White House
19 September 2008
U.S. President George Bush welcomed Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nassar al-Muhammad al-Sabah to the White House Friday. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.
President Bush thanked Prime Minister al-Sabah for naming an ambassador to Baghdad. "It's a recognition on your part that a stable and peaceful Iraq is in your interest," he said. "And we support those interests."
The president says Kuwait is a strategic partner of the United States, and his Oval Office talks with the prime minister was befitting of that partnership. He thanked Kuwait for being a good security partner in the region and said U.S. military commanders are appreciative of Kuwaiti hospitality.
Prime Minister al-Sabah says he is happy that bilateral relations between the countries are smooth and says Kuwaitis remain appreciative for U.S. action to free Kuwait from Iraqi occupation during the first Gulf War.
"Our people can not forget the position that the United States took in leadership of the coalition forces to liberate Kuwait in '91," he said. "And since, the United States has become one of our allies in the region."
Prime Minister al-Sabah joined the president and guests at the White House Wednesday evening for an Iftaar dinner breaking the fast of Ramadan.
The Kuwaiti News Agency reports the prime minister is in Washington for a range of talks including the future of four Kuwaitis held as suspected terrorists in the U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay.