By Mousa Ahmad
KUWAIT, Sept 4 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will begin his official visit to the US capital, Washington D.C., today, during which he will meet US President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
The visit of His Highness the Amir to the United States comes at a time when the two countries enjoy excellent relations, strong and close partnership in various fields.
President Trump invited His Highness the Amir to visit Washington during a telephone call last February following his victory in the US elections, stressing depth of bilateral ties and keenness to strengthen the frameworks of cooperation in various fields, especially economic, security and military domains and upgrade them to wider horizons to serve both countries' interest in the strategic partnership that brings together the two friendly countries.
His Highness the Amir will also discuss with President Trump efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis and ways of cooperating closely on the war on terrorism, regional security and the Middle East peace process, as well as other bilateral files.
This is the fourth official visit of His Highness the Amir to the United States since taking office in Kuwait. He last visited the US in May 2015 for a summit, which included leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and former US President Barack Obama.
In August 2009, His Highness the Amir also met with former President Obama, who expressed his country's gratitude to Kuwait as a host of the US armed forces during its operations in Iraq, stressing at the same time the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and the continued commitment of the United States to Kuwait's security.
During His Highness' first visit to the United States in September 2006, he met with then US President George W. Bush, who affirmed that Kuwait is a friend and an ally, praising His Highness the Amir's reforms, especially those related to economic and political openness, which are a good example for others in the region.
His Highness visited the United States in September 2003 after his appointment as Prime Minister. The US government and Congress expressed their infinite thanks to Kuwait's position in the war to liberate Iraq and the war against terrorism.
The US-Kuwaiti relationship dates back many years when the US interest in the Gulf region began considering it of great importance. The United States recognized the State of Kuwait three months after the independence of the Gulf state on September 22, 1961, thus, kicking start the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
His Highness the late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah paid a visit to the United States in December 1968, according to which relations between the two countries were refostered. He also discussed with then US President Lyndon Johnson the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of supporting them.
Preservation and stability of the Arab Gulf region as well as the Arab-Israeli conflict were also discussed.
His Highness the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited the United States during the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and met with former US President George W. Bush, and discussed developments related to the war of liberation of Kuwait and steps taken in this regard.
In October 1991, late His Higheness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, visited the capital Washington D.C. in a tour that included most of the countries that contributed with their armed forces in the liberating of Kuwait within the international coalition that suppressed the aggression and raised the banner of truth and thanked them for their positions supporting the State of Kuwait.
On the fifth anniversary of the liberation of the State of Kuwait in February 1996, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, visited Washington D.C., where he met with former US President Bill Clinton and discussed with him the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of boosting them in various fields, especially economic ones, in addition to Gulf security and the peace process in the Middle East.
His Highness the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad summed up the relations between the two countries during the historic visit by former US President Bill Clinton to Kuwait in October 1994, saying: "The friendship between our two countries and our peoples despite the long distance between them is the strongest evidence of the unity of good goals and pursuit to achieve common good among peoples on humanitarian grounds." The late Amir of Kuwait decorated late President of the United States, the highest Medal of Honor (Mubarak Al-Kabeer Medal), in appreciation for the pure friendship between the two peoples, united not only by common interests but by fighting side by side.
His Highness also decorated former US President George Bush, the father, the same medal in 1993 when he visited the country after the end of his term of office, thanking him for the role of this man in the leadership of the war to liberate Kuwait.
In January 2008, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received former US President George W. Bush during his visit to Kuwait. The talks included the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries and means of enhancing them in all fields to build a common ground.
The political relations between Kuwait and the United States were founded on the basis of principles set by Kuwait primarily for its foreign policy and relations with other countries including non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, adherence to good-neighborliness policy, and non-alignment as well as international cooperation in the economic and diplomatic fields.
Kuwait's foreign policy relies primarily on the preservation of Kuwait's security, stability and territorial integrity, as well as stability of the Gulf, preservation of Islamic solidarity and finding an everlasting and just solution to the Palestinian issue.
And in light of these principles and objectives, both countries' ties have and are still progressing, making such relationships full of understanding, clarity, friendship and cooperation for the benefit of both peoples.
Kuwaiti-American relations have gone through four stages until they reached their current level. In the 1960s and 1970s, relations with America were friendly, whereas in the mid-1980s they moved into a partnership when US flags were hoisted on Kuwaiti oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq war.
Then came the stage of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the period of liberation, where such ties expanded to take a strategic framework between the two countries in the nineties of the last century.
Kuwaiti-American relations deepened after the US administration in 2004 classified Kuwait as an ally outside NATO.
During the past 56 years of relations between Washington and Kuwait, ties of friendship and cooperation have been established in various fields and reflected the depth and strength of strategic partnership between the two countries. (end) mad.tg