Iraqi Lawmaker’s Visit to Kuwait Border Triggers ‘Khor Abdullah’ Crisis

Kuwaiti lawmakers attend the opening ceremony of the 17th parliamentary term at the National Assembly (parliament) in Kuwait City on October 31, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
Kuwaiti lawmakers attend the opening ceremony of the 17th parliamentary term at the National Assembly (parliament) in Kuwait City on October 31, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Iraqi Lawmaker’s Visit to Kuwait Border Triggers ‘Khor Abdullah’ Crisis

Kuwaiti lawmakers attend the opening ceremony of the 17th parliamentary term at the National Assembly (parliament) in Kuwait City on October 31, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
Kuwaiti lawmakers attend the opening ceremony of the 17th parliamentary term at the National Assembly (parliament) in Kuwait City on October 31, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

The visit of Saud Al-Saadi, an Iraqi parliamentarian, to the Kuwaiti border has triggered a crisis regarding the Khor Abdullah Agreement and certain border issues.

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry has called on the Iraqi Parliament to provide clarification regarding Al-Saadi’s crossing of the demarcation lines between the two countries.

Al-Saadi, a deputy representing the “Hoqooq” parliamentary bloc, had previously contested the agreement and secured a ruling from the Federal Court in early September, which invalidated Parliament’s approval of it in 2013.

Despite Kuwaiti demands for clarification from the Iraqi Parliament regarding Al-Saadi’s visit to the border, which occurred in August, the leakage of this information to the public prompted a response from the lawmaker.

“We were surprised by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs notifying us of a phone call between the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kuwait and the Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait, which contained baseless allegations,” said Al-Saadi.

Al-Saadi emphasized that he would proceed with legal measures and issue an official warning against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been reluctant to implement the Federal Supreme Court’s decision, despite its binding validity on all authorities, both inside and outside Iraq, in accordance with Article 94 of the Constitution.

Furthermore, he called on the government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the UN, to submit and register the decision of the Federal Supreme Court with the UN Secretariat.

Soon after Baghdad made the declaration on backing down from the Khor Abdullah accord, the Kuwaiti Cabinet issued a statement affirming that the resolution included baseless allegations, urging Baghdad to take serious and urgent steps to “tackle the negative consequences of these developments.”

This came on the heels of Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmad Al-Bakr lodging a memo of complaint with the Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait Al-Menhel Al-Safi.



Saudi Arabia, Egypt Warn Against Policies that Take Region to the Abyss

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Egypt Warn Against Policies that Take Region to the Abyss

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on Tuesday. (AFP/Handout/SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Tuesday against policies that take the region to the edge of the abyss.

Meeting in Cairo, they demanded that steps be taken to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and for the humanitarian situation be addressed there.

A statement by the Egyptian presidency said the leaders discussed regional developments, starting with the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. They agreed on the dangerousness of the situation in the region, urging a de-escalation.

They called for respecting the sovereignty, security and stability of Lebanon and stressed the need for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in line with international resolutions.

This is the only way that sustainable peace and security can be achieved in the region, they added.

They warned that attempts to “erase” the Palestinian cause will only prolong conflicts in the region.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Sisi also reviewed developments in the Red Sea, Sudan, Libya and Syria.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi bids farewell to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, ahead of his departure from Cairo. (AFP/Handout/SPA)

Crown Prince Mohammed had arrived in Cairo on Tuesday on an official visit.

He held bilateral talks with Sisi ahead of expanded discussions that included Saudi and Egyptian delegations.

The leaders presided over the signing of the formation of the Saudi-Egyptian Higher Coordination Council that they will both chair.

Sisi underscored the depth of the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, especially amid the threats facing the region.

He stressed the importance of maintaining joint coordination and cooperation to overcome the current instability in the region and Islamic world.

For his part, Crown Prince Mohammed conveyed to Sisi the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, underlining the importance Saudi Arabia places on bolstering ties with Egypt.

Upon his departure, he sent a cable to Sisi to express his gratitude to the warm reception.

“The visit and the talks that we held underscored the strength of relations between our countries and a joint desire to bolster cooperation in all fields,” he said.

The visit also demonstrated a keenness on maintaining coordination and consultations on issues of common interest under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Sisi, he added.