Kuwaiti MPs stress deep-rooted ties with Japan

TOKYO: Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, Japan yesterday. — KUNA

TOKYO: Kuwait's National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe both agreed yesterday on the importance of bolstering ties and coordination on matters of global significance. This affirmation came during the two officials' meeting, which was held in the Japanese capital Tokyo.

Prime Minister Abe and Speaker Ghanem, who is heading a parliamentary delegation on an official visit to Japan, also touched on efforts to boost relations within the economic, commercial, and investment domains. The two officials also discussed vital Middle East issues such as the situation in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. The situation in the Korean Peninsula, counterterrorism efforts, and issues related to the energy sector were also focused upon during discussions.

Always ready

Meanwhile, Ghanem met with Chairman of Japan Business Federation for Middle East and North Africa Yasushi Kimura. During their meeting, Yasushi Kimura praised the keen Kuwaiti policies to improve bilateral relations. He commended the Kuwaiti generous humanitarian aids after the devastating Tsunami, which hit Japan seven years ago.

Ghanem stressed that Kuwait will always be ready to cooperate with Japanese companies on a larger scale especially in the expansive developing plans and futuristic visions of Kuwait in the upcoming 20 years. He confirmed the readiness of the National Assembly to ratify and pass legislations that would help in facilitating and strengthening economic partnership with Japan. Other issues of cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and others were discussed during the meeting

Political consensus

The Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation praised the political consensus between Kuwait and Japan in various fields. This came in a press statement by Kuwaiti MPs following several official meetings that brought together Speaker Ghanem and his accompanying parliamentary delegation with the Japanese Prime Minister, President of the House of Representatives, Chairman of House of Counselors and top Japanese officials. MP Nayef Al-Mirdas Al-Ajmi said that the meetings focused on ways of cooperation and issues of common concern.

He added that Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem had invited his Japanese counterpart to visit Kuwait to strengthen parliamentary relations between the two parties. Meanwhile, MP Abdulwahab Al-Babtain said that the meetings were fruitful, adding that both sides have reached an agreement on a working paper which will be implemented and applied during international forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union meetings.

In the meantime, MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the visit is of great importance to the two countries at the level of political, economic and parliamentary relations. He said the Kuwaiti people feel much appreciation and gratitude to Japan for its historical and noble stances in supporting Kuwait's right and resolutions of international legitimacy. He stressed Kuwait's desire to involve japan in the development plans and projects.

Ghanem, who arrived in Tokyo on Monday on a four-day visit, is accompanied by a delegation, which includes MPs Naif Al-Merdas, Osama Al-Shahin, Khaled Al-Shatti, Khaled Al-Otaibi, Majed Al-Mutairi, Mubarak Al-Harees, Mohammad Al-Dallal, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain and Nasser Al-Dosari. - KUNA