Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, in his meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, expressed the Greek government’s will to strengthen Greek-Kuwaiti political, economic and investment cooperation. The two Deputy Prime Ministers carried out talks on all issues and signed two Agreements: one on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments, and one on strengthening Tourism Cooperation. They both expressed their concern at the dramatic developments in Iraq and ascertained a coincidence of views on critical Middle East issues (Syria, peace process, Iraq). Mr. Venizelos, who today, together with his Kuwaiti counterpart, inaugurated the new premises of the Kuwaiti Athens Embassy, made special mention of the importance of the 50th anniversary of Greek-Kuwaiti diplomatic relations and welcomed the increased investment interest of Kuwait.
Below is the transcript of their joint statements and their responses to journalists’ question:
E: VENIZELOS: It is a great pleasure to welcome the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Khaled, with whom I had extremely constructive talks on bilateral, regional and international issues.
I thank Sheikh Sabah Khaled for his participation in the EU-Arab League Ministerial Conference that we held yesterday here in Athens, and I am happy that were together in Cairo this past Sunday, as well, at the inaugural ceremony for the newly elected President of Egypt.
Sheikh Al-Hamad Al-Sabah’s visit is a first-class opportunity to celebrate together, here in Athens, the very important 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and the State of Kuwait.
During our meeting, beyond the major political issues that we discussed on the bilateral, regional and international levels, we of course looked at further practical and direct ways to improve the two countries’ economic and commercial relations.
Now that Greece is completing its painstaking effort to exit the fiscal crisis, now that the investment environment is improving, the opportunities for expanding our economic cooperation are multiplying, and Greece is emerging as a very attractive investment destination for Kuwait as well.
On the technical level, the delegations of the two countries also discussed cooperation between the two business communities purely on the level of the private sector, as well as the issues associated with the privatization programme and certain major, emblematic investments that can be carried out here in Greece. I hope that very soon there will be specific, tangible results in this sector.
Today, on our level – that of Foreign Ministers – we state our shared will and desire to encourage and support economic, commercial and investment cooperation.
The two agreements we signed today – the agreement on mutual protection of investments and the agreement on tourism cooperation – complete the legal foundation, and thus we have the potential – within a framework of legal certainty – to move in the direction we desire politically.
Greece currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and Kuwait presides over the Council of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. We thus have additional capacities that the two countries want to capitalize on.
What we want to do is to strengthen EU-Kuwaiti ties and deepen our cooperation on all the issues that concern the European Union.
And we realize that Kuwait-EU relations will be helped a great deal by the exemption of Kuwaiti citizens from visa requirements for trips within the Schengen area. This is already being implemented for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
We have a common approach on all the major pending regional and international issues. This concerns all the ongoing crises, the situation in Syria, the situation in Libya, the new problems that unfortunately exist in Iraq, the Middle East peace process.
We are prepared to work together and undertake joint initiatives in the direction of stability, security, peace and prosperity in the wider region.
I am also particularly pleased because today Sheikh Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and I will inaugurate the new offices of Kuwait’s Athens Embassy, and I am certain that this wonderful symbolism – the opening of a new building, as well as today’s official visit – will mark the beginning of a new, much more dynamic chapter in the two countries’ political and economic relations.
Welcome, Your Excellency.
AL-HAMAD AL-SABAH: I would like first of all to thank you for the wonderful hospitality and environment we found here in Greece.
I want to express my thanks to His Excellency Mr. Venizelos, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, for he great efforts he has made and the efforts of the Greek government to strengthen our relations in all sectors.
I want to mention here that I met with His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, to whom I expressed my gratitude and conveyed the congratulations and gratitude of His Excellency the Kuwaiti Head of State, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabeh, who is interested in strengthening our bilateral relations in all sectors.
I also met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and discussed various issues and ways of enhancing our bilateral relations in all sectors.
We had a very constructive discussion that concerned all the economic, commercial, educational issues, which will help to strengthen bilateral relations, and we also talked about issues of joint interest. We were very interested to hear the views of our friends here in Greece on various issues of regional and global interest.
This visit of mine coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the very successful course of the bilateral relations between our two countries.
Throughout these years, there have been many visits, talks, meetings on the level of the state, on the level of organizations and in many sectors.
The two bilateral agreements we signed today are added to the many other agreements we have signed in the past, which reflects the will of our governments and states to enhance and upgrade our relations in all sectors, in a spirit of mutual appreciation and mutual respect.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention the opening that will take place shortly of the new offices of our Embassy here in Athens, and I would like to thank the Greek government for the facilitations they granted us on this matter.
Thank you very much.
JOURNALIST: My question is for both Deputy Prime Ministers. I would like to ask whether you can tell us anything more specific about Kuwait’s interest and investment, energy, tourism, or whether, for example, there is interest on the part of Kuwait in participating the sale of 35% of Hellenic Petroleum or the tender competition for Egnatia Odos
AL-HAMAD AL-SABAH: We had many meetings and talks on these issues. A short time ago we hosted a large economic delegation from the Foreign Ministry and we talked about important issues of major interest, and this visit is the culmination of that previous visit, so that we can talk about all the issues that exist, and we are optimistic that we can achieve success. We believe that both countries have great potential. There are many opportunities. There is will from both sides for these investments to be carried out.
E. VENIZELOS: As the Deputy Prime Minister said, we are now formulating the political and institutional framework so that we can accelerate cooperation. Announcements are being made about specific investment programmes and specific business moves, and they must be made when they are completed. Because otherwise we create sensations that might impact the market, but what is important is for there to be a real, tangible result in the end.
JOURNALIST: This question is for the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister. What is your view on the recent dramatic developments in Iraq, and what will Kuwait’s future role be in these developments?
AL-HAMAD AL-SABAH: We are concerned at the developments in Iraq, not just for Kuwait, but for all the countries in the region. I think that what is happening now is, unfortunately, what we predicted would happen. We had warned that the developments in Syria would very probably have repercussions and spill over into other countries. The announcement made yesterday within the framework of the meeting of EU and Arab League Foreign Ministers expresses the concern of both sides, of the Arabs and the Europeans, regarding the developments unfolding in Iraq.
E. VENIZELOS: You will allow me to take this opportunity to add something. I agree completely with the Deputy Prime Minister. Yesterday’s EU-Arab League Ministerial resolution expresses our concerns. We added the unequivocal condemnation of the seizing of the offices of the Turkish Consulate General in Mosul and the fact that many Turkish citizens at the consulate or in the wider area have been abducted.
JOURNALIST: What is your assessment of this visit, mainly that it happens to be the Minister’s first visit to Greece?
AL-HAMAD AL-SABAH: This visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. We also want to enhance and promote all the agreements we have signed together and explore the potential that exists for further upgrading of our relations in all sectors. We talked about how to strengthen and promote these relations. We will be in ongoing contact with the officials here in Athens. There will be frequent talks so that we can upgrade these relations. I would say that we can talk about the environment, health, energy – about many sectors that we can explore and cooperate in.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Venizelos, how would you characterize Kuwait’s relationship with Greece and with the European Union, particularly following this visit, which is the Minister’s first visit here?
E. VENIZELOS: Greek-Kuwaiti relations are politically and diplomatically excellent. The purpose of today’s meeting is to impart greater momentum and practical content to this excellent framework that we have. This concerns economic, commercial and investment relations. It also concerns joint political initiatives in the wider region.
JOURNALIST: Regarding Iraq, the latest developments. Whether you think the international community is justified in being concerned that this development in Iraq might lead to a sharp rise in oil prices. And one more question based on what you said, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, regarding emblematic investments in Greece. Whether you can give us an outline of what you discussed on a technical level, as you said. Thank you.
AL-HAMAD AL-SABAH: The countries of the region are certainly being threatened or undermined by extremism – all of this puts the region’s security in jeopardy. Terrorism, funding of terrorism – all of it is dangerous. If terrorism and the threats are not confronted in a unified manner, there will be repercussions. So we all have to work together for there to be a unified stance and policy.
E. VENIZELOS: Regarding the outline of investments, the Deputy Prime Minister responded earlier with many examples. With regard to the impact a new crisis in Iraq might have on oil prices, I am certain that oil-producing countries will do what has to be done to safeguard the equilibrium of the international economy.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ remarks at the inauguration of the new Athens Embassy of the State of Kuwait (Athens, 12 June 2014)
E. VENIZELOS: Your Excellencies, thank you very much for your presence here. Your Excellency, thank you very much for your kind invitation and this excellent opportunity to inaugurate, together with you, the new building of the Embassy of the State of Kuwait, here in Athens.
This is an emblematic and symbolic act, because your official visit here to Athens, our excellent talks, our common clear will to move ahead – not only on the level of our political cooperation, but also on the level of our economic and commercial cooperation – is a positive omen for the new era of our diplomatic and political relations.
The inauguration of this very ambitious modern building of your Embassy here in Athens is an excellent starting point for this new period in our relations. I accept with great pleasure your kind invitation to visit the State of Kuwait as soon as possible in order to endorse not only political, but also financial and economic initiatives in both the private and public sectors.
Your visit to Athens today was an excellent opportunity for the re-launching of our diplomatic relations. This long history of 50 years of excellent and friendly and productive diplomatic relations is an excellent example not only for our two countries, but also for regional cooperation.
The presence of many representatives of the Diplomatic Corps here in Athens is an additional indication of the importance of your visit, and also of the inauguration of this new building of your Embassy here in Athens.
This means very much, because we have this very solid common historical and political background, and because we share the same will to take all the necessary initiatives and to make all the necessary efforts in order to organize and to establish our region as an area of cooperation, of peace, of prosperity, and of security and safety. Thank you very much Your Excellency.
June 12, 2014