Manama, Dec24(BNA) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, affirmed that the sincere valuable efforts to reinforce bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the brotherly State of Kuwait to realize the expectations of the two peoples with regard to security, stability and prosperity, have risen to the expectations of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

This came in the Minister’s statement at the opening of the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Joint High Bahraini-Kuwaiti Committee, which kick-started today under the co-chairmanship of Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and First Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah, currently on an official visit to the kingdom of Bahrain.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed thanks and appreciation on behalf of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the State of Kuwait for its historical and unflinching positive stances that make it always standing by the side of its GCC sisterly countries at all circumstances and for the efforts exerted by His Highness the Emir of Kuwait in cementing the GCC cooperation process, unity and tenacity amid the conditions and challenges storming the region.

For his part, the Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs has affirmed his country’s determination to continue deepening Bahraini-Kuwait cooperation ties in all fields and advancing the two countries’ historical bilateral relations towards broader horizons.

At the end of the Joint High Committee meeting, three memorandums of Standings covering the fields of insurance, youth and sports, higher education, the 2015-2017 executive educational programme and the meeting minutes have been signed.

The meeting minutes covered the discussed cooperation aspects in all financial, economic and investment fields in addition to the agreed consolidation of cooperation and coordination ties between the ministries of foreign affairs in both countries, exchange of expertise and official visits, broadening cooperation prospects between the private sectors and in the fields of media, justice, women’s issues and other domains.

The meeting culminated in the following final communiqué:

Based on the close and distinguished fraternal bonds between the Kingdom of Bahrain and its brotherly State of Kuwait and their brotherly peoples and on the basis of the common fate, interests and broad hopes as well as in reinforcement of the blessed bold steps made by the two wise leaderships on the path of interaction, coordination, consultation and exchange of visits on all levels and in response to the kind invitation by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah, of the brotherly State of Kuwait paid a visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 23-24 of December 2014.

For his part, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, has conveyed the greetings and best wishes of His Highness the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

He also conveyed greetings and best wishes of health from Kuwaiti Crown Prince, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, and those of Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah, to the Kingdom of Bahrain and its people, wishing them further progress and prosperity, thanking the kingdom for the warm welcome and hospitality in which he and his accompanying delegation were received in their second country, Bahrain.

Receiving His Highness the First Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, the wise leadership hailed the leading role played by the Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, throughout his presidency of the GCC Supreme Council and praised the important achievements and boost of the GCC cooperation process and consolidation of unity during his presidency, extending best wishes to His Highness to continue leading humanitarian work and serving humanity and the State of Kuwait and its people towards further progress and prosperity.

In an passionate brotherly atmosphere reflective of the depth of the distinguished brotherly relations and in the light of the two wise leaderships’ aspirations for more solidarity and integration, the Joint High Committee held its 8th meeting under the co-chairmanship of Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and Kuwait’s First Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah.

The two sides reviewed bilateral ties and solid bonds between the two brotherly people, voicing delight over the level of cooperation reached by both countries to further materialize the wise directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his brother Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, for the good benefit and comfort of their peoples as well as for the aspired integration.

The two sides confirmed the importance of the Committee’s achievements in strengthening the brotherly bilateral relations, the one family bonds and mutual cooperation, hailing the signed memos and executive programmes as capable of advancing economic cooperation and developing trade exchange between the two countries as well as consolidating the Gulf citizenship that constitutes the essential factor and true concept of joint cooperation through economic and development integration within the framework of the GCC Supreme Council’s principles.

It is noteworthy that a number of Memorandums of Understanding and executive programmes in the fields of sports, youth, social insurance, higher education, scientific research and education were signed.

Both sides reviewed the aspects of cooperation in the financial, economic and investment fields and voiced satisfaction over the achieved economic integration steps that were consistent with the GCC unified economic agreement.

In this respect, both agreed to further deepen cooperation and coordination between the two ministries of foreign affairs and to promote cooperation in the fields of exchange of experiences, official visits, exports, industrial products, civil service, administrative development, media, justice, women’s affairs, Shura and Representatives Councils, National Assemblies, electricity and water , health, social insurance, culture, municipalities, urban planning, defence, oil and gas, national guard, education, youth and sports, environment, social development and national security.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over the accomplished steps on the level of the ongoing political coordination and consultation between the two leaderships and within the GCC framework, especially that their unified stances on regional and global levels have strengthened their positions and consolidated the GCC States’ bonds.

Earlier, the First Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah of the brotherly State of Kuwait had arrived in the Kingdom of Bahrain, for an official visit, leading his country’s delegation to the activities of the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Joint High Bahraini-Kuwaiti Committee. Leading those who welcomed the guest was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

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BNA 1736 GMT 2014/12/24