Kuwait says not to allow attacks from its soil against other countries

Kuwait will not allow its lands to be used to launch attacks against any other country, the Gulf country's defense minister said in remarks published on Wednesday.

Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Sabah also dismissed reports linking a 900 million U.S. dollar deal with the United States to buy Patriot missiles and allowing attacks from the U.S. military bases in Kuwait against other countries in the region, local al-Qabas newspaper reported.

"The Patriot purchase deal came within the ministry to boost the military, and it was planned a long time ago," the Kuwaiti minister was quoted as saying.

"Such deals should not be linked to other issues. Purchasing weapons does not mean we will attack others, and we do not accept attacks to be launched from our lands against any country," the minister added.

Kuwait is a close alley of the United States which repeatedly expressed deep concerns about Iran's nuclear drive and did not rule out military action against the Persian country.

Western countries are suspicious that Iran is pursuing a military objective in its nuclear program. Iran denies the allegations, saying it has the right to peaceful nuclear technology as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Earlier this month, Bahrain, another U.S. alley in the Gulf, said that it will not allow the United States to use Bahraini territories to launch attacks against "any country whatsoever."

Source: Xinhua