Kuwaiti speaker criticizes US ambassador over remarks on Iran

[Judi Lynn]

UPDATED: 14:35, June 05, 2005
Kuwaiti speaker criticizes US ambassador over remarks on Iran



Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi criticized US Ambassador to Kuwait Richard LeBaron for uttering remarks against Iran in a lecture last week, the official KUNA news agency reported Saturday.

"The job of the ambassador is known and it is not within his jurisdiction to raise matters related to the sovereignty of the state where he stays or related to view of the state", the speaker said, referring to the ambassador's remarks against Iran in an address at a Kuwaiti college.

"As we respect views of others and refrain from interfering in their particulars, all should not interfere in our particulars and should not transfer their battles with any other state into Kuwait," Al-Kharafi was quoted as saying.

"We in the State of Kuwait do not accept in any way ever intervention in our country's sovereignty," he said, adding "We are keen on pursuing our good relations with all and all should respect this relations."
(snip/...)

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200506/05/eng20050605_188579.html



Richard LeBaron

[magellan]

1. Yeah, Kuwait's spittin' mad

Can't say I blame them. This article on the same subject was one long paragraph so I made a few up!

With friends like these: US policies aggravate relations with Kuwait

KUWAITI TIMES

By Jamie Etheridge

Washington sucker punched one of its closest Arab ally, Kuwait recently in a series of jabs and thrusts that has left the oil-rich emirate with a slick of mud and egg on its face. The sparring began in early May, which the US Trade Representative's office listed Kuwait among 14 nations it had placed on a 'priority watch list' for intellectual property right infringement. The United States warned that a lack of IPR protections and enforcement would hamper any free trade agreement. US President George W Bush has promoted FTAs with Gulf states as a solid step on the road to greater democracy.

A few weeks after the IPR embarrassment, America's Ambassador to Kuwait Richard Lebaron triggered a sandstorm of recriminations, denials and controversy when he gave a speech at a military academy in Kuwait. During the lecture, Lebaron accused Iran of "placing its neighbours, including Kuwait, in harm's way by choosing to pursue nuclear weapons instead of the path of peace." The words immediately aggravated the already delicate ties between Kuwait and Tehran. Kuwait's defence ministry quickly followed, announcing that Lebaron's remarks do not reflect the MoD's views. A few days later, parliament speaker Jassam Al-Khorafi scolded Lebaron in a press conference, noting that "The duties of ambassadors are well known and do not involve raising issues related to Kuwait's sovereignty," he said.

Still reeling from the shock of Lebaron's speech, Kuwait was hardly prepared for yesterday's damning report on 'human trafficking.' Washington 'downgraded' Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and threatened sanctions against them for their failure in protecting women and children against 'slavery-like conditions.' The report may have hit the nail on the head of a mistreated child camel jockey. But it's still an embarrassment for a country, which worked tank-in-track with the US military during the 2003 liberation of Iraq.

A State Department official indirectly admitted to the tension the 'human trafficking' report could herald noting "This report shows that in this administration we will not pull our punches even with our friends." Friends indeed. Even the best of friends are careful about embarrassing each other in public.

more.... http://www.kuwaittimes.net/today/localNews_s1.php