Curbs must not affect Iraqi people: Kuwait

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), JAN. 23. In a surprising development, Kuwait's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad al Sabah, endorsed a national newspaper's call for a substitution of the sanctions against Iraq as a whole with a sanctions regime that specifically targets the regime in Baghdad. Ever since knowledge has become widespread about the disastrous effects that the sanctions were having on the Iraqi people, there have been justifications that the sanctions were directed against Iraq's President, Mr. Saddam Hussein, and not the people at large. But no one has till now been able to figure out how to narrow the focus of the sanctions. Kuwait's new stance is perhaps more understandable as an effort to realign itself with current international sentiments.

Sheikh Sabah said he had called the editor of Al Rai Al Aam newspaper to congratulate him on a ``bold editorial'' that had called for lifting of the sanctions since they only served to strengthen the Iraqi regime. ``We say, motivated by Kuwait's conscience, lift the siege on the Iraqi people and target sanctions directly at the ruling elite'', the newspaper had editorialised on Sunday. While he agreed with the newspaper's proposal, Sheikh Sabah said, it was also his opinion that the Iraqi regime did not want the sanctions lifted. It was not clear whether he was referring to the argument that Iraq could get the sanctions lifted as soon as it agreed to resumption of weapons inspections or whether he was referring to the other criticism that the top echelon of the regime was benefitting from sanctions-busting smuggling.

Kuwait is among the last, and the staunchest, among the Arab countries opposed to Iraq's rehabilitation in the international community.

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Section  : International
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