Swiss MPs eager to boost Kuwaiti links
Call to upgrade tourism
President of Swiss National Council Jurg Stahl receives the parliamentarians. BERN, Switzerland, Sept 27, (KUNA): A number of Swiss parliament members expressed their eagerness to boost relations with Kuwait on all levels.
The two countries’ parliaments share strong ties that could lead to further cooperation in investment, education, scientific research, and culture, they said during their meeting with the sixth Kuwaiti parliamentary friendship delegation on Wednesday.
Swiss MP Christa Markwalder told KUNA she is looking forward to her upcoming visit to Kuwait’s National Assembly, to learn more about the parliamentary experience in Kuwait.
She noted that she strongly supports boosting tourism between the two sides. This includes attracting larger numbers of Kuwaitis to visit Switzerland through providing a number of touristic facilitations, she added.
On his part, MP Thomas Aeschi said his country aims to develop economic and investment cooperation with Kuwait and the GCC states under the terms of the free trade agreement signed between the GCC and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
He also hoped Kuwait would play a role in enabling Switzerland to deal with the gulf countries under this agreement.
Meanwhile, head of the Kuwaiti delegation MP Askar Al-Anezi said the meeting with Swiss MPs allowed the group to benefit from the Swiss experience in the field. Moreover, the meeting discussed providing facilitations for Kuwaiti researchers to join Swiss universities, he said.
The number of Kuwaiti tourists in Switzerland is increasing year by year, reaching 31,000 last summer.
Al-Anezi also hoped Switzerland would take part in Kuwaiti developmental projects, adding that Kuwait guarantees protection of foreign investments.
The Kuwaiti delegation is on an official visit to Switzerland from 25-27 September. The group includes MP Askar Al-Anezi, MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie, MP Muhammad AlHuwaila and MP Hamoud Al-Khudair.
The parliamentary relationship between Switzerland and Kuwait is currently moving in a steady pace towards boosting joint cooperation, Swiss Speaker affirmed Tuesday.
Switzerland respects Kuwait’s importance in the region and counts on its neutral and independent decisions, and good relations with all sides, Jurg Stahl, President of Swiss National Council, told KUNA.
Stahl made his remarks while meeting with the sixth Kuwaiti parliamentary friendship delegation, headed by MP Askar Al-Enezi, in the Swiss parliament’s headquarters.
The exchange of parliamentary visits between the two sides allows for further exchange in opinions on issues of joint interest, Stahl added.
For his part, Al-Enezi said that the Kuwaiti delegation’s talks with Stahl were very constructive and addressed various issues that are viable for bilateral cooperation in the future.
The meeting also discussed ways to bolster Swiss-Kuwaiti ties in economic and investment fields, he said, adding that Kuwaiti current investments in Switzerland estimate to US$ 10.5 billion.