Palestinian leader arrives in Kuwait for 2-day official visit
Abbas received by Amir
KUWAIT CITY, April 15, (Agencies): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas along with his official accompanying delegation arrived here on Monday on a two-day official visit, during which he is to hold official discussions with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah.
Upon his arrival at the airport, President Abbas was received by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, Kuwaiti House Speaker Ali Fahad Al-Rashed, Deputy Chief of National Guard Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah AlSabah, senior state officials and senior army, police, and national guards personnel.
The accompanying mission of honor for President Abbas is headed by Amiri Diwan Advisor Dr. Adel Taleb Al-Tabtabaei.
President Abbas’s accompanying delegation included member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Dr. Saeb Erekat,and number of senior officials in the brotherly state of Palestine.
Relations
The opening of the Palestinian Embassy in Kuwait is a historic event for both countries as it is an affirmation of the strong and good relations they have been enjoying for decades, says Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas made the statement during the inauguration of the embassy on Monday, asserting that Palestine is proud of Kuwait’s position in supporting the Palestinians. He pointed out the people will always remember that the Palestinian struggle started here, as well as the Palestine Liberation Organization and Fatah Movement, due to its great leaders and the entire community.
In conclusion, Abbas thanked HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti government for making such a momentous event possible.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah express his joy for the official visit of the Palestinian President to Kuwait, especially since it is the first after the United Nations General Assembly granted Palestine the Non-Member Observer State Status. He said the opening of Palestine’s embassy here signals the continuation of a long and strong relationship between the two countries.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid also touched on the contributions of Palestine to the development of Kuwait, hoping that the next visit of the Abbas will be for the celebration of the approval of Palestine’s bid to be a permanent UN member.
Kuwait was an important supporter and funder of Arafat, who launched his Fatah movement while working in the oil-producing Arab state in 1964. But ties were broken over Arafat’s perceived sympathy for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s decision to occupy his small neighbour.
Arafat said at the time he did not support the invasion but rather object- ed to the use of force against Iraq, seeking instead a political solution for the crisis.
After the war hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were coerced into leaving or expelled outright amid hostility from Kuwaitis who suspected them of disloyalty. The conflict ended when US-led forces drove out Iraqi troops in 1991.
Abbas inaugurating of the embassy in Kuwait city, ended a long process of restoring ties with Kuwait that began in 2001, when Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee member Faisal al-Husseini visited the country.
In 2003, Kuwait snubbed Abbas, then prime minister to Arafat, putting off a visit because he would not apologise for the Palestinian president’s stand during the invasion, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported at the time.