By NNN-KUNA
London : A senior Kuwaiti official has appealed to Arab states to seek to unify their perspectives on issues of common interest.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat paper published on Sunday, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister stressed Kuwait believes in joint action and cooperation with other parties towards mutual good and argued there is too much of what he called “positive ambiguity” which leaves many Arab calls for action and summit resolutions and other texts open to “too many” interpretations.
Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah was first asked to comment on difficulties Kuwait was said to be facing in establishing a modern state. The minister said the State of Kuwait already passed such trial with the issue of the constitution and with the first parliament in 1962 and 1920.
Kuwait emerged as a modern state that was to survive many attempts at its sovereignty and was born out of very difficult financial and social circumstance and amid very inopportune regional conditions and had to stand on its feet rather quickly, denied the opportunity of gradual progression due to regional situation, he said.
Having established the mode of government and the form of representation of the people through parliament, the minister was asked to comment on the opinion that Kuwaiti parliaments failed to pursue the state and people’s best interest. To that, Sheikh Mohammad said there is no one point of view as to what is the state’s best interest, “else this would be a dictatorship rather than a democracy.” He also pointed out, to a question, that the MPs’ frequent questioning of ministers was “utilisation of a tool granted in the Kuwaiti Constitution.” He did, however, express belief “the tool is sometimes used in an arbitrary manner.” To an even more direct question, the Kuwaiti official said there is no such thing as pro-government MPs and opposition MPs within the Kuwaiti political formula. “What we have is stances on different issues, at times bringing MPs with the government and at others seeing them on the opposite end of an issue.” The paper then addressed Kuwait’s relations with neighboring and regional states and the minister was asked whether he considered his recent visit to Iran a success, with allusion to the uranium enrichment issue. Sheikh Mohammad said the stated objective of the visit was to set up a Kuwaiti-Iranian committee to tackle issues of mutual interest, “which was achieved.” The committee is to tackle issues including the maritime borders, and the two countries agreed that technical teams would be set up to address this critical complex issue. The committee is to hold a meeting in Kuwait soon, he pointed out.
On Arab relations and crises, and issues including Lebanon and Iran, the minister stressed Kuwait cooperates with all states while maintaining respect of sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. Bilateral affairs are also not to be interfered with, he said, and “should the state play mediator between different parties, such role naturally requires confidentiality.” On Arab action, the minister noted there is room for much more effort and compromise, adding the difficulties Arabs find themselves in are most often result of divide within their own ranks, rather than work or ploy of external parties. “We should focus on doing our part rather than on pointing the blame, if we want to make any progress,” the Kuwaiti official reiterated.
As to failure to implement resolutions and recommendations of Arab summits and conferences and to realize initiatives, the minister attributed this to the different interpretations of the same text on the part of different Arab parties.
“We have too wide a margin of ‘positive ambiguity.’ Allowing for ‘too many’ interpretations impedes implementation and progress, and we therefore need to narrow this margin,” the Kuwaiti FM said.
The minister was also asked his opinion on a possible military confrontation between the west and Iran over its nuclear dossier. Sheikh Mohammad said any war in the region stands to affect Kuwait, even if only through embers and occasional sparks.
In an earlier remark, the official had said “the Iranian leadership assured me of its desire for closer relations with Kuwait during my recent visit to Tehran.” Iraq also naturally came up and the minister stressed the State of Kuwait is most keen on a stable and democratic Iraq. And on its call for the fourth meeting of Iraq’s neighbors, he said this was done with coordination with the Iraqi government and reflects the desire to see Iraq standing on its own feet as a sovereign state with peaceful relations with its neighbors.
“We can not just stand and merely watch as bystanders,” he stressed.
As to Arab calculations in view of the change of US administration in November, the minister again noted the region lost a great deal due to speculating and to determining course of action based on others’ actions and stances. “It is time we look within, not without, and enough pointing fingers,” he urged.