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Russian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers to discuss Syria and deeper ties

Sergei Lavrov and Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah will meet in Moscow on October 11

MOSCOW, October 9 (Itar-Tass) - Russian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers Sergei Lavrov and Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah will meet in Moscow on October 11 to discuss the situation in Syria and the two countries’ cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday ahead of the Kuwaiti politician’s visit to Russia on October 10-11.

“They plan to focus on a wide range of issues of Russian-Kuwaiti cooperation and synchronize watches on pressing aspects of the regional agenda, including Syria’s crisis, the Middle East settlement and the situation in the Persian Gulf,” the ministry said.

The ministry considers the future talks “important and timely.” “They are targeted at giving a fresh impetus to enhancement of Russia-Kuwait dialogue and cooperation in different areas,” the source said. “We highly appreciate friendly Russian-Kuwaiti relations that without any exaggeration are time-tested and have vast potential for development. Our approaches to major problems of the region and the world are traditionally close or coincide.”

“Both sides have confirmed their interest in stepping up multifaceted trade and economic partnership, implementing joint projects in investments, banking, energy, infrastructure and high technologies. We have good opportunities for deeper cooperation in science, culture and education,” the ministry said.

Moreover, Russia and Kuwait boost their cooperation within the framework of regional platforms, the ministry said, pointing to a strategic dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf launched in November 2011. “Its two ministerial meetings yielded results and helped draw out the guidelines for further political, trade and economic cooperation with member-states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. We also hope for feedback from our third meeting of strategic dialogue.”

Russia hopes for cooperation with Kuwait in promoting its strategy for creating a regional system of collective security and cooperation in the Persian Gulf, which “should help to gradually unblock conflicts in the subregion.” Russia developed its strategy back in the 1990s and adjusted it in 2004.

“The uneasy situation in several countries of the Middle East and North Africa engulfed by the Arab Spring makes these efforts especially timely,” the ministry said.

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