Kuwaiti leader thanks Japan for aid to Iraq+

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 Kyodo - Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Thursday expressed his appreciation for Japan's support for Iraq as the Air Self-Defense Force is prepared to end its airlift mission between Iraq and Kuwait at the end of this year, Japanese officials said.

The Kuwaiti leader made the remarks in a meeting with Masahiko Komura, Prime
Minister Taro Aso's special envoy, at the United Nations, the officials said
after the meeting.
The ASDF began airlift operations from a base in Kuwait in March 2004,
initially to support Japanese ground troops in the southern Iraqi city of
Samawah, using C-130 transport aircraft.
After the Ground Self-Defense Force's pullout from Iraq in 2006, the ASDF
expanded the airlifting of personnel and supplies for the United Nations and
coalition forces to cover airports in Baghdad and Irbil in the north.
The emir also told Komura, a former foreign minister, that Kuwait welcomes
favorable economic ties with Japan, the officials said, adding that Komura
expressed hope the two countries would successfully conclude bilateral taxation
negotiations.
Komura said he heads the Japan-Kuwait Friendship Parliamentarians League and
looks forward to visiting Kuwait, the officials said.
The Kuwaiti leader and Komura are now in New York to attend high-level talks at
the U.N. General Assembly.