US Secretary of State Colin Powell holds a press conference at Kuwait City's Bayan Palace 15 September 2003. Powell, who arrived in Kuwait from a two-day visit to Iraq, said that Washington would designate Kuwait a "non-NATO major ally", paving the way for a free trade agreement with the emirate. The move would make Kuwait the fourth Arab state to enjoy the special status, which opens the door for increased economic and military cooperation. The others are Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain. AFP PHOTO/Yasser AL-ZAYYAT