Kuwait-Netherlands rely on diplomacy to safeguard interests: Westhoff
Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Ambassador Sadiq Marafi and many diplomats were also present at the event. Westhoff continued to say that the two countries have stood together on many occasions in defense of the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-violation of internationally recognized borders. He called to mind the participation of the Royal Netherlands Navy in the international coalition to liberate Kuwait in 1990/1991. He affirmed that these values continue to form the solid foundation of bilateral relations despite the current decline in respect for the rules of the international system and multilateralism.
He also reminisced on the celebrations in his country, where every city or village organizes popular events, disclosing that the King and his family participate annually in this occasion by visiting a different city. He pointed out that this affirms the royal family's connection to the people. He confirmed that these traditions have continued for more than 500 years; contributing to the building of a cohesive society characterized by creativity and innovation, particularly in agriculture, trade, and energy. He added that the Netherlands, like Kuwait, overlooks the sea and that the sea has been a bridge for trade and exploration for centuries.
He said the economic relations between his country and the Gulf region date back to the 17th century, when the Netherlands began trading textiles and spices with pearl merchants in Basra and Bahrain. 'In the mid-18th century, the Netherlands became the most active European partner in the Gulf. Trade was not just about exchanging goods, but also a means of understanding other cultures and strengthening relations between peoples, something humanity needs today more than ever,' he asserted. He also called for the common defense of a global system that allows small countries to flourish and guarantees freedom and prosperity for their people. He expressed his deep appreciation to the leadership and people of Kuwait for their close friendship, while extending gratitude to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sheikh Jarrah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and all the staff of the ministry for their continued support for bilateral relations. He confirmed that much has been achieved between the two countries, but the future holds even more opportunities, especially in the areas of food security, climate change, trade, investment, and shared values.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
4 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Global shares hit record high
LONDON: Global shares hit a record high and the dollar weakened on Wednesday as investors cheered mild inflation data, and expectations of a US rate next month buoyed demand for riskier assets. The MSCI All Country World Index of shares climbed for a second day and reached 951.74, an all-time high. Japan's Nikkei stock index, meanwhile, set a fresh peak for a second straight session. European stocks advanced 0.5 percent, with German shares adding 0.6 percent. Defense SXPARO stocks led the gains, up 1.2 percent. US inflation readings, which on Tuesday showed the consumer price index (CPI) rising slightly less than forecast in the year through July, indicated President Donald Trump's import tariffs had yet to filter down to consumer prices. That helped Wall Street scale new heights, supported by increasing certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month. 'The fact that CPI was broadly as expected was met with relief, leading to equity gains and tighter credit spreads as investors became increasingly confident about another rate cut,' Deutsche Bank analysts wrote. Also boosting market optimism was Trump's signing of an executive order pausing triple-digit levies on Chinese imports for another 90 days. — Reuters The positive mood was set to spread to Wall Street, where a gauge of S&P 500 futures ESc1 reached a record high, pointing to a 0.2 percent advance. In Japan, a Reuters poll that tracks the Bank of Japan's quarterly business survey showed the Japanese manufacturers' sentiment index improved for a second straight month. Another report showed Japan's wholesale inflation slowed in July, underscoring the central bank's view that upward price pressure from raw material costs will ease. The Nikkei rose for the sixth straight day, breaking the 43,000 level for the first time and hitting a fresh record high. Risk-sensitive cryptocurrency ether rose to an almost four-year high above $4,710. US Fed cut The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of major peers, fell for a second day to its lowest in two weeks. It was last down 0.3 percent at 97.70. The dollar lost 0.2 percent against the yen to 147.52 JPY. The euro added 0.3 percent to $1.1711, after a 0.5 percent jump in the previous session. Traders are pricing in a 98 percent chance of a Fed cut in September, up from about 57 percent a month ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Investors had been on tenterhooks about the inflation data because it followed a surprisingly weak jobs report on August 1 and had the potential to stoke concerns about stagflation - when an economy suffers both high inflation and high unemployment. Trump has nominated White House adviser Stephen Miran to temporarily fill a vacant board seat at the US central bank, stirring up speculation about presidential interference in monetary policy. And the White House said it was 'the plan' that the Bureau of Labor Statistics would continue to publish its closely watched monthly employment report after Trump's pick to head the agency, EJ Antoni, proposed suspending its release. Speculation the labor report would be halted has 'done the US dollar no favors and would have only incentivized foreign investors to review their hedging ratios on US investments,' Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, said in a note. In sovereign bond markets, German 30-year bond yields fell on Wednesday, retreating from the previous day's 14-year high sparked by uncertainty linked to Trump's efforts to end the war in Ukraine. US crude CLc1 fell 0.2 percent to $62.99 a barrel. - Reuters
Kuwait Times
9 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Europe races to try to influence US position ahead of Trump-Putin talks
EU leaders worried Trump, Putin could dictate unfavorable terms BRUSSELS: European leaders and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to US President Donald Trump this week ahead of his summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, amid fears Washington may dictate unfavorable peace terms to Ukraine. Trump announced last week he would meet Putin on Friday in Alaska to negotiate an end to the 3-1/2-year war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Ukraine and its European allies fear that Trump, keen to claim credit for making peace and also hoping to seal lucrative joint business deals with Moscow, could align with Putin to cut a deal that would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. Germany said it was convening a series of top-level video conferences on Wednesday to prepare for the summit including one at 1500 CET (1300 GMT) between European leaders, Zelensky, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. It will be the first time Zelensky and Trump have spoken since the Alaska summit was announced. European leaders and EU and NATO officials would coordinate their approach beforehand, a German government spokesperson said. Zelensky said on Monday that concessions to Moscow would not persuade it to stop fighting in Ukraine and that there was a need to ramp up pressure on the Kremlin. 'Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits,' Zelensky wrote on X. He later held separate phone calls with the leaders of India and Saudi Arabia - which both have cordial ties with Moscow - in an effort to bolster international support for Kyiv's position ahead of the Trump-Putin talks. European Union foreign ministers discussed their support for Kyiv and the upcoming meeting in a video conference on Monday afternoon. 'Transatlantic unity, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia is how we will end this war and prevent future Russian aggression in Europe,' EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X following the discussion on Ukraine. 'EU Foreign Ministers today expressed support for US steps that will lead to a just peace,' Kallas wrote. 'Meanwhile, we work on more sanctions against Russia, more military support for Ukraine and more support for Ukraine's budgetary needs and accession process to join the EU,' she added. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told his counterparts on the call that 'we support President Trump's efforts and we see some progress,' according to Italian officials. 'Any diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine's sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its freedom to choose its own future, including its path toward the EU,' Tajani said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said London supported Trump's efforts to end the war in Ukraine but believed Kyiv must be involved in any settlement on ending the fighting. 'We will never trust President Putin as far as you can throw him, but we will support Ukraine and President Trump and European nations as we enter these negotiations,' Starmer's spokesperson told reporters. 'Any peace must be built with Ukraine, not imposed upon it, and we will not reward aggression or compromise sovereignty.' The Alaska meeting comes as Trump has hardened his stance towards Moscow, agreeing to allow additional US weapons to reach Ukraine and threatening tariffs against buyers of Russian oil. Even so, the prospect of Trump hosting Putin - on US soil, in what will be the first meeting between leaders of the United States and Russia since 2021 - has revived fears that he might agree to a deal that forces big concessions from Kyiv or weakens European security. Trump has said any peace deal would involve 'some swapping of territories to the betterment of both' Russia and Ukraine, prompting consternation in Kyiv and European capitals. 'Regarding territorial issues, the Russian position is framed as a territorial swap, but it appears as a rather one-sided swap,' a European Commission official said on Sunday. Russia currently occupies about a fifth of Ukrainian territory, while Ukraine holds barely any Russian territory. European leaders have underscored their commitment to the idea that international borders cannot be changed by force, fearing any deal forced on Kyiv could create a dangerous precedent. 'The most robust security guarantee would be that there are no limitations on Ukrainian armed forces and third countries' support to Ukraine,' the Commission official said. — Reuters
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Family visit visas open to all, ‘no salary cap needed'
Kuwait eases restrictions; visa can be issued in 5 minutes online KUWAIT: All expatriates living in Kuwait can bring their extended families on a visit visa to Kuwait as the salary requirement has been abolished, a top interior ministry official has said, as Kuwait eases restrictions for foreign visitors and tourists. The validity of the family visas however remains just one month, Director of Electronic Services at the Department of Residency Affairs Col Abdulaziz Al-Kandari told state-run Kuwait Television late on Monday. According to new regulations, family visas have also been extended to include up to fourth-degree relatives and third-degree relatives through marriage, he said. In the past, family visas were limited to almost only spouses and children in addition to parents. Col Kandari said that family and other types of visas can now be obtained through online application at the newly-established Kuwaitvisa platform and application. Kandari said that if the application is complete, the visa will be issued within just five minutes. In addition, Kuwait has also abolished the requirement that visitors to Kuwait must use Kuwaiti carriers, either Kuwait Airways or Al-Jazeera Airways. 'All types of visitors can now come by sea, land or air using any carrier' Kandari said. The official said that four types of visas are issued on Kuwaitvisa platform or application; tourist, family, business and governmental. As for tourist visas, Kandari said visitors are divided into four categories. The first covers nationals of 53 mostly Western countries based on the strength of their passport and income. These countries include about 41 European countries including Turkey, eight Asian nations; Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. In addition to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Nationals of those countries are issued all types of tourist visas on arrival and online through the platform, said Kandari, who advised applicants to apply online to avoid negative security screening which could result in turning them back. This category needs to fulfill no condition. The second categories include foreign residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, those who have valid residency permits in the United States, Canada, Britain and those who have the Schengen visa to Europe. As for the second category, they must hold 'medium to high professions' but they are not required to submit a salary certificate or a bank account, Kandari stressed, although a decision by the interior minister issued on Sunday removed the profession requirement. However, to avoid disappointment, applicants should apply online by uploading their passport copy, a personal picture, a confirmed air ticket and a hotel reservation. Members of these two categories can apply for a single entry visa valid for one month, two months and three months or a multiple entry visa for three months, six months and one year provided that each single stay does not exceed one month, Col Kandari said. He said that the third category, which covers people not included in the first two categories, is currently under consideration, adding that members of this group must produce a bank account to prove they are financially capable. The fourth category includes people who can visit Kuwait to attend certain sports and entertainment events who can apply at the time of the event, he said. As for business visas, any local company can apply to bring any foreign business partner or visitor, he said. Col Kandari said fees on visas depend on each nationality.
