Kuwait & UK hold talks on ‘deal of the century’

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Support for Palestinians reiterated

LONDON, June 27, (KUNA): The visiting Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister on Wednesday affirmed the State of Kuwait’s political and financial support at the government and public levels for the Palestinian people and leadership. Khaled Al-Jarallah, speaking to KUNA after cosigning a joint task plan for the Joint Steering Group with British State Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt, said he held talks with Minister Burt on the Middle East peace process, including the reported “deal of the century.

Media have been abuzz with rhetoric about the said aspired deal, indicating at some American ideas to settle the protracted conflict. However, there has been no official word about it from the stakeholders. The State of Kuwait stance toward the Palestinian issue, which he described as the “Arabs’ top cause,” needs not to be reiterated at all. “Our stand (in this regard) at the Security Council is clear and embodied with continuing support and coordination with our brothers … (advocates) of the cause.”

This cause must be resolved on basis of the international legitimacy (resolutions) and the Arab peace initiative as well as recognizing East Jerusalem as capital of the State of Palestine, the Deputy Foreign Minister said. On regional files, he said the talks touched on the Gulf dispute, conditions in Yemen, Syria, Iran-Gulf ties in light of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Turning to the joint group meetings, he lauded works’ results of the group which meets in Kuwait and Britain on rotating basis every six months, noting that its tasks address interests of Kuwaiti citizens, particularly those who come to England for studies or medical treatment. Moreover, it deals with Kuwait’s higher interests, namely London’s commitment to its security and stability.

Historic
Shedding light on the historic Kuwaiti-British relations, he noted that in 1920, Britain dispatched the first batch of arms to the Gulf to defend the State of Kuwait in line with an agreement to protect it.

Al-Jarallah, who co-signed the plan at a ceremony held at the British Royal Air Force Museum, said he was told by officials at the museum that Kuwait donated a military aircraft to Britain in 1940 to use it in the second world war.

“We are relieved for the cooperation with Britain, which is a faithful ally, committed to the (Gulf) region security and stability,” he said. For his part, Burt said in remarks to KUNA that the Gulf crisis “has started to impose an atmosphere of great challenges,” re-affirming London’s unwavering obligation to the Gulf stability. He reiterated the British Government support for the Kuwaiti mediation to resolve the crisis — under leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah. Minister Burt affirmed significance of the British relations with the friendly and allied Gulf states, adding that the bonds with Kuwait constitute the foundation of London’s relations with these countries.Cooperation between London and Kuwait has risen to higher levels, particularly with respect of consultations on regional and international causes, Burt elaborated. The United Kingdom and the State of Kuwait inked on Wednesday a task blueprint for the Joint Guidance Committee, primarily aimed at effecting all previously signed agreements between the two countries.

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