Kuwait and Turkey seal deals to strengthen ties

ANKARA: Kuwait's Amir His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah (right) and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for photos after they decorated each other with their countries' highest state medals in recognition of the close ties between the two countries, during a ceremony in Ankara yesterday. The Amir is in Turkey for a three-day official visit. - AP

ANKARA: In presence of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kuwait and Turkey yesterday signed a vast array of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to ratchet up cooperation between both nations. A trio of deals were sealed on a grant presented by Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) for a response plan to the Syrian refugee crisis in the Turkish provinces of Gaziantep, Kilis and Sanliurfa, as the agreements were signed by KFAED Director General Abdulwahab Al-Bader and the respective mayors of the three Turkish provinces.

Kuwait's Major General Abdulrahman Al-Hadhoud and Turkish General Othman Arbash were the signatories of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for bilateral military cooperation. Another MoU for Kuwaiti-Turkish cooperation on Islamic affairs was signed by Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and President of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs Mehmet Gormez. An agreement for bilateral touristic cooperation was signed by Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh and Ankara's Minister of Culture and Tourism Nabi Avci.

In another development, Turkish President yesterday bestowed upon His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah the "Order of the State of Turkey", the most prestigious decoration awarded to foreign nationals. The gesture was met with great appreciation and delight by His Highness the Amir, who described it as a testament to historical ties between Kuwait and Turkey. His Highness the Amir said that it reflected a mutual desire for closer bilateral ties. In return, His Highness the Amir presented the Turkish President with Kuwait's "Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer". His Highness the Amir is on a state official visit to Ankara at the invitation of the Turkish President. - Agencies