KUWAIT CITY, April 11: Kuwait did not receive any official report from US Foreign Affairs Ministry about money laundering or financing of terror operations, Al-Seyassah daily quoted Assistant Undersecretary for Social Development Sector at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad Al-Sawagh as saying.

Commenting on US Treasury’s Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing David Cohen’s statement in which he apparently said Kuwait is the only Gulf country that does not ban financing of terror operations, Al-Sawagh said “it was a baseless press statement.”

Speaking at a press conference held to refute the aforesaid accusation, Al-Sawagh said the ministry is known for implementing laws concerning money laundering and terror finance operations, and indicated that overseas affairs don’t fall within the ministry’s jurisdiction.

Al-Sawagh also commented on Human Rights Watch’s remarks that the position of expatriate personnel is still bad, saying the ministry is serious in the implementation of local and international laws, particularly those applicable to employees in the private sector and domestic personnel. He added that the law specifying minimum salary of KD 60 has effectively alleviated the suffering of many people and this proves that “Kuwait has been successful in protecting the rights of workers.”

Meanwhile, the United States takes human rights issues seriously and sees the promoting of these values in various countries as an important part of its commitment, says the US Embassy in Kuwait in a press release published by Al-Anba daily.

The embassy was commenting on the US State Department’s report which said Kuwait did not make any progress in the human rights field as well as in controlling human trafficking.

According to the US law, the State Secretary should present a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in all countries of the world, especially members of the United Nations. “We hope the report helps in efforts exerted to end human right violations and will promote various countries’ ability to protect these rights,” the embassy said.