LOC23:17
20:17 GMT
KUWAIT, March 20 (KUNA) -- Top MPs in Kuwait and Iraq called Saturday for boosting mutual-confidence between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi people in a drive to establish "stable and positive" relations.
Kuwait parliament speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi and his Iraqi counterpart Osama Al-Nujaifi made key-note speeches during a dinner banquet held by Al-Kharafi in honor of his Iraqi guest. The banquet was attended by senior officials, topped by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah.
They hoped full-fledged relations between Kuwait and Iraq be restored to normal levels, and based on mutual respect and constructive cooperation amidst crucial challenges in the region and the Arab world.
Al-Kharafi said the Kuwaiti and Iraqi sides were in dire need of these visits and for dialogue, after relations between the two countries received a blow by defunct regime in Baghdad.
"As we are joined by geography and history, our mission is to break this barrier and turn the page of the painful past and learn lessons from our mistakes," he said.
Al-Kharafi commended leaders of Kuwait and Iraq for restoring bilateral relations to their "normal path," citing visits of the Kuwaiti Prime Minister to Baghdad, and the Iraqi Premier to Kuwait.
The culmination, he said, was His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's assertion that he would be attending the Arab summit in Baghdad.
The top MP said Iraqi has realized big progress towards democracy and the construction of institutions, and "has been appreciated and commended" regionally and internationally.
Al-Kharafi hoped Iraq would continue its "genuine commitment" in the principle of the international legitimacy.
He called on importance of cementing ties between the parliaments in Iraq and Kuwait and to "distance ourselves from individual positions and statements that harm these relations." Al-Kharafi talked about the developments in the Arab world, which was "passing through an important turning point." He said the calls for reforms have grown over the decades, and hoped answering these calls would lead towards democracy, freedom and better living conditions, not to chaos and insecurity.
For his part, Al-Nujaifi called for moving relations with kuwait to a new level.
Iraq is emerging from the single-party state to a multi-party country, with a strong desire to have a true partnership with its neighbors, he said.
Al-Nujaifi said Iraq was not only rich with natural resources but have productive human resources He called on the Kuwaiti government and people to share the Iraqis their "genuine desire" to start a new page in their relations.
Iraq, he asserted, needed a strong backing to exit from Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
Al-Nujaifi said the Kuwaiti capitals could be invested in industrial, agricultural, economic, trade, technological, services, education and health sectors.
He hoped the parliaments of Kuwait and Iraq have a role to addressing outstanding issues. (end) msh.bs KUNA 202317 Mar 11NNNN