BRUSSELS:
European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini yesterday lauded Kuwait
as a 'voice of wisdom' and a 'force for peace' in these difficult times for the
region. "And this is what has made us natural partners. This new European
Delegation is first and foremost a sign of how close the European Union and
Kuwait have become. By opening our new delegation, we want to strengthen our
relation with Kuwait even further, as part of our engagement in this
region," she said in an interview ahead of her visit to Kuwait to open an
EU embassy there.

"You have
taken up the role of the mediator and the peace builder, and this required a
lot of courage. We appreciate the constructive role Kuwait is playing within
the Gulf Cooperation Council through its continuous mediation at the highest
level. Your country has worked and is working to end the war in Yemen, and you
have demonstrated your commitment to multilateralism as non-permanent member of
the UN Security Council for 2018-2019," she said.

The EU's foreign
policy chief noted that on each one of these challenges - from the war in Yemen
to tensions in the Gulf - the European Union and Kuwait have been working side
by side. "Together we co-chaired the conference for the reconstruction of
Iraq, we contributed to saving UNRWA in its funding crisis, and we have been
among the strongest supporters of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, or of
children in Yemen," she said.

The
highly-respectable EU High Representative recalled that three years ago we
signed a cooperation arrangement between our foreign services. "And now,
by establishing a full diplomatic presence in Kuwait City, we are opening a new
chapter in our partnership. The aim is to further strengthen our political
dialogue as well as our economic cooperation, in particular in support of
Kuwait's 'Vision 2035,'" she stressed.

"Our
cooperation already focuses on energy, trade and investment, security and
counterterrorism, and we are working on extending our dialogue to other fields,
in particular education, research and innovation. The new delegation will also
aim to build bridges between the Kuwaiti society and European citizens,"
she stated.

EU's third
delegation

Mogherini pointed
out that this is the EU's third delegation in the GCC countries, following
those in Saudi Arabia and in the United Arab Emirates. "So this is also a
message to the whole region: the European Union cares about the Middle East and
the Gulf. We care about peace, security and human development in this part of
the world, because we are neighbors. It is essential to invest in our ties, and
to explore every opportunity for cooperation when our interests and values
converge," she stressed.

Referring to
relations between the EU and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), she
said the partnership between the two blocs is one of the oldest in the region,
and cooperation has continued whenever possible, in spite of all the tensions
within the Council. "We believe that regional cooperation is crucial to
prevent new escalations and to address controversies in a peaceful way. We have
learnt it through decades of European cooperation, which ended centuries of
wars on our continent," she said.

"The
polarization generated by divisions within the GCC affects negatively the
situation in the region and beyond. This is why we continue to support
negotiated solutions in the Gulf. As soon as Kuwait started its mediation, we
threw all our political support behind your work to create a breathing space
for regional détente," said the EU High Representative. "I was in
Kuwait already in the summer of 2017, to meet His Highness the Amir and discuss
how we could be of help.

And we will
continue to support your role as a mediator and a voice of wisdom in the
region," she said. Commenting on EU-Arab ties, she said "Europeans
and Arabs are more than just neighbors. We share so much history and culture.
The Mediterranean Sea has always connected our people more than it divided us.
We share the same space: whatever happens in the Arab world has an impact on
Europe, and vice versa."

"The
European Union is among the top investors in the Arab world, and we are the
main trade partner. Our young people share many of the same aspirations - to
better opportunities, to better jobs, to finding their place in our societies.
I have always believed that Euro-Arab cooperation holds the key to address
these common challenges.

Together we can
better address the crises in our region. Together we can create the
opportunities for human growth that our people are asking for," said
Mogherini. "Our region stands at a crossroads - between more conflict, and
the possibility of reconciliation. If you think of Syria, Yemen, Israel and
Palestine, Libya - all crises that could evolve either way, depending on our
individual and collective response," she said.

More cooperative
dynamics

"As I see
glimmers of hope, power confrontation in the Middle East and North Africa could
bring new violence and new suffering to our region. Rising tensions in the Gulf
could trigger a new arms race. Confrontation among regional powers is
spreading: I think for instance of the Horn of Africa. It is urgent to invest
all our energies in preventing new escalations, and in planting the seeds for a
more cooperative regional dynamics," said Mogherini.

"And for
doing so, Europe needs to engage further with the Arab world. This is what we
have tried to do in these years. No one has invested as much as we did to
address our region's humanitarian emergencies, from Syria to Yemen. We have
supported UN-led peace talks all across the region," she said.

Mogherini noted
that the EU has accompanied Tunisia on its transition to democracy, hosted
three Syria Conferences, created the Quartet for Libya, and we have been
unwavering in supporting a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.
"This year we held the first-ever summit between the EU and the League of
Arab States.

The Arab region
was the only one with which the European Union never had a summit before - and
this was a huge paradox. We have a duty to cooperate, to address the crises of
our times and to fulfill our citizens' aspirations. To me, this should be the
natural trajectory of our partnership. And I am glad that we have found in
Kuwait such a close partner and friend," added Mogherini. - KUNA