Joint military parade held under patronage of Kuwaiti Amir Under the patronage of His Highness the Kuwaiti Amir and Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the joint military parade was held on Saturday in northern Kuwait's Al-Sabiya. The parade was held in the presence of international leaders and representatives invited to Kuwait on the occasion of the 50th national day, 20th liberation day and five-year ascendance of HH the Amir, read a statement by the Amiri Diwan. Following the national anthem, 50 shots were fired after which the parade's leader took permission from HH the Amir to start. Allied and Kuwaiti forces who took part in the liberation of Kuwait along with units from the Kuwait police force and National Guard began in a marching parade of armory, vehicles and air fighters. HH the Amir along with the guests left following the parade in the same way they were greeted. World leaders share Kuwait's joy The leaders of a number of friendly nations came to Kuwait to attend the massive national celebrations this year. On Saturday, leaders of Syria, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Germany, Spain, Romania and representatives of France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Sultanate of Oman, Philippine and Arab Republic of Egypt arrived to Kuwait. King of Bahrain, Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, Lebanese President Mishael Suliman, Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad and King of Spain Khuan Carols arrived to Kuwiat yesterday. Vice President of UAE and Dubai Governor Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoom, Representative of JOradanian King Amir Faisal Bin Al-Hussein and Vice President of Philippine Jejomar Binay also arrived to Kuwait yesterday. Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Iraqi President Jalal Talibani, President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, President of Romania Traian B_sescu and President of Bangladesh Zillur Rahman arrived to the country Friday. Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Saudi Arabia Amir Nayef Bin Abdulaziz, Assistant of Defense Minister and General Inspector for Military Affairs Amir Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz, France Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt Dr. Yahya Al-Jamal, UAE Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Hamad Mohammad Thani Al-Rumaithi, India Foreign Affairs Minister S M Crichna, Representative of King Qaboos of Oman Asad Al Saeed and Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament Abdulwahed Al-Radhi arrived to Kuwait Friday. His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, Speaker of the Parliament, Deputy Chief of National Security, His Highness the Prime Minister, First Deputy Primer and Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of State for Development Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad and a number of Sheikhs and leaders received the guests in Kuwait International Airport. The various leaders participated with the events throughout the day, with many leaving at nightfall. Kuwait 50 years on: March for stability goes on As Kuwait celebrates the golden jubilee of its independence from Britain today, analysts say the oil- and gas-rich Gulf state's past is one of the ebb and flow of internal and external crises — the latter resulting from regional developments in a volatile part of the globe — punctuated by episodes of rapid development. Blessed with an abundance of natural petroleum resources, Kuwait has used its financial weight to leverage its political position since the sixties. However, its geographical location has always made Kuwaitis concerned about regional developments, mainly in Iraq and Iran. The Gulf state, which became independent in 1961, has also witnessed internal crises stemming from political, sectarian and religious differences. Since independence, "Kuwait's evolution as an oil-rich nation-state — in one of the world's most troubled regions — has been marked by rapid development, which has largely been interrupted only by the actions of its neighbours, such as the August 1990 Iraqi invasion, and the subsequent seven-month occupation", wrote Alex Vatanka, a scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute in a recently published article titled Kuwait at Fifty. Before the August 2, 1990 invasion, Kuwait was witnessing a bonanza in infrastructure growth. It enjoyed a prestigious status in the fields of education, literature, art and finance in the region. However, the picture has changed with the invasion. Some observers say it was a turning point that took Kuwait many years back and burdened it with new financial obligations. But some analysts disagree. "I really don't know if it was only the Iraqi invasion," prominent Kuwaiti analyst Sami Al Nisf told Gulf News. "Probably, there were other issues even before that. Being situated along the borders of the Iran-Iraq war, Kuwait had suffered in its early stages since the 1980s," he said. "Once the war ended and we felt Kuwait would resume its role, the [Iraqi] invasion happened all of a sudden," Al Nisf recalls. Though 20 years have passed since the guns of the Gulf war fell silent, Kuwaitis are still alarmed by other developments related to their neighbours. Controversy over the Iranian nuclear programme from one side and the instability in Iraq on the other continue to constitute future challenges for Kuwait. "The US troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq this year, and we don't yet see real stability in Iraq. The wheel of development there is still turning slowly; this makes Iraq vulnerable to dangers such as internal fighting. And, in the end, Iraq is a stone's throw away from Kuwait," Al Nisf said. Kuwaiti analysts downplay western political experts' concerns about the "hard reality" of the ascendancy of Iranian-backed Shiites in Baghdad and an Iraqi government that is being looked at as pro-Iran. Though Shiites constitute a minority in Kuwait, fears of divisions along Shiite-Sunni lines surface every now and then, pending on internal or regional developments. However, experts differ over the weight of the sectarian differences in Kuwaiti society. "The bigger Kuwaiti divide still does not run along Shiite-Sunni lines, but more along differences in world views between Islamists and secularists," said Vatanka. But Al Nisf offered a different interpretation. "There are other differences that could be more dangerous than the Islamist-secular or Islamist-liberal or Islamist-conservative differences, because in the end such differences can be accepted as they are close to the political differences among political parties in developed countries," Al Nisf said. Differences along sectarian and tribal lines carry more threatening consequences, he said. Nearly six months earlier, the Kuwaiti government withdrew the citizenship of Yasser Habib, an exiled Shiite man, after remarks he made about prominent Islamic figures. Kuwaitis buried their differences that time, and were divided according to their sects. However, the sectarian tone faded away and was replaced with an urban-tribal one in the case of Kuwaiti political and media figure, Mohammad Al Joweihel, who was attacked for his statements against other prominent Kuwaiti figures. Recently, demonstrations and rallies in Bahrain mainly by Shiites there asking for more rights have fuelled once again the deep sectarian sentiments among Kuwaitis, political experts said. Rallies The wave of demonstrations in many Arab countries for more political rights and freedoms were also coupled with rallies by bidoons" (people without proper documents to prove their identities) in Kuwait seeking for rights. Internal political crises in Kuwait, mainly the crisis between the government and the parliament, is another "major challenge" facing the country. According to an analyst, a government-parliament crisis has become the "norm" and normalcy is now the exception. And this has a price. During the past 15 years, the Kuwaiti Emir has disbanded the country's parliament — which was reinstated only in 1992 — five times and the emir has called for early elections. "It is difficult to envision sustainable development in light of such volumes of political problems, and the instability of governments and officials in their positions. Even now we are talking about a major cabinet reshuffle" Al Nisf said. Qatar’ Emir attends Kuwait parade HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, flanked by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah and Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah, attending a military parade held in Subbiya, 100km north of Kuwait City, yesterday afternoon, as part of Kuwait’s celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of independence, the 20th Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed to power. HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and members of the official delegation accompanying HH the Emir also attended the parade. Warplanes, helicopters, tanks and armoured vehicles from the United States, France, Britain and 25 other countries, whose militaries took part in freeing Kuwait from Saddam Hussain’s occupying forces, took part in the parade. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa returned to Doha later yesterday after a two-day visit to Kuwait. Bahrain’ King joins Kuwait celebrations His Majesty King Hamad yesterday took part in Kuwait's National Day celebrations. He arrived earlier at the invitation of Kuwait's Amir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah and was received by Shaikh Sabah, Crown Prince Shaikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and senior officials. His Majesty held talks with the Amir during which they reviewed outstanding ties bonding the two countries. The King asserted that Kuwait has attained landmark achievements over the past five decades of its independence owing to its leadership's pan-Arab stance and keenness to meet people's aspirations. He said the Bahraini and Kuwaiti peoples have always behaved as one family whose members share concerns, livelihoods and aspirations, adding that "the latest developments in the region have made us stronger and more united". His Majesty also attended a military parade held in his honour. He later returned to Bahrain. UAE VP Mohammad in Kuwait for anniversary celebrations His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his accompanying delegation arrived in Kuwait on Saturday morning to participate in the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s National Day, 20th anniversary of its liberation and the fifth anniversary of the accession of Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah as the Emir of Kuwait. They were received by Shaikh Sabah, Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Kuwaiti Prime Minister, other ministers and senior military and civilian officials. The high-level delegation accompanying Shaikh Mohammad includes Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister; Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education; Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour; Mohammad Ebrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of the Court of the Dubai Ruler; Hassan Salem Al Khayyal, UAE ambassador to Kuwait, and a number of senior officials. Earlier, the delegation were seen off at the Dubai International Airport by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler, and other officials. Kuwait celebrates Nat'l days Kuwait's diplomatic missions around the globe held numerous gala activities Friday to celebrate the country's 50th Independence Day, 20th Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's inauguration. Kuwait Embassy in Moscow hosted a grand reception to mark the occasion with senior Russian statesmen and public figures as well as Arab and foreign diplomats, leading businesspeople and representatives of press agencies based in Russian attending. Ambassador to the Russian Federation Nasser Al-Mezayyen and members of the diplomatic mission warmly received Russian deputy foreign minister and special envoy for the Middle East Alexander Sultanov and head of Russian Foreign Ministry's Middle East and North Africa Department Sergei Vershinin and other guests. Vershinin congratulated, in a statement to KUNA, the Kuwaiti leaders and people on the joyful occasion. The senior diplomat appreciated the policy of moderation, adopted by Kuwait, and the close ties between Kuwait and Russia, noting that there are prospects for cementing the bilateral ties in all fields. On his part, Al-Mezayyen congratulated HH the Amir, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as well as all the Kuwaiti people on this occasion. In Warsaw Kuwait Ambassador to Poland Adel Mohammad Hayyat hosted a reception at the embassy with large number of politicians and public figures attending. On top of those present were Speaker in the Polish Senate Bogdan Borusewicz and Minister of Finance Jan Vincent "Jacek" Rostowski. Ambassador Hayyat briefed the audience on the great achievements made by Kuwait over the last half a century particularly in the last five years under the wise leadership of HH the Amir. Meanwhile, Kuwait Consul General in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, Nasser Al-Mutairi hosted a reception at the Sheraton hotel with Pakistani Minister of Commerce and Industry Abbdul-Rauf Siddiqui and senior officials attending. In Budapest, Kuwait Ambassador Abdulhamid Al-Failakawi hosted a reception at the embassy in the presence of senior Hungarian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Janos Hovari, and foreign diplomats based in Hungary. Al-Failakawi and the guests expressed greetings for HH the Amir and congratulated him and the Kuwaiti people and government on this occasion. Kuwait Amir holds dinner banquet for leaders, officials attending nat'l His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held a dinner banquet, at Bayan Palace Saturday, for leaders and senior officials visiting Kuwait to attend celebrations marking 50th independence day, 20th liberation day and 5th anniversary of Sheikh Sabah's assumption of office.
|
