His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah hold talks

21st, February 2017

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos received Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir al Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, who arrived here on a three-day state visit to the Sultanate. An official welcome ceremony was accorded for the Emir of Kuwait. Upon the arrival of the motorcade of the Kuwaiti Emir to the reception building at Muscat Gate, His Majesty the Sultan led the welcoming party for the Emir of Kuwait.

Alongside with His Majesty the Sultan, the Emir of Kuwait was also received by Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Minister of the Royal Office, Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidy, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Minister of Interior and Shaikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili, Minister of Justice.

 Afterwards, His Majesty, the country’s Monarch, and his guest the Emir of Kuwait took the motorcade to Al Alam Palace. The motorcade passed two queues of military music, a group of horse riders with a group of camel riders at the back surrounded the motorcade till the gate of Al Alam Palace.

Upon the arrival of the motorcade of the two leaders at Al Alam Palace Guesthouse, His Majesty the Sultan accompanied the Emir to the Dais of Honour where the National Anthem of the State of Kuwait was played while the artillery fired a twenty-one gun salute for the guest.

Then, His Majesty the Sultan shook hands with members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir of Kuwait. The Emir of Kuwait also shook hands with their Highnesses, the Chairmen of the State Council and Majlis Ash’shura, ministers, commanders of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF), Royal Oman Police (ROP) and members of the Mission of Honour accompanying the guest.

Afterwards, His Majesty the Sultan and Shaikh Sabah proceeded to the hall to take coffee and exchange cordial conversations.

The two leaders reviewed the good relations binding the Sultanate and the State of Kuwait, as well as the fruitful cooperation between them in various spheres that serve the common interests of both Omani and Kuwaiti brotherly peoples.

 The meeting was attended from the Omani side by His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, HH Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture (Head of Mission of Honour Accompanying the Emir), Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidy, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili and Hamid bin Said al Ibrahim, Sultanate’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, while it was attended from the Kuwaiti side by the official delegation accompanying the Emir of the sisterly State of Kuwait.

Prior to the arrival of the motorcade of the Emir of Kuwait to the reception area at Muscat Gate, a public reception was arranged for him.

Over 3,000 persons representing various traditional art troupes stood along the road chanting welcoming songs for the State’s guest. They also greeted the dear guest of His Majesty the Sultan and the Omani people. Shaikh Sabah arrived here earlier in the day.

The Emir and his delegation were received upon their arrival at the Royal Airport by HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmood al Said, HH Sayyid Haitham bin Tareq al Said, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Hamid bin Said al Ibrahim and members of the Embassy of the State of Kuwait to the Sultanate.

 During his visit to the Sultanate, the Emir of Kuwait is accompanied by an official delegation comprising Shaikh Mishal Al Ahmed Al Jabir al Sabah, Deputy Chief of the National Guard, Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Hamad al Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Ali Jarrah al Sabah, Deputy Minister of the Emiri Diwan Affairs, Shaikh Lt Gen Khalid Al Jarrah al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anas Khalid al Saleh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Ahmed Fahad al Fahad, Director of the Office of the Emir of Kuwait, Shaikh Khalid Al Abdullah al Sabah, Chief of the Emiri Protocol and Chamberlain Affairs, Khalid Sulaiman al Jarrallah, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yousef Hamad al Roomi, Chief of Information and Cultural Affairs at the Emiri Diwan, Shaikh Fawaz Al Saud Al Nassir Al Saud al Sabah, Chief of Political and Economic Affairs at the Emiri Diwan, Ali Fahad al Rashid, Adviser at the Emiri Diwan, Mazin Issa al Issa, Under-Secretary of the Information Centre and Computer Affairs at the Emiri Diwan, Shaikh Dr Ahmed Nassir Al Mohammed al Sabah, Assistant Foreign Minister for the Affairs of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Ministers’ Office, Nassir Hajji al Muzain, Director of the GCC Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fahd Hajar al Mutairi, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Sultanate, and a number of officials.

Talks focus on region, international arena

21st, February 2017

MUSCAT:A number of topics are under discussion between His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and the visiting Emir of Kuwait Shaikh Sabah al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah touching upon various regional and international arena, according to Fahad Hajar al Metairi, Kuwait Ambassador to the Sultanate. “The visit comes within the framework of the strong brotherly relations between Kuwait and the Sultanate, which is keen on strengthening and enhancing bilateral relations for the benefit and interest on the two brotherly peoples,” Al Metairi said in an official statement.

He further said the visit carries same meanings and connotations of deep affection and appreciation and respect for the two leaders and peoples of Kuwait and Oman. “There is no doubt the strong and distinguished relationship between the Emir and His Majesty the Sultan had a larger impact on the deepening and consolidation of relations between the two countries, and will certainly be a top priority of bilateral relations and development in various magazines.”

This visit comes today at a time when the region is passing through a difficult stage and requires further ongoing consultations between the two leaderships on many regional, Arab and international issues, and comes on top of these issues, the fight against terrorism and the situation in Yemen and Syria. “Therefore, increasing the importance of this meeting between the two leaders will help translate the links between the two brotherly countries of common interests and mutual benefit and push this relationship to new heights,” Fahad Hajar al Metairi added.

“The importance of this meeting between the two leaders is in the belief that solutions to disputes can be achieved through dialogue to resolve all the regional issues by peaceful means in accordance with international law and non-interference in the affairs of others,” the statement further said.

HM Sultan Qaboos hosts dinner for Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah

21st, February 2017

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos hosted at Al Alam Palace on Monday evening an official dinner in honour of Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jabir al Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, and his delegation on the occasion of his visit to the Sultanate. The dinner was attended by a number of their Highness, the chairman of Majlis Ash’shura, ministers, advisers, commanders of the Sultan’s Armed Forces, Royal Oman Police, some members of the State Council, members of Majlis Ash’shura, under-secretaries, accredited members of the diplomatic corps to the Sultanate, ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry, shaikhs and dignitaries in the Governorate of Muscat, and a number of senior military officers. Before the dinner, His Majesty the Sultan conferred on the Emir of Kuwait Al Said Order, one of the most prestigious Omani orders. His Majesty also presented the guest a memento; an Omani sword. Shaikh Sabah presented to His Majesty the Sultan a memento; a historic copy of the book titled Biography of Omani Renowned Figures (Tuhfat al Aayan in Seerat Ahal Oman).

Closer cultural relations between the two countries

20th, February 2017 

MUSCAT: Omani and Kuwaiti cultural relations get closer as the political ties do. Between the two poles of the Gulf there are a lot of cultural ties that date back to many decades ago. They mixed and affected each other and today they are seen in a lot of interaction between the Omani and Kuwaiti writers and innovators, whether through organising events and joint cultural weeks or through visits and invitations, in which each party presents its expertise in the areas of creativity and knowledge.

It is not easy to review and know the details of the cultural landscape in Kuwait because of various considerations, most importantly the early period when the modern cultural institutions flourished in Kuwait, as well as the leading role played by Kuwait in the Gulf region and the Arab world in support of culture and intellectuals, at a time when the area was witnessing a period of transition and polarisation.

Enough to know that the first issue of Al Arabi magazine was released in 1958, which was a very early period in the Gulf region, especially that the magazine was not published as a pamphlet promoting the local culture, but released from the outset to be a magazine for all Arab writers and readers.

Thus not surprising we hear that the culture of thousands of Arab readers was founded on the Kuwaiti Al Arabi magazine.

It is not surprising to read in the magazine indices that senior Arab writers and innovators wrote in the magazine.

Kuwait is interested, by direct attention of Shaikh Sabah al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, in the musical arts.

An opera house was recently opened to be a beam of light for the people of Kuwait and the world.

The first official theatrical group (Al Arabi Theatrical group) was formed in Kuwait in October 1961 in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs to begin a new stage in the history of theater in Kuwait under the supervision of Zaki Tulaimat.

In the field of drama, it must be said that Kuwait, was the first Gulf state to establish an official television station.

The Kuwaiti television began broadcast on November 15, 1961, from the eastern district of Kuwait City.

Kuwait in 1969 established a television station in Dubai under the name Kuwait TV from Dubai.

Many years before the official launching of the TV, Kuwait knew a limited special television broadcast.

The Kuwaiti television is considered the most active in the Gulf region, as it has contributed to the development of television drama in Kuwait and the Gulf region.

Therefore, all the classics of the Gulf television drama are today Kuwaiti dramas by Kuwaiti actors, and they are mostly dramas that the people of the Gulf today miss.

Kuwait recently culminated its cultural landscape in the opening of Sheikh Jabir Cultural Center, which includes three theaters, of them one opera theater that is equipped with the latest technologies.

The centre, which carries the name of the late emir of Kuwait Shaikh Jabir al Ahmad al Jabir al Sabah, is a distinctive cultural and art monument located in the Arabian Gulf Street, with an area of 214,000 square metres, featuring an architectural masterpiece, the largest of which is theater building with an area of 10,000 square metres.