Today, Wednesday, the government clarified in detail the decision to demarcate the borders with Kuwait issued in 1994.
The government spokesman, Basem Al-Awadi, told the official Iraqi News Agency: "The Iraqi-Kuwaiti border file has been turned from 2003 until now into a file of political blackmail, by spreading rumors and accusations from different political blocs and parties to defame and insult all previous governments, under the pretext that these governments neglected the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border and this of course, it's just a lie," noting that "the borders were drawn on November 10, 1994, when two meetings were held for the institutions of the former regime at the time. The first was the previous National Council meeting on 10 November 1994 and issued a decision to comply with United Nations resolution 833 (1993) and the recognition by the Republic of Iraq of the international borders between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait "
He added, "On the same day, the dissolved Revolutionary Command Council Resolution No. 200 was also issued, which was recognized by the Revolutionary Command Council based on the decision issued by the National Council on the Iraqi-Kuwaiti borders," noting that, "There are 4 paragraphs in Revolutionary Command Council Resolution No. 200 issued in November 10, 1994:
1- The Republic of Iraq recognizes the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the State of Kuwait.
2- In compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 833 of 1993, the Republic of Iraq recognizes the international borders between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, as drawn by the United Nations Committee for the Demarcation of the Borders between Iraq and the State of Kuwait formed under Paragraph 3 of Resolution 687 of 1991, and respects the sanctity of the aforementioned borders.
3- The relevant ministries and authorities shall implement this decision.
4- This decision shall be implemented on November 10, 1994, and shall be published in the Official Gazette.
He indicated, "After this decision, no Iraqi government changed the borders," pointing out, "A delegation from Iraq and another from Kuwait and the United Nations committees fixed the Kuwaiti pillars as previously drawn by the United Nations, and no change occurred on them."
He stated, "The decision is for the demarcation of land borders only and not for the demarcation of maritime borders," pointing out, "After 2003, relations between Iraq and Kuwait improved, embassies were opened, and relations began to proceed normally."
Regarding the maritime borders, Al-Awadi explained, "The maritime borders are still not drawn until now, and what happened in 2011 when the American forces began to withdraw from Iraq and Iraq began to demand that the United Nations remove it from Chapter VII, as it is linked to Iraq's entry into Kuwait, and the Iraqi and Kuwaiti parties must agree, and resolving all the problems between them in order for the United Nations to issue its decision to remove Iraq from Chapter VII. There were some debts that were not agreed upon.
He stated, "There is a small town on the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border consisting of 102 houses that was called the Naval Force Base or the Naval Force Residential Neighborhood, as these houses have been empty since the start of the war between Iraq and the international coalition to expel Iraq from Kuwait. When Iraq agreed to demarcate the borders in 1994, and installing the land border pillars between the two countries later, these houses or the residential neighborhood became within the scope of the border pillars taboos, as discussions continued between Iraq and Kuwait, which demanded the removal of these houses. Pointing out, "Iraq informed the Kuwaiti side of the difficulty of removal at the time."
He pointed out, "Kuwait submitted a proposal that includes building an alternative, integrated residential city towards the city of Umm Qasr, far from the prohibitions of the pillars of the land borders between Iraq and Kuwait, where the Iraqi side agreed to the Kuwaiti proposal, and a land from Basra Governorate was transferred after 2011 to Kuwait with the follow-up and supervision of the Iraqi government and Basra Governorate, and Kuwait began building a new alternative residential city, which it completed in 2020," explaining that "the city consists of 228 houses, twice the previous number, with all its logistical services, which are a police station, schools, a health clinic, and a mosque, in addition to integrated streets."
He indicated, "This city was missing a road that extends to the district of Umm Qasr, and that the Basra governorate should deliver water and electricity, as well as internet service and other services, as Iraq received the city, but it has not distributed it yet because it has not received water, electricity and the Internet," explaining, that "What Kuwait is asking Iraq to do is remove 102 houses in the area, as it is a taboo for the land border posts and because it has committed itself to providing alternatives."
He pointed out, "Since 1994 and after the implementation of the United Nations resolution until today, Kuwait has not taken any step towards the Iraqi border, and Iraq has not taken any step towards the Kuwaiti border, and the land pillars are still installed in accordance with the United Nations resolution, and there is no problem in this regard." Explaining that: “Whenever an issue is raised about the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border, it was and still is rumors, or for the purpose of blackmail and political pressure.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency