Pakistan''s Musharraf to pay two-day visit to Kuwait

KUN0091 4 GEN 0244 KUWAIT /KUNA-FNP6 POL-PAKISTAN-KUWAIT Pakistan's Musharraf to pay two-day visit to Kuwait ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (KUNA) -- Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf will pay a two-day long official visit to Kuwait in December, said sources on Wednesday. During his stay in Kuwait, he will meet with Kuwaiti leadership and discussed matters of bilateral interests as well as regional and international issues, official sources told KUNA. The sources said that the President will take the opportunity to express gratefulness to the Kuwaiti government for extending immediate relief aid assistance and pledging a financial assistance of USD 100 million. Kuwait has pledged a total aid assistance of USD 100 million to Pakistan, where Octobers giant quake killed over 75,000 people and rendered homeless to about 2.5 million of people. Half of the total pledged amount will pour in the country through Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and half will be flown in through Kuwait Fund for Economic Development (KFED). President Musharraf first time visited Kuwait in 1999, only a month after he took power in a bloodless military coup and exiled the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to Saudi Arabia. Relations between Pakistan and Kuwait have always been close and cordial and have grown steadily over the years. More than 100,000 Pakistanis are currently living in Kuwait and contributing their potential in the development of the country. (end) amn.bs KUNA 231949 Nov 05NNNN