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| Iraq can''t develop its eco. potential without Kuwait''s friendship -- |
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| Military and Security 11/3/2009 2:05:00 PM |
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Ainsworth
By Eman Al-Awadhi (with photos)
KUWAIT, Nov 3 (KUNA) -- Iraq cannot develop its economic potential other
than in friendship with Kuwait, and if the two countries develop together over
time it will be to the benefit of both, said UK Secretary of State for Defense
Bob Ainsworth on Tuesday.
The defense secretary was speaking at a press conference following the
"Thank You Kuwait" ceremony had at the British Embassy. The ceremony, marking
the conclusion of three days of joint military activity between British and
Kuwaiti servicemen, was attended by Kuwait's Deputy Premier and Defense
Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
"We need to stand prepared to help (Iraq) ... Kuwait needs to be prepared
to stand and help them (Iraqis) in any way that it can as well. I don't see
how Iraq develops its economic potential other than in friendship with Kuwait.
There is such a lot of potential for this region of the Gulf, and if these two
countries develop together over time it will be to the benefit of both," he
said.
Asked whether he thought that it was too soon to withdraw from Iraq given
the continued unstable security situation, he said, "I think that the mission
that we set out and agreed with our coalition partners and the Iraqi
government has been completed."
He said the British troops trained two Iraqi army divisions in the south
and that they were now at the point where they were "very capable people and
impressive in their own right, not only their ability on the street, but their
ability to command respect from their own people in the Basra area."
Ainsworth said that the main task of the British troops was to get the
Iraqi armed forces to a state where they could govern themselves, control the
insurgency, and command respect from the Iraqi people, "and they have done
that."
He said, however, "That's not to say that there isn't a security threat in
Iraq and you see that in an ongoing basis ... their political development now
need to go forward, but they are a sovereign nation. We need to stand prepared
to help them."
The defense secretary said that Britain would continue to have a training
mission of about 100 personnel based in Umm Qasr to help the Iraqi navy
develop its capability. British navy ships will also be based in the northern
Gulf waters to protect the oil platforms.
"We don't intend to withdraw from the Gulf region. We've got many friends,
we've got many interests in the Gulf region - Iraq as well as Kuwait - and
we'll be here for as long as we're welcome and I hope that's many years to
come," he said.
Commenting on a question on whether the security agreement between Kuwait
and the UK would be renewed, he said, "I think we should judge our relations
between our two countries based on our record over time, and I think when you
look back in history, Britain has never been lacking. I think we can be judged
by when the fact that when Kuwait has needed as friend, she's had a friend.
That record speakers for itself, and I can say on behalf of the British
government, we're determined that we should carry that record of friendship
forward into the future as it has been in the past."
And in response to a question on military cooperation between the two
sides, he said that the relationship between Kuwait and the UK was so strong
that there were many different aspects to cooperation.
He said that earlier this morning, he discussed with Deputy Premier and
Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah means to "ensure
that there is a reality in the future, because of course we're old friends and
we should never ever, either of us, rest on our laurels."
He said the relationship between the two countries had to develop and go
forward.
Ainsworth said the two minister discussed trade, cooperation and training.
He explained that the British Armed Forces had been heavily committed over
the last six years, with 12,000 troops deployed on operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan, "so our ability to engage with our allies has been constricted a
little bit by the amount of work that our armed forces have had to do."
Notwithstanding that, he said, "we are determined that this should be a
real agreement - that it should go forward, that it should be maintained, to
be expanded, and there are lots of opportunities to do that. I was very
pleased with the reception that I have received from the (Kuwaiti) defense
minister and his desire that it should be so as well." (pickup previous)
ema
KUNA 031405 Nov 09NNNN
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