Kuwait sent its ambassador to Baghdad in late 2008, but its embassy staff has been housed in temporary quarters in the heavily guarded Green Zone.
Kuwait's prime minister also visited Baghdad earlier this month in the first visit by a Kuwaiti prime minister since the 1991 Gulf War, which ousted Saddam's forces.
And a consortium led state-run by Kuwait Energy won the right to develop the 1.1 trillion cubic feet Siba gas field during a bidding round in December.
The U.N. decided Iraq should pay more than $52 billion in compensation for individuals, companies and organizations that incurred losses in the Gulf War. Iraq has paid $28 billion from oil revenues, but still owes Kuwait about $24 billion.
Kuwait's national airline, Kuwait Airways, also wants about $1.5 billion in reparations from Iraqi Airways for the alleged theft of 10 airplanes and millions of dollars worth of spare parts during the invasion.
Iraq is seeking cancellation of the debt, but Kuwait has resisted pressure from Baghdad and Washington.
Iraqi fishermen also killed a Kuwaiti coast guard officer during a shootout earlier this month in one of the more serious incidents between the two countries in years. Kuwait briefly detained some Iraqi fishermen.
Iraqi fishermen complain of harassment by Kuwaitis who maintain that the fishermen do not respect their boundaries.
(Source: Bloomberg)
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