Arab league

Abstract

On July 20, 1961, Kuwait was admitted to membership in the Arab League as an independent Arab state. Earlier the Iraqi delegates had walked out, alleging that the League was joining with British imperialism. Kuwait was the eleventh state to join the League. The League Council unanimously approved a three-point resolution: 1) the Kuwait government would undertake to request the withdrawal of British troops as soon as possible, and the Iraqi government would undertake not to resort to force; 2) the League would support any wish expressed by Kuwait for unity or union with other League member states, and the League welcomed Kuwait as a member and supported its application for membership in the UN; and 3) the Arab countries undertook to offer effective help to Kuwait to safeguard its independence. An Arab League military mission, led by Lieutenant-General Ahmed Halim Imam, arrived in Kuwait on August 7, 1961; it included representatives of Jordan, Lebanon, the United Arab Republic, and the Arab League secretariat. It was also accompanied by Abdel-Azia Husain, who had represented Kuwait at the recent Arab League meetings and was expected to be Kuwait's first ambassador in Cairo. The mission was the outcome of the July 20 decision of the League to give Kuwait all effective aid necessary to preserve its independence on condition that it asked for the withdrawal of British troops. On August 13, the paper work necessary to bring Kuwait under the protection of the Arab League and enable the British forces then in Kuwait to leave was completed.