National Security Advisor confirms Iraq respects Kuwait’s sovereignty

 National Security Advisor confirms Iraq respects Kuwait’s sovereignty

A boat moored at the port of Umm Qasr in Basra, Iraq. Photo: AP

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi National Security Advisor, Qasim Al-Araji, confirmed on Monday that Iraq respects Kuwait’s sovereignty.

Al-Araji’s remarks took place during his meeting with the Kuwaiti deputy chief of mission, Fahad Al-Fadhli, according to a statement Al-Araji published on X, formerly Twitter.

The two sides discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two countries and issues of common interest.

The National Security Advisor of Iraq emphasized that the recent meeting of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in New York reflects Iraq’s positive stance towards Kuwait.

Earlier in September, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court annulled the ratification of the maritime navigation agreement with Kuwait by issuing a decision that the ratification law of the agreement regulating navigation in Khor Abdullah is unconstitutional.

The Federal Supreme Court clarified in a statement that the ratification of international treaties and agreements, according to the Iraqi constitution, should be regulated by a law enacted by a two-thirds majority in the Iraqi Parliament, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

The Khor Abdallah is an estuary located in southern Iraq and northern Kuwait.

The border between both countries divides the lower part of the estuary, but adjacent to the port of Umm Qasr, the estuary becomes entirely Iraqi.

The agreement that regulates marine navigation in that canal was concluded in 2012 and confirmed by the legislative bodies of both countries in 2013.

The marine borders between Iraq and Kuwait were left for both countries to choose after the United Nations demarcated the land border between them in 1993 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.