September 18, 2011Kuwait's ambassador to return to Baghdad
Kuwait's Ambassador to Iraq Ali Al-Momen is due to resume his diplomatic duties in Baghdad in the coming days after a new "fortified" and secure headquarters for the embassy was found. Speaking to the Kurdistan News Agency (AKNEWS), Momen said that Kuwait's embassy in Baghdad would resume work in ten days at a more secure location. "Kuwait has not withdrawn its ambassador from Baghdad as some media claimed with the aim to create a political crisis between both countries," Momen said. He also deniedthat he had left Baghdad for any political reasons or disagreements over the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port project.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi lawmaker urged his government to speed up construction and finish a port on Iraq's side of the Arabian Gulf to counter competition from the Mubarak port that is being built nearby. The rival ports have caused a major feud between the neighbors. Baghdad has tried to play down concerns that the Kuwaiti facility will disrupt Iraqi shipping.
But yesterday, Mansour Al-Timimi, a Shiite from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's political bloc, said the Mubarak port will have a "destructive" impact on Iraq's economy and waterways. Al-Timimi urged Baghdad to finish up the construction of its own Faw port, which stalled after it started two years ago. He also said Iraq should boycott companies involved in building the Kuwait port.
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