Kuwait Times

Published Date: November 18, 2009
By Abd Al-Rahman Alyan

Editor-in-Chief

Many Kuwaitis were pleased with the recent French government's announcement that it would support the reintegration of Iraq to the international community but not at the expense of Kuwaiti interests. Iraq is trying to lift UN's Chapter VII resolutions which have been imposed on them since the 1991 liberation of Kuwait.

Ever since, Kuwait has been under pressure by some members of the international community to waive what Iraq owes it as a result of the 1990-1991 seven-month occupation. Iraq has not fully met its obligations towards Kuwait since the 1990 invasion thus, it still has to pay reparations under the UN's charter. The Parliament has rejected calls to drop reparations, which are going to the Kuwaiti people for the damages and losses they incurred due to the Iraqi occupation.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy got Kuwaitis cheering "Vive la France" in diwaniyas last night when they heard the news that he would not allow Kuwait's interests to be harmed in this matter. I am sure that the Kuwaiti government would like to help Iraq but this matter is a sensitive one to the Kuwaiti people, especially the ones who still have missing relatives.

The question that runs in my mind is why many countries expect Kuwait to forgive and forget what happened 19 years ago while it's OK for Israel to still get compensations for what happened during the Holocaust before the Jewish state even existed? I think it's only fair that they ask Israel to forgive and forget before they ask Kuwait to do so.