PM’s trip to France to open new horizons

PARIS: Kuwait’s Ambassador to France Sami AlSuleiman has asserted the importance of the visit of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah to the French capital in the promotion of outstanding historical relations between Kuwait and France and opening “new chapters” of cooperation between the two friendly countries. In an interview with KUNA, the ambassador said that the visit of His Highness the Prime Minister to France, which extends from October 19-22 at the head of a high-level official delegation, along with a large number of businessmen, represents “a quantum leap” in the history of the outstanding Kuwaiti-French relations.

He stressed keenness of the political leadership in the State of Kuwait to continue to deepen the friendship relations with France due to its status as a superpower and its prominent role on the international map, stressing the crucial importance of the visit of His Highness the Prime Minister to open broad prospects for these relations in various fields.

He said that bilateral relations have gone through several important stages, most notably France’s supportive stance with Kuwait during Saddam’s brutal invasion in 1990 when it joined with a strong desire an unprecedented international coalition and provided all military and material potentials for the liberation of the State of Kuwait. He said that His Highness the Prime Minister will meet during the visit with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace to review bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them, noting that His Highness would convey to President Hollande some important points of interest to Kuwaiti political leadership.

The ambassador said the agenda of the visit includes multiple topics and issues that will be discussed during the official talks including various political, economic, trade and cultural fields, noting that the French officials have prepared an important and comprehensive program for the visit amid mutual desire to explore new horizons for cooperation. He pointed out that His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak’s talks with his French counterpart Manuel Valls will be crowned with the signing of several agreements that will boost the bilateral cooperation and coordination between the two countries.

He said that His Highness the Prime Minister will attend an important meeting between the French businessmen and their Kuwaiti counterparts and will deliver a speech to the audience at the occasion. He will also meet on the sidelines of the visit with the Kuwaiti students studying in France. He added that this meeting will be an opportunity for Kuwaiti businessmen and their French counterparts to get into several joint agreements so as to push trade and economic relations. He pointed out that the Kuwaiti-French talks will address other aspects of cooperation and investment in health and education.—KUNA