended the 'effective
and constructive' cooperation with Kuwait and applauded the leading role of
Kuwait in humanitarian action and peacemaking efforts regionally and globally.

He praised
Kuwait's highly significant position in the international community and its'
relentless efforts to boost security and peace around the world. Also attending
were Kuwait's Assistant Minister Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah,
Permanent Delegate to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi and Minister Plenipotentiary and
Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Nasser Al-Hain as
well as other senior diplomats.

Meanwhile, Sheikh
Sabah Al-Khaled and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a
meeting in New York Friday, discussing various issues including ways to bolster
ties. On the sideline of the 74th UN General Assembly, the two officials
touched on the latest developments within the regional and international
scenes. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also held similar meetings on Friday with his
Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, and
Algeria's Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum.

OIC meeting

In the meantime,
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled took part Friday in the consultative meeting for members
of the Organization Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held on the sideline of the 74th
UN General Assembly in New York. In his speech to the meeting, Sheikh Sabah
Al-Khaled stressed the importance of expanding cooperation amongst OIC members
to address issues of common interest.Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled affirmed it was
important to address major topics such as the Palestinian cause and ways to
support Palestinians to gain their right in an independent state within the
1967 borders and Jerusalem as the capital of the future country.

Matters such
countering terrorism of all kinds, including Israeli terrorism against
Palestinians, fighting Islamophobia and hate speech, which resulted in
massacres against Muslims such as the one in New Zealand's Christchurch town
and elsewhere, are vital to discuss to find adequate solutions, he indicated.
Back to the Palestinian cause, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said it was the most
central issues for Islamic nations, adding that support the economic and social
levels would hopefully overcome some of the injustices inflicted by Israelis
against Palestinians. Israel should be stopped from attempting to annex lands
in the West Bank and other areas in the region, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled
indicated, saying that such responsibility falls in the hands of all OIC members.

Syrian crisis

On the Syrian
crisis, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed utter condemnation of the degrading
humanitarian situation in the war-torn country. He called for all parties
involved in the conflict to abide by the UNSC resolution 2254 and the Geneva 1
accord of 2012, adding that the OIC supports all UN and global efforts to end
the war in Syria. The current situation in Idlib, with the displacement of over
half million human beings is alarming, said the Kuwaiti top diplomat, adding
that there should be measures to halt the deaths of thousands of civilians in
Syria. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed sorrow over the veto against a UNSC
draft resolution last week, which called for a ceasefire in Idlib, pointing out
that political gains should not trump efforts to end the humanitarian
catastrophe in Syria.

The Kuwaiti
Foreign Minister discussed the situation in Yemen in his speech, saying that
Kuwait supported the legitimate Yemeni government. Kuwait is for solving the
situation in accordance with the GCC initiative, the resolutions of the
national Yemeni dialogue, UNSC resolutions 2216 and 2451, and the Stockholm
accord for Yemen, affirmed the Kuwaiti Minister. In regards to the Rohingya
Muslims in Myanmar, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed Kuwait's detest of all
acts of genocide against the Muslim minority, saying that his country,
alongside members from the UK and Peru, headed last a UNSC delegation to
Myanmar to view first the plight of the oppressed Rohingyas.

Meeting on Yemen

Sheikh Sabah
Al-Khaled had also headed Kuwait's delegation to a ministerial meeting on Yemen
held on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New
York Thursday. In his speech at the meeting which was co-chaired by Kuwait, the
UK, and Sweden, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed Kuwait's full support to all
efforts exerted to end conflict and restore security and stability in Yemen. He
also reiterated Kuwait's readiness to provide all support to Yemeni people.

The Kuwaiti top
diplomat urged the international community intensify efforts to restore
security and stability in Yemen according to the three agreed terms of
reference, implement the Stockholm Agreement, and render the UN-led political
process a success. He called for greater backing for the United Nations
Secretary-General Special Envoy to Yemen efforts to achieve these goals. The
meeting tackled the framework for resuming negotiations in Yemen to reach a
final agreement for the crisis and help preserve the country's sovereignty, independence
and territorial integrity.

GCC-EU meeting

Sheikh Sabah
Al-Khaled Al-also took part in the Gulf-European meeting held on the sidelines
of the 74th session of UN General Assembly in New York. Sheikh Sabah Khaled led
the Kuwaiti delegation to the meeting presided over by Oman's Foreign Minister
Yusuf bin Alawi. The meeting discussed the friendly relations and cooperation
as well as coordination between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member
states and the EU member states.

It also focused
on means of promoting and developing these ties in all domains, including
politics, economy and investment. The gathering dealt with the developments of
regional and international situations, and issues of common concern. The two
sides affirmed all common goals and principles, and commitments towards
building constructive cooperation and partnership between the two sides. - KUNA