Kuwait Emir postpones meeting with Donald Trump for medical reasons

Sheikh Sabah is undergoing medical exams at a US hospital

FILE PHOTO: Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah is seen during the Arab summit in Mecca, Saudi Arabia May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Hamad l Mohammed/File Photo
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A meeting between US President Donald Trump and the Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Sabah, has been postponed for medical reasons.

Sheikh Sabah, 90, is “undergoing medical exams at a US hospital”, the Kuwaiti news agency Kuna reported, without saying where the medical centre was or giving any other details on his health.

The White House was not immediately available for comment and no new date was offered by the US or Kuwait for the meeting.

Sheikh Sabah arrived in the US last week and was due to visit the White House on Thursday.

“The visit will build on the long-standing partnership between the United States and Kuwait and further strengthen our substantial economic and security ties,” the White House said last month.

The Qatar crisis, which Kuwait has been mediating since June 2017, was expected to be on the agenda, as was the thaw in Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations.

Rumours about Sheikh Sabah’s health surfaced last month. The country’s news agency reported that he had suffered a setback but confirmed his recovery after a public appearance on August 26.