Kuwait, Ukraine strike deals as part of President Poroshenko’s visit
Amir, Ukraine’s president discuss boosting relations
KUWAIT: Kuwait and Ukraine yesterday sealed the deal on a number of agreements in a lavish ceremony with both nations’ respective leaders in attendance. Presiding over the proceedings, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah by his side, was joined by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko. The two sides signed an agreement for military cooperation, in which Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, along with his Ukrainian counterpart Stepan Poltorak put their names on the dotted line.
Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on inter-sport cooperation was among the agreements made, where Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, as well as Minister of State for Youth Affairs Khaled AlRoudhan co-signed the deal with Ukraine’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv. Another MoU, on cooperation in the field of science, was finalized between the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and Ukraine’s self-governed National Academy of Sciences.
Official visit
President Poroshenko arrived yesterday on an official visit, and was welcomed at the airport by His Highness the Amir, Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Prime Minister, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem in addition to a host of senior state officials.
Later yesterday, His Highness the Amir received President Poroshenko and his accompanying delegation at Bayan Palace. The two sides held official talks in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah. The meeting discussed boosting bilateral ties and cooperation on all levels, said Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah in a statement. His Highness the Amir also held a luncheon banquet in honor of the visiting Ukrainian President.
Amir meets Swedish parliament speaker
High respect
In other news, His Highness the Amir received at Bayan Palace Ghanem, who was accompanied by the Speaker of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) Urban Ahlin, who is in an official visit to Kuwait. The receptions were attended by Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.
Sweden has high respect for His Highness the Amir, Ahlin said in a statement after the meeting. “We are working very closely together in the UN Security Council between Sweden and Kuwait. We are very happy about cooperation that Kuwait has in the UN Security Council and we appreciate His Highness’ mediating efforts in the region,” he pointed out. Sweden is a country which is always looking for a diplomatic and political solutions to crises and “we really feel that His Highness is doing here exactly the same, which we appreciate.”
Ahlin noted that Syria “is one example where Sweden and Kuwait together has put forward a resolution about humanitarian access and humanitarian support for the suffering people of Syria. “That is only one example and we can see all around that Sweden and Kuwait can do a lot together in pushing forward diplomatic political solutions.”
His Highness the Amir also received yesterday His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Prime Minister and His Highness then received First Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. meanwhile, His Highness the Crown Prince received Ghanem, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, and Sheikh Nasser Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah. —KUNA