Kuwait, Iraq ink cooperative deals, MoUs

Kuwait and Iraq have signed a number of agreements and memos of understanding for bilateral cooperation in various domains, with Kuwait to open two consulates in Basra and Irbil soon.
The deals were signed by Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari at the wrapping-up of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi joint committee meeting here on Sunday.
The agreements are primarily intended to serve the interests of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi people in diverse cooperative realms.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed Kuwait's support for Iraq's fight against terrorist attacks designed to impede this Arab country's ongoing efforts to restore its regional and international presence.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said: "We have signed agreements and memos of understanding with the Iraqi side with a view to promoting bilateral security cooperation."
He said Kuwait is willing to cooperate with Iraq in all fields, adding that he had met with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi on bilateral relations.
He said both sides had signed today three agreements for bilateral cooperation in various areas, bringing the total of agreements and memos of understanding signed by both sides up to 45 deals.
Two-way trade exchange amounted to USD 2.5 billion last year, the Kuwaiti foreign minister said, adding that Kuwait will open two consulates in Basra and Irbil in the coming few days.
"Kuwait and Iraq have also agreed to facilitate the entry of Iraqi diplomatic passport holders and travelers to the State of Kuwait," he said.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also reiterated his country's willingness to coordinate with Iraq in order to facilitate the maritime movement in the region.
On joint oil fields and wells, he said: "They are part of dossiers put on table at the Kuwaiti-Iraqi joint meetings."
But, he said both sides need a joint committee to monitor and organize traffic at Khur Abdullah port.
On the issue of fishers, the Kuwaiti minister hailed existing cooperation between both countries to resolve any possible problem in this regard, adding that the Kuwaiti side had called for broadening cooperation in the field of fishing.
Kuwait and Iraq are looking forward to promoting and developing bilateral cooperation not only in investment but in sports, arts and education as well, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted.
For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari stressed the significance of Kuwait's backing to Iraq for boosting its security capabilities, and appreciated its recent decision to defer Iraq's payment of compensation to Kuwait, thus alleviating the burdens of the financial crisis Iraq is facing.
He highly commended Kuwait's help to Iraq in face of terrorist organizations and groups, mainly the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) which poses a threat to the entire region.
The Iraqi minister lauded relations with the State of Kuwait, pointing to his country's willingness to bolster and beef up bilateral cooperation in order to serve the interests of their countries and peoples.