Ban, Treki commend Kuwait diplomacy as successfulKuwait News Agency - 15 December, 2009
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and UN General Assembly President Ali Treki paid tribute to Kuwait's successful diplomacy at both regional and international levels, regarding HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a "rare statesman".
This was announced by Kuwait's outgoing permanent representative at the UN Abdullah Murad in remarks to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) following his separate farewell meetings with Ban and Treki on the occasion of the Kuwaiti diplomat's end of term.
Murad also quoted Ban as extolling Kuwait's great positions and contributions to UN activities in diverse fields.
During the meeting, the UN chief praised the outgoing Kuwaiti diplomat's efforts during his term.
Murad recalled his trip earlier this year when he accompanied Ban to Kuwait to attend the Arab economic summit conference in January 2009. He thanked the UN secretary general for his inauguration of the UN House in Kuwait during the visit.
The secretary general regarded this move as a great unforgettable achievement that mirrored Kuwait's contributions to UN-sponsored activities.
Murad expressed dismay that he was leaving New York before the settlement of outstanding files between Kuwait and Iraq, noting that relations between the two countries are "excellent" at present and based on friendship and good neighbourliness.
In this context, he voiced much sorrow at terrorist attacks that took place in Baghdad last week, saying such acts would prevent Iraq from forging excellent relations not only with Kuwait but with other neighborly countries as well, and would even block democracy in Iraq.
He voiced hope that this Arab neighborly country would witness general elections at an early date so that stability and calmness could prevail there.
Meanwhile, UN General Assembly President Ali Treki of Libya, speaking to KUNA following his meeting with the Kuwaiti diplomat, hailed HH the Amir of Kuwait as a "rare Arab statesman who is keen on resolving all Arab problems, whether in Arab Mashreq or Maghreb".
Since he was still the foreign minister of Kuwait, HH the Amir has been seeking in earnest to heal up Arab rifts and splits, he said.
He hailed the Kuwaiti representative Al Murad as a key Arab diplomat at the UN, expressing satisfaction with the level of brotherly bonds between Libya and Kuwait.
For his part, the Kuwaiti diplomat said he had conveyed an invitation to Treki from HH the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah to visit Kuwait in March, and he had already accepted it.
He hailed Treki's great efforts at the international organization regarding Arab issues, saying that he had a 35-year diplomatic experience.
Ambassador Al Murad, 62, concurrently serves as a non-resident ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Cuba and Costa Rica. He retires at the end of this year. A reception will be hosted next Tuesday at the Kuwait Mission to bid farewell to him.
Prior to his current appointment, Ambassador Al Murad served as the Director of International Organizations in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From August 1999 to January 2004, he served as Ambassador to India and on non-residency basis to the Kingdom of Nepal and the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Prior to this, he was appointed as Ambassador to Turkey from August 1996 to July 1999 and on non-residency basis to the Republic of Azerbaijan (1997 - 1999). From January 1993 - June 1996, he was appointed Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In July 1991, he was appointed Director of the International Organizations Department in which he served until October 1992. During the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and until the liberation (August 1990 - March 1991), he served as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Belgrade.
In March 1988, he was assigned to the European Affairs Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From March 1987, he served in the Political Affairs Department. In May 1987, he served as Consul-General in Malaga, Spain. In November 1984, he served in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Deputy Director and was a member in the Training and Professional Education Commission in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to this, he served in the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Paris as First Secretary in 1978, Second Secretary in 1975 and Third Secretary in 1974. Ambassador Al-Murad began his diplomatic career as an attach{ in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 1972 and joined the Political Affairs Department in March 1973. He took his primary and secondary schooling in Kuwait, and graduated from the Department of Political Science, University of AIX Marseilles in France. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French.
