Iraqi committee pushes for Kuwait’s ban from Arab Summit over Khor Abdullah

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraq’s Parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee called for Kuwait to be barred from attending the upcoming Arab League Summit in Baghdad, citing tensions over the disputed Khor Abdullah waterway.

Committee Head Zahra al-Bajari told Shafaq News Agency that any negotiations over Khor Abdullah must not come at the cost of Iraq ceding territory. “We firmly reject Kuwait’s participation in the Baghdad Summit if it is in exchange for surrendering the waterway.”

“The Khor Abdullah agreement was meant to regulate navigation, not demarcate borders,” she explained, arguing that the deal was passed by a simple majority in parliament when a two-thirds vote was required.

The official affirmed the committee’s respect for the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court’s decision to annul the agreement and its call for renewed talks through a joint committee with Kuwait. However, she criticized President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for challenging the court's ruling.

Khor Abdullah is a crucial maritime passage between Iraq and Kuwait, granting Iraq vital access to the sea through the port of Umm Qasr. Shared by both nations, the waterway has historically played a key role in navigation and trade.

On April 30, the country’s top court once again delayed its ruling on the case filed by the government and the Presidency over relinquishing Iraq’s rights in Khor Abdullah.