Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Salem Al-Sabah said here Tuesday the Kuwaiti Embassy in Iraq is open and Kuwaiti diplomats are back home just for Ramadan. “The Kuwaiti Embassy in Baghdad is open, and has not been closed,” he told reporters while leaving for Jeddah to attend the periodical meeting of the GCC foreign ministers. He added that Kuwaiti diplomats in Iraq “are now in Kuwait only to spend Ramadan with their families, and will return to their positions in Baghdad following Eid al-Fitr (Lesser Bairam)”.

“The state of Kuwait is aware that the security situation in Iraq is serious and very sensitive,” he said, pointing out that foreign elements are seeking to “fuel sharp differences in Iraq, while some are trying to spoil relations between Iraq and its neighbors and others wish that the entire political process in Iraq would fail.” He added that his country realizes that there are major challenges haunting Iraq so Kuwait has repeatedly reiterated its support to the Iraqi people with a view to aborting a plan purposed to partition their country.
In this context, he hailed a recent initiative launched by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, instructing Kuwaiti hospitals to be open for victims of terrorist operations there.

Asked if Kuwait could persuade the UAE to join the single Gulf currency, the foreign minister said: “The UAE has joined the single Gulf currency, and I have heard that from UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.” He recognized that there are divergent views as to the Gulf currency, but there is an opportunity to resolve this issue during this holy month of Ramadan.
But, he said: “2010 is the year set for launching the Gulf currency.” However, relevant political matters have been already agreed upon, and it is up to the Gulf ministers of finance to resolve other technical affairs and even to set the right time for launching the single Gulf currency.

Regarding a meeting with the Czech ambassador in Kuwait on a Kuwaiti citizen held in custody in the Czech Republic, the minister said: “We know that there is a Kuwaiti citizen held in custody due to an ordinary quarrel. But, we believe that it is unjustifiable to continue detaining him.”
Concerning the Gulf foreign ministers’ meeting in Jeddah, he said it would focus on preparations and agenda of the coming GCC summit due to be held in Kuwait in mid-December.
They will also discuss issues to be put on table during the next Arab foreign ministers’ meeting at the Arab League in Cairo next week, together with arrangements for the forthcoming UN general assembly meeting.
He noted that the situation in Yemen would be on the agenda of the Jeddah meeting.

Arabtimes