By Tamer Abul Einain
BERN, Aug 28 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation Ambassador Badr Al-Tunaib said Sunday that the official visit by First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Monday aims at launching a new phase of relations between the two countries and marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Al-Tunaib told KUNA that Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled will conduct high-level talks with the head of the Federal Governing Council, Foreign Minister and President of the Swiss parliament.
The two sides will also sign an MoU on significant issues between the two countries, he added.
A grand ceremony on this occasion will be held in the presence of a large number of Kuwaiti and Swiss personalities, the ambassador said..
Al-Tunaib added that the distinguished relations between Switzerland and Kuwait were launched since independence of Kuwait in 1961, due to the importance of emergence of Kuwait at that time as the first democratic, constitutional and parliamentary country as well as being a state of institutions in the region and due to its commercial position in the Arabian Gulf.
The Ambassador pointed out that bilateral relations between Kuwait and Switzerland in fact date back to the pre-independence where Kuwaiti traders were among the most significant suppliers of precious pearl to the Swiss market.
He said that Kuwaiti traders were also among those who contributed to the opening of Gulf markets for Swiss products in the first quarter of the last century.
The ambassador noted that this business relationship has evolved with the advancement of Kuwaiti infrastructure ventures that have benefited from the expertise of Swiss companies in the technical field, prompting the Swiss side to open an Embassy in the State of Kuwait in 1975, stressing that cooperation between the two countries is still witnessing many achievements in various fields and projects.
The ambassador recalled the noble role played by Switzerland during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 describing it as "remarkable" because not only Switzerland denounced and condemned the invasion, but for hosting Kuwaitis who were in Switzerland during the invasion until the end of the crisis.
He also praied Switzerland's efforts through the International Committee of the Red Cross to prisoners and missing persons' cases during that crisis.(end) ta.tg