Kuwait’s relationship with EU, NATO reaches new heights
BRUSSELS: Cooperation between Kuwait and the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have reached new heights following a number of bilateral events held in Brussels in the last few days. Analysts opine that Kuwait’s image as a force for peace and stability, not only in the region but globally, is now strongly entrenched in the minds of decision-makers both in the EU and NATO and they are eager to develop a strong and solid partnership with Kuwait. The untiring, persistent and continuing efforts of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah in mediating to resolve the Gulf crisis and his world-wide humanitarian role has won him sincere support and praise from the 28-member EU and the 29-member NATO.
Kuwait officially opened its mission inside NATO headquarters in Brussels last week. It is the second Arab Gulf country to maintain a mission inside NATO after the UAE. The Kuwaiti mission was inaugurated by its Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah and NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ambassador Alejandro Alvargonzalez. “This mission in NATO will contribute to strengthening the relationship between the State of Kuwait and NATO,” Jarallah said after the opening ceremony.
In 2017, NATO opened its first regional center in Kuwait, considered to be the best center of the alliance outside its headquarters. Kuwait was also the first member of the Gulf Cooperation Council to join NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), which was launched in 2004 to boost cooperation with Arab Gulf countries. The meeting between Kuwait and the European Union External Action (EEA) discussed the implementation of the Cooperation Arrangement between the EEAS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait which was signed in 2016.
In a lengthy statement, the EEAS said the meeting “marks a new chapter in this important relationship, particularly when combined with the EU’s declared intention of opening a delegation in Kuwait City, foreseen for 2019.” Meanwhile, Jarallah said that the meeting was “positive and very fruitful.” Both sides also agreed to continue working together to promote non-violent solutions to conflicts. Observers note that like the EU, Kuwait is emerging as a significant soft power trying to resolve disputes and crises through dialogue, diplomacy and humanitarian assistance and not by military force. EU-Kuwait senior officials meetings will be held annually with the next meeting taking place in 2019 in Kuwait.
Moreover, bilateral relations and the region’s latest developments were the focus of a meeting on November 29 between chief of Kuwait National Security Bureau Sheikh Thamer Ali Al-Sabah and NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller. This came on the sideline of Sheikh Thamer’s attendance of a conference marking the 60th anniversary of establishing the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Program. Sheikh Thamer proposed to NATO holding a ceremony next year to mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of ICI. The Bureau’s head of information security Sheikh Fawaz Mishal Al-Sabah delivered a speech on Kuwaiti-NATO relations and the role of the SPS in supporting ICI activities in Kuwait. EU and NATO officials are united in their view that Kuwait’s ambassador in Brussels Jassem Al-Budaiwi is the force behind the tremendous upsurge and strengthening of bilateral relations.
In a related development, Deputy Director General and Editor-in-Chief of KUNA Saad Al-Ali concluded his first visit to the Belgian capital on November 23, after holding three days of discussions with top NATO media officials, the EU and Belgium. He met with spokespersons of NATO, the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Belgian foreign ministry to boost media cooperation with the EU and NATO. After the inauguration of the NATO regional center in Kuwait in 2017, the public and media interest in the Gulf country have grown to learn more about NATO. Ali underlined that the opening of the EU mission in Kuwait next year will further develop ties between the two sides. The year 2018 is ending on a very positive tone in EU-Kuwait and NATO-Kuwait relationship with the expectation that 2019 will see more top-level visits and a more fruitful partnership. — KUNA