Kuwait, US strengthen strategic partnership
WASHINGTON: His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, accompanied by Deputy Head of National Guard Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC on Monday for summit talks with US President Donald Trump. His Highness the Amir was received upon arrival by White House Chief of Protocol Sean Lawler, the US Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Timothy Linder King and Kuwait Ambassador to US Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Sabah.
His Highness the Amir was accompanied by Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Jarrah Al-Sabah, Finance Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf, head of His Highness the Amir's office Ahmad Al-Fahad, Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Abulhassan, head of Amiri Diwan Protocols Sheikh Khaled Abdullah Al-Sabah, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, Board Chairman and Executive Director of Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) Salem Al-Athaina, head of Amiri Diwan Media and Cultural Affairs Yusuf Al-Roumi and Director General of Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) Sheikh Dr Mishal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Bilateral relations
His Highness the Amir's visit to US comes within the framework of the historical ties between the two countries for more than 100 years, Jarallah said in a statement. He stressed the keenness of the two friendly countries in strengthening their strategic partnership. He underlined the importance of the visit in light of the accelerating regional and international developments, especially those related to the situation in the Gulf region, the developments in the Middle East peace process, and the challenges within the framework of the international coalition against terrorism. The visit also provides an opportunity to review aspects of cooperation between the two countries, especially those related to the economic, investment, trade, security and defense fields. Jarallah added that the visit will witness the signing of a number of bilateral agreements aimed at boosting cooperation.
Customs, NNSA ink deal
Meanwhile, Kuwait's General Administration of Customs and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the US Department of Energy signed a cooperation agreement yesterday - setting up efforts to ban trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials. The signing came on the sidelines of His Highness the Amir's visit to Washington. "The signing came as a result of long discussions with the American side with a vital output in the fight against illicit trafficking of radioactive materials," Director General of the Administration of Customs, Counselor Jamal Al-Jalawi said.
Jalawi added that the agreement requires the American side to present assistance in this field to help support the Kuwaiti Administration of Customs in the fight against radioactive material across borders. He pointed out that this part of the agreement benefits Kuwait in increasing its supplies of equipment that detect radioactive materials - qualifying Kuwait as one of the developed countries in the forefront of the fight against these dangerous substances. The cooperation agreement will present US contributions on combating radioactive materials, not only in Kuwait International Airport, but also in seaports and land borders. - Agencies