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 Stresses its Ongoing Efforts to Tackle Situation in Gaza, Lebanon

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses its Ongoing Efforts to Tackle Situation in Gaza, Lebanon

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government underscored on Tuesday the Kingdom’s ongoing political and humanitarian efforts to tackle the situation in Gaza and its surroundings, and in Lebanon.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet session that was held in Riyadh.

The cabinet also highlighted the air bridge the Kingdom has launched to provide humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people amid the Israeli assault on their country.

Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the ministers on the telephone call he received from French President Emmanuel Macron and the outcomes of the meeting he held with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Riyadh last week.

Crown Prince Mohammed’s talks with the officials focused on regional developments and efforts exerted towards them.

Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the cabinet reviewed the Kingdom's participation in bilateral and multilateral meetings, with the objective of boosting its relations with countries worldwide in various sectors, facilitating coordination to address issues and challenges of international significance, and achieving shared interests.

The cabinet renewed the Kingdom's emphasis, at the UN Conference on Victims of Terrorism, on the importance of international efforts to curb extremist ideologies and rhetoric, eradicate terrorism, provide support and care for all victims, and empower them through education and rehabilitation.

The minister said the cabinet reiterated the key points of the Kingdom's opening statement at the 89th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which reaffirmed the commitment to women's rights, to lifting their status in society, and to continuing reforms that empower women and encourage their participation in development.

At the domestic level, Al-Dossary said the Cabinet praised the successful conclusion of the Global Logistics Forum held in Riyadh under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It hoped that its outcomes will contribute to boosting cooperation, developing logistics services and supply chains, and supporting economic growth and sustainable development.

Moreover, the cabinet declared that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve making it on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Green List, alongside the Ibex Reserve, is consistent with the Kingdom's ongoing efforts in environment conservation. The move helps in realizing the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to declare 30% of terrestrial and marine regions protected areas by 2030.

The cabinet reviewed several reports on the performance of public agencies over the past period, their contributions to achieving the targets of the Saudi Vision 2030, and the significant progress seen in the indicators and initiatives of national strategies.