Kuwaiti Amir to visit Pakistan to boost ties

The Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, will pay his first state visit to Pakistan on June 19-20, Pakistani foreign ministry announced on Saturday.

"The Amir of Kuwait will hold comprehensive talks with the president on a range of issues of interest and concern to both countries," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will host a state banquet in the Amir's honor.

The last visit of a Kuwaiti Amir to Pakistan was in 1980.

The Amir's entourage includes senior cabinet ministers including the ministers of foreign affairs, finance and energy, as well as a strong business delegation comprising some of the leading Kuwaiti entrepreneurs and investors, according to the statement.

The visit program also includes the Amir's meeting with the Pakistani prime minister, who will host a lunch in his honor.

Some bilateral cooperation agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, aiming to further bolster bilateral relations, especially in the economic and investment areas, the statement said.

Kuwait is Pakistan's third largest economic partner in the Gulf Cooperation Council, after Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

It is also a principal source of oil and petroleum products for Pakistan. In the aftermath of the last October earthquake, Kuwait announced assistance of 100 million U.S. dollars for Pakistan's relief and rehabilitation operation.

In the area of investment, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is currently financing seven projects worth 245 million U.S. dollars in Pakistan. Around 125,000 Pakistanis are employed in Kuwait who constitute a significant source of foreign exchange to the country.

Source: Xinhua