Visiting Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Chairman Mahmud Abbas in Kuwait City Sunday apologized to Kuwait for PLO's past stance on the 1990 Iraqi invasion against the emirate. 

Abbas made the apology at the airport here shortly after arriving on a landmark visit to Kuwait, the first one by a Palestinian leader since ties were frozen 14 years ago over the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's backing of the Iraqi invasion against the tiny neighbor.

"We apologize to Kuwait and the Kuwaiti people for what we did," Abbas told reporters when asked to comment on the PLO's position during the 1990 invasion.

Abbas's remarks echoed a similar sentiment on Saturday by Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah-al-Ahmad al-Sabah who welcomed the visit by "our brother Abu Mazen (Abbas)".

Earlier in the day, Palestinian Cabinet Chief of Staff Hassan Abu Lebda told radio "Voice of Palestine" that the Palestinians have been seeking to improve bilateral relations with Gulf countries, especially Kuwait.

Abu Lebda welcomed the Kuwaiti statements about meeting the Palestinian delegation, adding that "no one can deny Kuwait's rule in the political and economic support for the PLO and the Palestinian People."

Abu Lebda added that the leadership hopes that this strengthened relations would lead to cooperation between Palestinians and Kuwaitis in the future "as we hope Kuwait will resume paying its dues of Donors Arab countries' decisions."  

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2004)