The Press SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1961. Kuwait

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 10

The Press SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1961. Kuwait

Iraq’s claim to Kuwait on June 25 was a not unexpected sequel to Britain’s replacement, on June 19, of its agreement to project Kuwait by a treaty of friendship and consultation. First, Kuwait is a rich plum indeed; second, from time to time the Iraquis, on grounds of being heirs to the Turkish sovereignty, have laid claim to Kuwait A third reason could well be the desire of General, Kassem, the Iraqui dicta-, tor, to exploit a favourable j opportunity for displaying himself as a clever, strong patriot at work defending his country’s interests. Kuwait, a small country of fewer than 6000 square miles with a population of about 200,000, is second only to Venezuela as an oilexporting country. Huge revenues from oil deposits developed in the last 15 years have enriched the enlightened Ruler of Kuwait, who has lavished wealth on power stations, schools, medical and hospital facilities, and the supply of fresh water to the town. General Kassem speaks, with his tongue in his cheek, therefore, when he offers “ liberated ” Kuwait fresh water, schools, and other benefits from “ Iraq’s “resources”. If he could lay hands upon it, the wealth of Kuwait would travel, in bulk no doubt, north into Iraq.

General Kassem’s claim to sovereignty is thin. The reigning dynasty of this arid, burnt piece of territory, in which no-one had much interest until the nineteenth century, was founded in 1756. In 1897 the Ruler, Sheik Mubarak, fearing that the Turkish Government intended to make its nominal authority in Kuwait effective, asked the British Government for protection, which was confirmed by the treaty of 1899. After the outbreak of war in 1914, the British Government recognised Kuwait as an independent

government under British protection. Iraq, formerly a part of the Ottoman Empire and after the 1914-18 war a newly-created State administered by Britain under League of Nations mandate, became an independent State in 1931. Thus, on the ground of being heir to Turkish sovereignty, Iraq has no greater claim to Kuwait than it has to Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, all of which were parts of the Ottoman Empire contemporaneously with Iraq. It is not without significance that each of these countries has signified its opposition to Iraq’s claim.

For some time Iraq has tried to foment political unrest in Kuwait through workers imported from Iraq; and perhaps General Kassem hopes for help from the substantial proportion of Iraquis in the Ruler's army. It has been made quite clear to General Kassem that action against Kuwait would be strongly resented, if not actively resisted, by the other Middle East nations. It remains to be seen whether Russia will offer support to General Kassem. A significant feature of General Kassem’s domestic administration has been the pushing back of active Communists from the front-line positions they held at first Britain, of course, is vitally interested, both from its commitment to help Kuwait if asked and as a major operator in Kuwait oil. General Kassem would presumably not be anxious to engage in an open quarrel with Britain, which has the major interest in the consortium developing Iraq oil and finds a place for it iff the world's now well-supplied oil market. The Ruler of Kuwait may be right when he dismisses General Kassem’s claims as “ shouts and “ talk ”. Everyone interested in peace and stability in the Middle East will hope that he is.