WASHINGTON, May 7, (Agencies): US President Barack Obama on Friday thanked Kuwait’s Amir for the country’s “generous pledge” of $180 million to the Libyan opposition Transitional National Council.
Obama spoke by telephone to Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and also thanked him for Kuwait’s “steadfast support” of US troops, the White House said in a statement.
“The president thanks the Amir for Kuwait’s generous pledge of assistance to the Transitional National Council of Libya and stressed the importance of such financial support to the opposition given their urgent needs,” the statement said.
Kuwait on April 24 announced the pledge of “urgent humanitarian aid” to Libyan civilians, through the national council.
Meanwhile, world powers on Thursday agreed to tap Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s frozen assets abroad to provide an emergency lifeline to the rebels. Gaddafi’s regime on Friday called the plan “piracy.”
The White House said Obama and Kuwait’s Amir also “renewed their pledge to build on the historic ties between the United States and Kuwait.”
The United States led the military assault that liberated Kuwait in 1991 after Iraq invaded its smaller neighbor.
Meanwhile, the acting foreign minister of Libya’s rebel government has canceled a visit to key ally Qatar after failing to get approval from Saudi Arabia to fly over its airspace.
Cairo airport officials say Ali al-Issaoui and three other officials from the rebels’ National Transitional Council waited for 20 hours at the airport before flying back to eastern Libya Saturday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
They said they did not know the reasons for the Saudi refusal. Saudi officials were not available for comment.
The Gulf nation of Qatar has given the rebels diplomatic recognition and sent warplanes to join the NATO operation in the country. Qatar has also helped rebels controlling oil facilities to sell the crude.