US says no tension in ties with Kuwait
Meeting between Kuwaiti envoy Salem and Kushner was ‘constructive’
White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah has dismissed reports about tensions between Kuwait and the US that surfaced in the meeting last week between Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US Shaikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah and Jared Kushner, assistant to US President Donald Trump.
According to a statement released by Shah and carried by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna), the meeting was “constructive” and there was no tension between the two officials.
Shaikh Salem and Kushner “had an honest and constructive discussion,” the statement said.
During the meeting, they discussed the Mideast peace process and actions at the United Nations.
The two “have a strong relationship based on mutual respect and shared strategic goals,” the statement added.
The White House denial posted by Kuna on Saturday came days after Kuwait denied the report published by Kuwaiti daily Al Rai on Wednesday about US dissatisfaction with its stances at the United Nations Security Council regarding the Palestinian issue.
“The two countries are bound by deep relations and have strategic partnership on all levels as well as ongoing consultations within the framework of the UN Security Council,” a spokesperson at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The spokesperson, responding to a query by Kuna regarding the report, insisted that “the ties between the two sides are deep-rooted.”
“The spokesperson quashed the report and commended the ambassador’s role in promoting relations between the two countries, noting that there were solid bonds between him and US Administration officials,” Kuna reported.
Al Rai said that Shaikh Salem and Kushner recently had a “brief and stormy” meeting.
Kushner reportedly conveyed the US Administration’s annoyance with the Kuwait’s position in the Security Council on the Palestinian issue.
According to the daily, Kushner said Kuwaiti behaviour in the Council embarrassed him personally in front of the Administration officials and countries that support US efforts to resolve the crisis.
Last week, Kuwait, a Security Council non-permanent member representing the Arab countries since January 1, drafted a resolution that condemned Israel’s use of force against Palestinian civilians.
The draft was supported by Kuwait, France, Russia, China, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Peru, Sweden, and Equatorial Guinea. Britain, the Netherlands, Poland and Ethiopia abstained. Only the United States voted against it.
The two countries are bound by deep relations and have strategic partnership on all levels as well as ongoing consultations within the UN framework.