Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker Praises Ties with Qatar

Doha, February 17 (QNA) - Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma) Ali Fahd Al Rashid on Sunday praised the "distinguished" fraternal relations bonding Qatar and Kuwait and their peoples, which have deep historical roots. This visit to Qatar, which comes within the framework of further bolstering bilateral ties, would discuss bilateral relations between the two countries in addition to regional and international issues of mutual concern, the visiting Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker told Qatar News Agency (QNA). It also aims to ensure a better coordination between the Qatari Advisory Council and the Kuwaiti National Assembly in this regard as well as means of directing joint efforts on the main issues that should be the focus in regional and international conferences, on the basis of the keenness of the GCC leaders to promote joint cooperation, he added. Al Rashid hailed the warm reception and hospitality, he and his accompanying delegation found. The Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly praised Qatar's major human and urban infrastructure development which is reflected positively on the region's countries, noting that ' such developments make us proud.' Al Rashid said talks in Qatar would address a number of regional issues including the Syrian crisis, stressing the importance of positions' coordination in this regard. 'There is a convergence in our points of view especially with regard to such major issues,' he said. ' We are now conducting people's diplomacy through discussion and exchange of views on such issues of common concern; especially the Palestinian cause," he said. In this context, he praised the historic visit paid by HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Gaza Strip in October 2012, as part of the efforts meant to support the Palestinian cause and defend the rights of Palestinians. Kuwait's National Assembly Speaker Ali Fahad Al Rashed said he had discussed today with the Speaker of the Advisory (Shura) Council HE Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi ways to coordinate joint positions. He noted that such discussions are particularly important as a the 18th Arab Parliament, to be held in Kuwait in April, approaches. The Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, in Ecuador in March, is another event that the two countries needed to coordinate their positions for as well, Al Rashed added. On resolving the crisis in Syria, the Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker said that Kuwait is for any solution that would end violence. He stressed that Kuwait supports the efforts of Joint UN-Arab League Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi. (QNA)