KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait wants Iraq to pay one billion dollars in compensation to its national carrier for Saddam Hussein's invasion on top of a pledged 300 million dollars, according to a report on Thursday.
"This amount (300 million dollars) is not a final settlement for Kuwaiti demands from Iraqi airlines," chairman of state-owned Kuwait Airways Corp. (KAC) Hamad al-Falah was quoted by Kuwaiti newspapers as saying.
"Accepting the 300 million dollars ... does not mean conceding the remaining one billion dollars," Falah said.
Iraq said on Sunday it will pay 300 million dollars in compensation to KAC in reparations for damages caused during Iraq's seven-month occupation of Kuwait which was ended by a US-led coalition in January 1991.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the payment was a final settlement and "the two parties agreed to put an end to the legal process."
Falah however said Kuwait won lawsuits in British courts ordering Iraq to pay 1.2 billion dollars in compensation for planes and equipment stolen during Saddam's invasion of the emirate.
It also won an additional 100 million dollars for lawyers fees and delay fines.
Kuwait accepted the 300 million dollars pledge only so that Iraqi Airways could take delivery of 10 Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft it had ordered from the Canadian company.
KAC used a Montreal court in August to stop the delivery and demanded that Iraq paid 500 million dollars to release the planes, Falah said.
But during talks between Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani at an economic summit of Arab states in the past week, Kuwait agreed to lower the amount to 300 million dollars.
"KAC will continue to pursue legal procedures for the remaining demands," Falah said.
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