Iraq’s Delegation studies Kuwait’s Mubarak Port Project

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: An Iraqi Technical Delegation had seen the studies related to Kuwait’s Mobarak Port’s project, according to an official of the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.   “The Kuwaiti side had shown the Iraqi Delegation, during the meetings related to the Grand Mobarak Port’s project, including its site and its impacts on the voyage movement in Khor Abdullah Water Channel, as well as the environmental aspects of the project,” the official told the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA).   He said that the Iraqi Technical Delegation had visited the site of the Project on Monday evening,” adding that its members would hold meetings with the Regional Organization for the Naval Environment Protection and other technical parties related to the Project.   Kuwait had announced on April 6th last the beginning of the construction of the Grand Mobarak Port, one year after Iraq’s announcement to build its Grand Faw Port’s project.   Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs & Development Minister, Ahmed al-Fahad, had pointed out that the project, Kuwait had signed with the South-Korean Hiondai, shall be “Friend of Environment,” pointing out that it comprises major goals and achieves hopes and ambitions of the Kuwaiti people, who had always hoped that building a port in such strategic and active position, would make Kuwait a financial and trade center on both Regional and International levels.   But Iraq had strongly criticized the project, with officials in the government and the Parliament, considered the project to undermine Iraq’s interests and strangle the narrow water passage, leading to the Iraqi ports, demanding Kuwait to change the position of the Port, in such a way that won’t harm the Iraqi interests.   SKH (TR)/SR 549