LOC22:31
19:31 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, March 19 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will
pay a visit to Kuwait on March 28-29 in appreciation of Kuwait's relentless
support of the UN, and the Gulf state's endeavors to achieving regional and
international peace and security, Kuwait's Ambassador to the UN said Monday.
Mansour Al-Otaibi said the visit of Ban, at the invitation of His Highness
the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, also aknowledged Kuwait's
role to boosting economic and social cooperation between member countries.
Ban is scheduled to meet with Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah and His Highness the
Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as well as senior
government officials on bilateral cooperation, in the wake of Iraqi prime
minister Nouri Al-Maliki's visit to Kuwait, he noted.
On Iraq's exit from Chapter VII of the UN Charter, Ambassador Al-Otaibi
said Kuwait "is not and will not be an obstacle against Iraq's exit from
Chapter VII of the Charter."
This issue, he added, "is in the hand of Iraq itself and is linked with its
compliance with its obligations in the relevant Security Council resolutions,
and it is the Security Council not Kuwait that decides on Iraq's exist from
Chapter VII."
Kuwait has always been clear that "we will do our best to help Iraq honor
its obligations as soon as possible," said Al-Otaibi in reference to the
compliance with UN resolutions related to the defunct baathist regime's
1990-91 invasion and occupation of the State of Kuwait.
Al-Otaibi, meanwhile, said talks between Ban and the Kuwaiti officials
would deal with Syria and the peace process in the Middle East.
Ban visited Kuwait in January 2009 to participate in the Arab economic and
social development summit. He also inaugurated the Kuwait-based UN House.
Ban, who embarked today on an Asian tour, is scheduled to leave Kuwait for
Iraq on March 29 to attend the Arab Summit in Baghdad. (end)
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