RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received the visiting Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and his accompanying delegation late Sunday. At the onset of the reception, Speaker Ghanem conveyed greetings of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the Saudi heir apparent, who, in turn, asked Ghanem to deliver good wishes to His Highness the Crown Prince. The meeting focused on distinguished and historical bilateral relations, where several senior Saudi officials attended.

Meanwhile, Ghanem held official talks yesterday with Saudi Shura Council Speaker Dr Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al-Sheikh. During the meeting, the two sides stressed strong historical brotherly bonds between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait at the parliamentary level and ways of strengthening them. On the other hand, they also discussed common matters and most recent regional issues. The Saudi Shura Council Speaker then held a luncheon banquet Monday in honor of Ghanem and his accompanying delegation. The banquet was held on the occasion of their official visit to Saudi Arabia, and was attended by several senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Ghanem and his accompanying delegation are currently in an official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Speaker Al-Sheikh.

Positive talks

Ghanem that his visit to Saudi Arabia has met its objective, describing the talks he held there as very positive. "The Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation was honored to have met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud," Ghanem told the press, saying the Saudi monarch bestowed some wise advice on the Kuwaiti lawmakers. He spoke of the Kuwaiti contingent's "lengthy and compelling" encounter with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, emphasizing that no word can adequately describe the impenetrable bond shared by the Gulf neighbors.

Ghanem's fellow lawmakers were equally enthused over the talks, which encompassed political and parliamentary matters, saying it was a testament to the breadth and depth of bilateral ties. "We were honored to meet Saudi Arabia's political leadership," said the Kuwaiti parliament's Secretary Ouda Al-Ruwaie, in a visit that was "unprecedented" at the wider parliamentary level. He went on to say that His Highness the Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is "greatly admired" by the Saudi people, which was highly evident during the talks.

Kuwaiti MP Thamer Al-Suwait said the talks with senior Saudi officials were "successful in every sense of the word," helping push Kuwait even closer to its larger neighbor. Kuwaiti lawmakers Adel Al-Damkhi and Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie made similar remarks, collectively saying that bilateral ties would reach new levels in the aftermath of the visit. - KUNA