By Nawaf Al-Diqbasi
DOHA, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- Iraqi President Fuad Masum spoke highly of Kuwait for responding positively to his country's request for a one-year grace to pay compensations in connection with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
The Kuwaiti decision is a gesture of goodwill towards Iraq that will give an impetus to the bilateral ties, President Masum said at a news conference here on Wednesday evening.
He commended the results of the recent visit to Iraq by a Kuwaiti high-level delegation, saying that the visit added momentum to the bilateral ties and serviced the interests of not only Kuwait and Iraq but the entire Gulf region as well.
He was referring to fourth session of the joint high-level commission co-chaired by Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jafari. President Masum also applauded the outcomes of the talks between Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and His Highness the Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in Kuwait on December 21.
The talks between the two premiers resulted in raising the number of bilateral cooperation agreements to 45 in various fields.
The Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations grew steadily in the recent years with the bilateral trade volume amounting to USD 2.5 billion last year.
Kuwait is preparing for opening two consulates in the Iraqi southern city of Basra and the northern city of Irbil to cope up with the growing ties. (end) nnd.mm.gb