Jordanian King Expected to Help Secure Release of Kuwaiti POWsA Kuwaiti official on Saturday expressed hope that the visit by Jordanian King Abdullah II to Kuwait, starting Sunday, will help secure the release of hundreds of Kuwaiti nationals held in Iraq.Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Jasim Mohmmad al-Kharafi told reporters that he hoped that Abdullah would "listen to (the Kuwaiti) government's views regarding the issue of Kuwaiti prisoners (of war) and the visit will enable him to contribute to efforts to secure their release." Kuwait insists that Iraq still holds over 600 Kuwaitis and third country detainees, but Iraq denied the allegation. Welcoming Abdullah's visit, his second to Kuwait as the Jordanian monarch, Kharafi also voiced belief that the visit would lead to further understanding and rapprochement between the two Arab countries. Relations between Kuwait and Jordan once soured due to Amman's sympathy with Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The bilateral ties were fully restored after Abdullah paid an official visit to Kuwait in September 1999. On the agenda of Abdullah's second visit, Kharafi said that Kuwait is not seeking to convey a message to Abdullah, as Kuwait's message, keenness on unifying the Arab ranks, had been stated clearly during the Amman Arab summit in March. While both Kuwaiti and Jordanian officials have denied the Kuwaiti-Iraqi issue would be the main focus of this visit, observers here believe that Abdullah would discuss with his Kuwaiti hosts the possibilities for a reconciliation between Kuwait and Iraq, as recommended by the Amman summit. On bilateral ties, the observers said that the Jordanian king is likely to discuss with Kuwaiti officials ways of opening the local market for Jordanian products, as well as providing Jordan with oil at low prices and allowing Jordanians to be employed in Kuwait, as was the case before the invasion of Iraq. |
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