AL KUWAIT, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid an official visit to Kuwait on November 3-4. After the official welcoming ceremony at Al Kuwait Airport and a short talk with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the airport, President Serzh Sargsyan received in his residence Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority Bader Mohammad Al Sahadin. The latter said the Authority implements investment projects in various developing countries and they would be glad to cooperate with Armenia as well. Power engineering, agriculture, real estate, and mining industry were pointed out as sectors for possible investment by the Fund. An agreement was reached to send a specialized working group to Kuwait. Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Bader. The Fund is one of the major institutions for economic development of the Gulf countries and aims to encourage economic progress of the Arab countries and developing countries by allocating financial loans and technical assistance grants and making investments. Its director general also attached great importance to the participation in Armenia's economic development and indicated economic infrastructure as the possible sector of cooperation. In his residence S. Sargsyan also received Speaker of Kuwait's National Assembly Jassem Mohammad Al-Kharafi and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. "This is my first visit to the Gulf region and its purpose is to give fresh impetus to our cooperation with Gulf countries. Armenia is interested in deepening its relations with Kuwait and other Gulf countries, and our parliaments may play an essential role in this respect," S. Sargsyan stated during the meeting with Speaker of Kuwaiti National Asembly. Jassem Mohammad Al-Kharafi underlined that the mutual visits and contacts at the high level are conducive to the development of bilateral relations and represent a definite incentive for business circles of the two countries. He proposed holding Days of Armenian Culture and in this way familiarize Kuwait's population with the tourism opportunities of Armenia that Kuwaiti people consider a beautiful and attractive country. The prospects of developing economic cooperation of the two countries were discussed during the meeting with the prime minister of Kuwait. In the words of the interlocutors, the mutual respect of the Armenians and the Arabs for each other and their positive feelings form a fertile soil to cooperate in various spheres and fulfill the whole potential of economic and cultural cooperation. Serzh Sargsyan said that Armenia has positive experience of economic collaboration with some Gulf countries, and in case of adequate steps and consistency it will be possible to reach desirable results regarding Armenian-Kuwaiti economic cooperation. He proposed setting up an intergovernmental commission. The interlocutors were unanimous in their opinion that the opening of embassies in Yerevan and Al Kuwait will promote the bilateral relations and the constant political dialog. They agreed to accelerate the steps aimed at signing an agreement on encouragement and mutual protection of investments between the two countries. Later on the first day of the state visit, S. Sargsyan conducted negotiations with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The Emir expressed confidence that the visit of Serzh Sargsyan will stimulate the cooperation in various spheres based on the centuries-old friendship, mutual love and respect of the Armenian and Arab peoples. "There is no circumstance or problem that mights hinder the development of our relations. Such high-level meetings can be considered as a new stimulus to foster bilateral relations," he said. S. Sargsyan in his turn thanked the Emir of Kuwait for his invitation and warm reception. He stressed that Armenia is interested in promoting the political dialog and the economic and cultural cooperation with Kuwait, adding that the small but well-organized Armenian community in Kuwait is a reliable bridge of the friendship between the two countries. He said the Armenian authorities are prepared to discuss in detail the possible investment projects in Armenia, to ensure a proper environment and provide all possible assistance for their implementation. The sides exchanged ideas about the regional security and the solutions to the current problems and conflicts. S. Sargsyan informed Kuwait's Emir about the current stage of normalization of Armenian-Turkish realtions, as well as the essence of the Artsakh problem and the negotiations on its resolution. He said that the insufficient information about the Artsakh problem and the inappropriate and inadmissible misuse of the religious solidarity factor by Azerbaijan often result in incorrect decisions by the Organization of Islamic Conference. S. Sargsyan and the leader of Kuwait attended the signing ceremony of the intergovernmental agreements: the agreements on cooperation in agriculture, education, culture, and tourism, as well as the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and property. Then the Emir of Kuwait gave a dinner in honor of the Armenian president. S. Sargsyan visited a scientific center in Kuwait's Salamiya area where he became acquainted with the activities of the center dealing with the problems of the ecosystem of the Gulf. He met with the Chairman of Kuwait's Chamber of Commerce and Industry. S. Sargsyan also met with representatives of the Armenian community in Kuwait. He spoke about the results of the visit and the agreements reached, about Armenia's socioeconomic development, the preservation of Armenian identity, the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations, and the negotiations on the Artsakh problem settlement. He answered the questions of Kuwaiti Armenians.

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