Kuwait implicated in supplying arms to Sudanese regime

Major news yesterday was how Russia and China were given a good wrist slapping by Amnesty International for continuing to supply the Sudanese regime with military equipment and weapons in violation of the UN Security Council's mandatory arms embargo. In the news report, Kuwait, Saudi and Belarus were also mentioned.

So what exactly does Amnesty have to say about Kuwait? Here's the relevant excerpt from the report...

Kuwait has reportedly discussed military cooperation with the government in Khartoum in November 2006(26) and a Kuwaiti small arms trader has run a sales agency in Khartoum.

Footnotes:
(26) On 24 November 2006, it was reported that the Kuwaiti Chief of Staff Air Marshall Fahd Al Amir led a delegation to Sudan to discuss military cooperation and as a guest of Sudan Chief of Staff General Hal Ahmad Al Jili visited Sudanese army bases; Middle East Newsline 28 November 2006

Kuwait Times then gets a quote from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah who, given the benefit of the doubt, probably didn't get to read Amnesty International's report, but gives a typical knee-jerk response...

Amnesty charges 'astonish' Kuwait
Published Date: May 09, 2007 By Ahmad Al-Khaled, Staff Writer

KUWAIT: Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah yesterday rejected allegations by a human rights organisation accusing Kuwait of supplying weapons to Sudan, which is using them in war-torn Darfur. "I'm greatly astonished," he said.

"This has no basis whatsoever to reality and I hope Amnesty International safeguards its reputation." The report released by Amnesty centered around Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, and charged that they violated a 2005 UN embargo against selling arms to Sudan for use in its Darfur region, which has been embroiled in a civil war.

So a real storm in a teacup. But, given the standards of journalism (or the lack of not wishing to offend and be disrespectful to those in power who can easily have them jailed/deported/...) in this part of the world, you can't expect to much. Arab leaders can say whatever they like and it'll get reported verbatim, but no-one will challenge them to explain, or say that they're talking a load of nonsense.

To conclude:
1. Amnesty aren't making baseless accusations, and isn't even accusing Kuwait of supplying weapons to Sudan... only that it has discussed military cooperation. Which could just mean a junket for the Chief of Staff and some of his flunkies, or could be more serious; we don't know. Perhaps Sheikh Muhammad could elaborate on this?
2. A Kuwaiti small arms trader has been selling weapons in Khartoum. So who is this guy? Maybe Kuwaiti authorities could have a wee word to this guy for damaging it's countries reputation?