KUWAIT: A joint coordination committee linking Kuwait and Saudi Arabia held a new round of talks on Monday, which produced three fresh agreements to keep bilateral relations on an upward trajectory. The talks, presided by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, delved into bilateral relations and the progress ties have seen across a myriad of fields, said a foreign ministry statement.

Kuwait and Riyadh clinched a memorandum of understanding dealing with mutual recognition of seafarers’ certificates, in addition to another pair of similar agreements on environment conservation and diplomatic cooperation, added the statement.

A joint statement released after the talks heaped praise on the “strength” of bilateral ties, citing more room for progress across numerous fields. The political leaders of the Gulf Arab neighbors share a common desire to propel these ties to even greater levels, the statement underlined, saying the two nations routinely draw up fresh plans and strategies to help usher in growth in relations, as “per the instructions” of HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The committee, which is comprised of smaller groups focusing on matters that run the gamut from politics and security to the economy, was created with the express purpose of bringing that goal to fruition, added the statement after the talks. These goals include more cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts and measures aiming to clamp down on extremism, while recent round of talks yielded substantial progress on plans to establish a rail link between the Gulf Arab states, a marquee endeavor that is expected to see the light of day in the near future, it said.

Kuwait and Riyadh also have other similar plans in the works, including forging a “shared vision” on issues ranging from culture and the media to tourism and social development, in addition to greater healthcare and educational cooperation, according to the statement. The statement gave due credit to the Kuwaiti-Saudi joint coordination committee for its contributions towards keeping relations on an upward trajectory, revealing that the next round of talks is slated for next year in the Saudi capital.

Earlier, HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal received at Bayan Palace Prince Faisal and his accompanying delegation. He conveyed to HH the Amir the greetings of Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammad bin Salman, in which they wished him further progress and prosperity to Kuwait and his people. HH the Amir expressed his utmost appreciation to the Saudi King and Crown Prince for the heartfelt sentiments, and wished them good health and Saudi Arabia further progress and prosperity. — KUNA