By NNN-KUNA
Kuwait : Iraq’s neighbours are keen to see its people living in a society in which stability and harmony prevails, said Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of Defence Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Fourth Meeting of Interior Ministers of Iraq’s Neighbouring States Tuesday, Sheikh Jaber said, “The agenda of our meeting today is the fruit of the aspirations we have for our Iraqi brothers and our wishes for them to live in stability and harmony.”
He stressed the importance of security cooperation between Iraq’s neighbours to counter terrorism, adding that this cooperation “requires that we intensify efforts to stand up to this intruding phenomenon by controlling activities of terrorist elements, and rooting them out by implementing what was agreed upon in previous meetings.”
He reiterated support for the Iraqi government’s efforts to eradicate this phenomenon with the consolidation of regional and international efforts.
He also stressed the need for border control “as a joint responsibility between Iraq and its neighbours, through the use of the latest technologies in order to put an end to infiltrators and the smuggling of weapons and explosives into Iraq.”
The Kuwaiti minister expressed his country’s concern and “its deep sorrow over the violence and extremism that the Iraqi people are being subjected to, at a time when they are most in need of unity and solidarity in order to build a prosperous state that is based on a belief in the unity of blood and land.”
He said the political situation in the country was stable, and thus was fundamental in instilling security and stability in Iraq, which in turn emphasized the need to double efforts to guarantee the participation of all parties and sects in the political process.
Sheikh Jaber expressed confidence that “the brothers in Iraq have not, and will not, spare effort in standing up to those seeking to divide its people, those seeking to instigate sectarian strife, and those forming armed militias outside the state regime.”
The minister reiterated Kuwait’s support for Iraq, saying, “Kuwait is a neighbour of Iraq and always seeks to provide support to the people in order for them to overcome this difficult crisis.”
The interior ministers of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Egypt will discuss during their one-day meeting security cooperation and coordination in relation to Iraq, as well as means to boost security in the country.
A preparatory meeting was held here at the level of experts on Saturday and Sunday to prepare the meeting’s agenda and prepare a draft of the communique.