LONDON: Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held talks on Tuesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a range of regional and international issues during his official visit to Ankara.
The two parties “expressed a common desire to bolster cooperation and coordination in many fields,” in particular trade and investment, and the emir said the two countries had the potential to boost trade exchange and investment opportunities, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
He went on to praise the “historic relations between our countries for the past 60 years, since their establishment in 1964,” and added “we express our aspirations toward promoting these relations to honor the aspirations of our peoples.”
Sheikh Meshal, who had arrived in the Turkish capital earlier on Tuesday, also praised Turkiye’s “honorable” support for Kuwait during Iraq’s invasion in 1990.
The Kuwaiti emir welcomed the start of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Turkiye, which commenced following the signing of a joint statement on April 21.
He added: “We affirm our aspiration for strengthening joint cooperation in all fields, especially in the defense domain through government-to-government contracting.”
The two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, including an executive protocol between the Kuwaiti and Turkish defense ministries.
The countries’ foreign ministries signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic dialogue, while the Kuwaiti Civil Defense and the Turkish Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Authority also signed a memorandum.
Letters of intent were signed between the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority and the Turkish General Authority for Free Zones in the Ministry of Trade on cooperation in the free zones field, and between the Kuwaiti Ministry of State for Housing Affairs and the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change on cooperation in housing and infrastructure.
The Kuwait Investment Authority and the Turkish Presidency Investment Office signed a memorandum regarding cooperation on investment promotion.
Erdogan awarded Sheikh Meshal with the State Order “to reflect deep-rooted ties between the two friendly countries,” KUNA said.
The emir also paid a visit to the Ataturk Mausoleum in Ankara during the visit.
