Ambassador Al-Jasem commended the creation of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States, covering Kuwait and five other states. Reminding that this year marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Serbia and Kuwait, Ambassador Al-Jasem deemed the relations between the two countries traditionally good. As regards economic cooperation, he drew attention to the low level of trade between the countries, stressing that there is considerable room for improvement. He informed the Parliamentary Friendship Group members about the investments of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development which had approved a 10-million Kuwaiti dinar loan to Serbia, about 25 million EUR, for the realisation of phase I of the Belgrade Railway Station Project – station Prokop. He said that the two countries have ample potential for cooperation in multiple spheres. In the sphere of economy, he announced a half a million USD Kuwaiti investment for the realisation of the booster station project for the Novi Pazar city waterworks, adding that Kuwait is ready to fund the reconstruction of the Contemporary Art Museum in Belgrade. Ambassador Al-Jasem hopes for a more intensive cooperation and improvement of parliamentary relations, since the Kuwaiti Parliament had created a Friendship Group with Serbia. As future priorities for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Serbia and Kuwait, the Ambassador announced a series of activities which would be organised on the occasion and invited the members of the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States to take part in them.
The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States, Vladimir Marinkovic, said that Kuwait and Serbia share a long-standing friendship and good cooperation which can be even better in the future. He thanked the State of Kuwait for its donation to Belgrade for the resuscitation table for the Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje Clinical Centre. The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group stressed that, in view of the friendly character of the bilateral relations and Kuwait’s growing economic potential and needs, there is room to intensify political dialogue between the two countries and significantly improve economic cooperation. He stressed that the relations with the most important Gulf States, the State of Kuwait among them, take pride of place within the established foreign policy orientation of the Republic of Serbia toward strengthening and renewing foreign policy relations and cooperation with all countries relevant for its overall international position, its strengthening and perspective.
The members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States said they expected the Group’s activity to contribute to the furthering of relations between Serbia and Kuwait.
In addition to the Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States, Vladimir Marinkovic, the meeting with the Kuwaiti Ambassador was attended by Parliamentary Friendship Group members Irena Vujovic, Maja Gojkovic, Neven Cveticanin and Milorad Mijatovic.
The meeting between the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Gulf States and the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait was organised at the Kuwaiti Embassy in honour of the creation of the Friendship Group at the National Assembly.