Iraq-Kuwaiti relationship: Maliki heading over after telephone chat

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Iraq-Kuwaiti relationship: Maliki heading over after telephone chat

27/12/2011 10:11

ERBIL, Dec. 27 (AKnews) - Living cheek by jowl with a spiky companion is never easy and life in the Gulf is no different. Iraq and Kuwait sometimes struggle to see eye-to-eye. They are divided by deep grievances but Kuwait and Iraq are trying to work through their problems like responsible adults.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki discussed some issues with his Kuwaiti counterpart Jaber Mubarak al-Hamad al-Subah on the telephone on Monday.

As a consequence of their phone call Maliki will head south on Sunday to speak face-to-face with Subah to get some things off his chest. The Mubarak port is seen in Baghdad as Kuwait moving in and cramping Iraq, giving the predominantly landlocked country little room to maneuver.

Subah is expected to return to old wounds from their history when Iraq treated Kuwait badly, abusively some say, like when Iraq unilaterally invaded Kuwait.

With a view to keeping things diplomatic and avoid raised voices the pair have formed joint committees to resolve these problems between them. Delicately at times, issues like war compensation, the demarcation of the border and missing Kuwaitis are all under discussion.

The former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and sanctions were imposed on Iraq by the international community. Iraq was put under Chapter VII U.N. Security Council sanctions: a country that threatens global security.

Kuwait announced work had started on the Mubarak port earlier this year. It is sited at the very north of the country's territory and Baghdad believes its proximity to Iraqi shipping lanes will mean it will intercept trade destined for Umm Qasr, Basra.

Iraqi economist Riyadh Jawad predicts the Kuwaiti docks will reduce trade to Umm Qasr by 60%. The port is expected to be finished by 2016.

By Mutada al-Yusuf

Additional reporting by Mohammed Tayeb in Baghdad

RN/LH/JS/AKnews

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