MOSCOW: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is received by Minister for the Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov, Kuwait ambassador to Russia Abdulaziz Ahmad Al-Adwani, and officials of the embassy. — KUNA MOSCOW: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is received by Minister for the Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov, Kuwait ambassador to Russia Abdulaziz Ahmad Al-Adwani, and officials of the embassy. — KUNA

MOSCOW: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation arrived in the Russian city of Sochi yesterday on a visit during which he will hold official talks with President Vladimir Putin. On arrival, His Highness the Amir was received by Minister for the Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov, Kuwait's ambassador to Russia Abdulaziz Ahmad Al-Adwani, and officials of the embassy.

Meanwhile, a Russian diplomat has described the Amir's visit as "important." "The visit of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait will give a boost to bilateral relations in different spheres," Peter Stegny, who served as Russian Ambassador in Kuwait, said in a statement. He said the Amir's summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be important because of the critical situation in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf regions, as well as rising threats of terrorism.

Stegny said Kuwait and Russia enjoyed long relationships, citing a visit by a Russian naval ship to the Kuwaiti ports in the early 20th century, when sailors took photos of Kuwait and the then ruler Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah. Kuwait established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1963, thus it was the "only window for the Soviets in the Arabian Gulf region," he said. Stegny said bilateral relations were strong that Kuwaiti ships were hoisting the Soviet Union flag while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz during the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war. Russia, he noted, also supported Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion and occupation in the 1990-91.

Stegny said he was happy to work as Ambassador in Kuwait during the post-invasion reconstruction period. He commended the efforts of the Kuwaiti government and people in overcoming the traumatic impacts of the Iraqi seven-month occupation. Kuwait and Russia also cooperated closely in the search for Kuwaiti prisoners and missing. "This humanitarian mission bolstered solidarity between the Russian and Kuwaiti people," he said. Stegny said His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad played an important role to foster relations with Moscow when he was a foreign minister. - KUNA