KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Defense Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah has stated that promoting peaceful resolution of disputes has become key pillar of Kuwait's diplomacy. This came during the celebration of the International Peace Day organized by the Kuwaiti Woman Institute for Development and Peace under the slogan 'Peace is our way', with the participation of the Arab League Secretary-General Ahmad Abul Gheit and the Deputy Chairman of the Isa Cultural Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr Khaled Al-Khalifa. "Kuwait has been keen to spread and support cultures of peace, dialogue and moderation, so these principles have become main features of its foreign policy," said Sheikh Ahmad.

Sheikh Ahmad argued that Kuwait always backed the UN efforts to achieve international peace. Kuwait is open for all cultures and had joined the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative to promote dialogue and peaceful co-existence among people of different cultures, he noted. The Kuwaiti minister pointed out that governments, international organizations, civil society institutions, and individuals, are required to strive with sincere intentions to combat extremist ideas which incite hatred towards others. Sheikh Ahmad thanked the Arab League Secretary-General and Dr Khalifa for their participation and the Kuwaiti Woman Institute for Development and Peace for organizing this conference.

Challenge to peace
Separately, Kuwait reiterated that the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction is a challenge to international peace and security. In a keynote speech at IAEA General Conference online talks on Monday, Sheikh Ahmad also acknowledged the right to produce and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as per the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). On the matter, he called on North Korea to abide by Security Council resolutions, in regards to its nuclear program, in order to ensure the stability of the Korean Peninsula.

He also called on Iran to return to full compliance with the nuclear deal (JCPOA) it had signed with world powers in 2015 after an IAEA Director General report recently revealed that Tehran was not ensuring its full commitment to the deal. "We look forward to its approval and implementation of the additional protocol," said the minister.

Kuwait has "followed with concern" Iran's incomplete compliance with NPT Safeguards Agreement, he added, welcoming the IAEA's efforts to encourage this and stressing the importance of fulfilling this objective. "(Iran) should settle all outstanding issues in order for the agency to be in a position to provide credible assurances regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear materials and activities in Iran and to ensure its continued status as a non-nuclear weapon state," he said. Kuwait welcomes the first session of the conference on the proposed Middle East nuclear weapon free zone agreement in November last year, he added, urging the need for Israel, in turn, to commit to the NPT.

$300,000 pledge
Meanwhile, Kuwait pledged $300,000 to an International Atomic Energy Agency initiative, which provides access to joint scientific research and expertise on means to monitor, prevent and respond to pathogens and diseases. The sum, pledged to the Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action initiative (ZODIAC) follows a $10 million contribution for the establishment and operation of the IAEA LEU (low enriched uranium) Bank in late 2019. "Kuwait, as a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, affirms its commitment to actively participate in the Council's efforts and to contribute to its activities in a manner of consensus and technical professionalism," the minister said.

Urging other nations to follow suit, he expressed Kuwait's keenness to cooperate with the IAEA on other matters, such as the Atoms for peace program. He also praised the agency's Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program (MSCFP) which provides women with scholarships for Master's programs in nuclear science, saying this mirrors Kuwait's 2035 Vision plans, "which emphasize women's empowerment." - KUNA