LOC01:31
22:31 GMT
KUWAIT, Aug 2 (KUNA) -- Kuwaitis commemorated Friday the 23rd anniversary
of Iraq's invasion and occupation of their country, as Baghdad was exiting
from Chapter VII of the UN Charter marking new page of relations between the
two countries.
It was on 2 August 1990, when Kuwaitis and the whole world woke up to the
news of the Iraqi army invasion of Kuwait and Saddam Hussein's shocking
announcement that Kuwait would be the 19th of Iraq.
Though a wide coalition of international forces have managed to overrun
Iraqi forces and complete liberate Kuwait by 26 February, 1991, the invasion
left deep scars in the relations between the two Arab neighbors till the
Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003.
Since the ouster of Hussein, relations started to improve and the new Iraqi
government and Kuwaiti leaders showed readiness to turn a new page.
This year's anniversary comes after a remarkable development in bilateral
relations, Kuwait's support to Iraqi government efforts to end Iraq's Kuwait
occupation-related obligations under the Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
On June 27, The UN Security Council on voted unanimously to get Iraq
partially out of Chapter VII of the UN Charter, transfer the files of the
missing Kuwaitis and property under the responsibility of the UN Assistance
Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), and put an end to the 1999 post of the High-Level
Coordinator for those files. The two countries also agreed on a mechanism for
the maintenance of the border signs. Iraq is also paying compensations for
Kuwait for damage caused by the 1990-91 seven-month occupation.
The Council transferred those two humanitarian issues, under Chapter VI, to
UNAMI's attention, taking into consideration the Kuwaiti conditions aimed at
having the files constantly under Council review.
This year has also witnessed a series of reciprocal visits between the top
leaders of the two nations and the hammering out of several cooperation
agreements.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His
Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad
Al-Sabah had visited Iraq.
Kuwait and Iraq signed June 12, six agreements and memorandums of
understanding following official talks between HH Kuwaiti Prime Minister
Sheikh Jaber and his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Al-Maliki.
The agreements cover a wide array of domains, including education,
scientific research, aviation, economy, culture, transport and environment.
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