Kuwait to Confront Iraqi Court Ruling on Khor Abdullah

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
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Kuwait to Confront Iraqi Court Ruling on Khor Abdullah

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)
Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (KUNA)

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah discussed the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court's ruling over the Khor Abdullah waterway agreement with his British counterpart James Cleverly.

A statement from the Foreign Ministry reported that the call addressed the bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region.

The statement also mentioned that the call discussed the repercussions of the decision of the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq, which ruled that the law ratifying the agreement regulating navigation in the Khor Abdullah waterway was unconstitutional.

The two officials also touched on Iraq's cancellation of the security swap protocol in Khor Abdullah, signed with Kuwait in 2008, the Ministry concluded.

The Iraqi Parliament and the Kuwaiti National Assembly had previously approved the agreement and submitted it to the UN.

However, the Federal Iraqi Court ruled it “unconstitutional”.

Kuwait's Foreign Minister also discussed the issue with the French Ambassador to Kuwait, Claire Le Flecher, and the Russian Ambassador, Vladimir Zheltov, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry stated that discussion highlighted the implications of the Federal Iraqi Court's decision, the historical fallacies, and Iraq's cancellation of the security swap protocol.

Furthermore, Sheikh Salem addressed the Iraqi court's decision in a meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf, in New York ahead of his meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken reaffirmed the US commitment to preserving Kuwati's security and sovereignty and the safety of its territory and the region.

The meeting also discussed the details of the Federal Iraqi Court's decision regarding the Khor Abdullah Maritime Navigation Agreement.

Furthermore, the annual coordination meeting of the Ministerial Council for Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries discussed the court decision in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The Ministers stressed the importance of Iraq's commitment to Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect for international conventions and UN resolutions, especially UNSC Resolution 833 regarding the demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq boundary.

They called for the complete demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq maritime boundary beyond boundary point 162, urging the Iraqi government to resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement.

They called on Iraq and the UN to exert maximum effort to resolve all the issues.



Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to international initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.
At the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, held in Djibouti, Al-Khuraiji discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United States, facilitated talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, which aimed to protect civilians.
Al-Khuraiji also noted the continuation of talks with the involvement of the African Union and IGAD, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s support for African-led solutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to restoring stability in Sudan and urged all parties to act with wisdom, show restraint, and support positive initiatives.
Al-Khuraiji also met with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber, on the sidelines of the consultative meeting.
In separate meetings, he also met with the UN Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and US Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
During these meetings, they reviewed the latest developments in Sudan, explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and discussed topics of mutual interest.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) expressed support for international and regional meetings, hoping they would bring positive results to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
They urged the need that discussions focus on ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need, protecting civilians, and achieving an immediate ceasefire.
Taqaddum highlighted the importance of international legal frameworks for civilian protection and safe passageways during the conflict.
They called on international and regional partners to quickly bring both sides back to negotiations, build on the Jeddah agreements, and secure a binding ceasefire with effective monitoring.
Taqaddum also stressed the need for a unified negotiation platform to achieve peace.