Kuwait cool on Iraq ties

Kuwait says it's in no hurry to revive ties with its aggressor

On the eve of the tenth anniversary of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the Kuwaiti foreign minister has ruled out a resumption of ties with Iraq in the near future.

Kuwait has rejected several mediation efforts to improve ties with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein since a US-led force ended the occupation in 1991.

"Talking about resuming relations with the Iraqi regime is premature and out of the question, while that regime continues its hostile behaviour towards Kuwait," Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah told the London-based pan-Arab al-Haya newspaper.

Sheikh Sabah said Iraq's hostile attitude towards Kuwait has forced it to renew defence agreements with several western powers, notably the United States, Britain and France.

He said they represented an important part of Kuwait¿s defence strategy against any future aggression.

Political prisoners

On Sunday, the Kuwait cabinet issued a statement urging the international community to force Iraq to release the emirate's prisoners of war and abandon its policy of aggression.

"Kuwait calls on the international community to continue pressures on the Iraqi regime until it complies with all UN Security Council resolutions pertinent to its invasion," said the statement, carried by the national news agency, KUNA.

Kuwaiti has since 1991 beefed up its war chest

The statement said pressure should continue to guarantee that Iraq releases some 600 Kuwaiti prisoners of war and returns stolen Kuwaiti property.

At the same time, Kuwaiti Defence Minister Sheikh Salem Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah told journalists he was ready to visit Iraq if it released some of the prisoners, missing since 1991.

Iraq, which denies holding any Kuwaitis, rejected a similar offer by Sheikh Salem earlier this week, saying it was a diplomatic ploy.

Kuwaiti government agencies and hundreds of individuals have filed lawsuits against Baghdad for criminal offences committed during Iraq's seven-month occupation.

Kuwait's Prosecutor General Sultan Boujarwah said initial estimates indicate as many as 250,000 cases will be filed against Iraqi officials and soldiers.

Through its compensation agency, Kuwait has submitted claims to the United Nations Compensation Commission, UNCC, worth more than 150 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, a UN official, who heads the humanitarian programme for Iraq, has arrived in Baghdad.

Benon Sevan, executive director of the UN Office of the Iraq Programme will meet government representatives and UN officials to review the oil-for-food programme.

The programme allows Iraq to sell oil under UN control.