Iraq working to improve its Arab ties

The Baghdad government is working on settling all outstanding issues with the UN Security Council related to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in order to return to the international fold, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari said.
"Iraq is keen on respecting international legitimacy and dealing with the Security Council resolutions with the State of Kuwait, with utmost responsibility and respect," Jaafari told the 72nd Session UN General Assembly (UNGA 72).

Iraq's 1990-91 invasion of Kuwait caused massive damage, and the UN Security Council (UNSC) ordered Iraq to pay billions of dollars in compensations for Kuwait for the damaged caused by Iraq's seven-month occupation, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

"We still have compensations to pay for the State of Kuwait, and negotiations are underway to settle the issue," said Jaafari.

Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said in remarks during a meeting in New York, that Kuwait had approved Iraq's requests to postpone, for three consecutive years, the payment of compensations.

Kuwait is hosting an international donor conference in the first quarter of next year to rebuild areas liberated from the Daesh terror group.

Jaafari said Iraq was "looking forward to active international participation in the donor conference that will be held earlier next year in the State of Kuwait, and we appreciate its (Kuwait) sincere efforts to helping Iraq and ease suffering of the displaced." Meanwhile, the Iraqi chief diplomat said his country wanted good-neighborly relations and "not to subject our will to a foreign intervention." He added his government was exerting continuous efforts to improve ties with all the Arab countries particularly Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria, besides Turkey and Iran.

Jaafari reiterated his government's rejection to a referendum to be carried out by the provincial government of Iraqi Kurdistan, saying the Federal Government was ready to sit on the table with Kurdish officials for unconditional settlement of all sticky issues.

He called on friends of Iraq to help the country build a nuclear reactor to be used for peaceful purposes, KUNA reported.

Source: BNA