Kuwait-British meets contribute to boosting ties, says Al-Jarallah
‘Relations between 2 countries have developed over many years’
KUWAIT CITY, Dec 16, (KUNA): Meetings of the Kuwait-British Joint Steering Group contribute to furthering bilateral ties, a senior Kuwaiti official said Sunday.
Holding the 13th meeting here signals keenness of both sides on having those meetings on a regular basis, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah in a statement to KUNA and KTV.
He pointed out that the visit of British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt comes within the framework of such close cooperation between the two friendly countries.
This meeting, in particular, discussed the situations in Yemen and Syria, as well as the Arabian Gulf’s relationship with Iran. An action plan was signed at the conclusion of the meeting.
The Group holds biannual meetings, with the last one held in London last June.
On his part, Minister Burt said that relations between the two countries have developed over many years and encompass a range of work from the United Kingdom and the State of Kuwait. Relationship “This represents the breadth of the wide relationship between us, as the UK and Kuwait next year will celebrate 120 years from the treaty of friendship. The occasion will be marked in a major way.
“This is a recognition of a friendship, which is not only based in history, but is also contemporary,” he said.
During the Group’s meeting, the two sides agreed to beef up mutual official visits and reactivate all signed agreements, as well as address obstacles, should they exist, a ministry statement said.
The next Group meeting (14th) will take place in London next year, according to the statement.
Continued collaboration on trade, migration, security, defense, cyber security, aviation security, healthcare, science, education and culture was discussed.
Both sides voiced content over the volume of military and defense cooperation through providing technical support for the Kuwaiti army in a bid to buttress its abilities and readiness, noted the statement.
Praising the level of educational cooperation, both sides noted the significance of having Kuwaiti students on various scholarships in the UK due to its renowned academic reputation.
As for healthcare, both sides welcomed ongoing discussions to benefit from British expertise, especially in hospital management and medical training. The Kuwaiti side also lauded excellent services Kuwaiti patients receive at British medical facilities, the statement said.