Before the State Banquet hosted by Amir of the State of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on 4 November 2008, President S R Nathan received separate calls by Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Speaker of the National Assembly of the State of Kuwait His Excellency Jassim M. Al-Kharafi yesterday afternoon.
During their meeting, President Nathan and Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser reaffirmed the warm and growing relations between Singapore and Kuwait. They discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation and welcomed the signing of the open skies agreement that would enhance the connectivity between Singapore and Kuwait. Similarly, President Nathan and Speaker Jassim welcomed the regular exchange of high-level visits and agreed to enhance parliamentary exchanges and business tie-ups. President Nathan suggested that Kuwaiti businesses could use Singapore as a springboard into the Asian region, while Speaker Jassim suggested that Singapore and Kuwaiti companies could collaborate to penetrate third-country markets.
On 5 November 2008, President Nathan visited the Tareq Rajab Museum and the Tareq Rajab Museum of Calligraphy. The privately-owned Tareq Rajab Museum and Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum had collaborated in 1997 to organise an exhibition on Islamic calligraphy entitled Harmony of Letters: Islamic Calligraphy from the Tareq Rajab Museum.
After the museum visit, President Nathan will attend an official lunch hosted by Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser, during which they will continue their discussions from the previous day. Following the lunch, President Nathan will meet Minister of Interior of the State of Kuwait His Excellency Sheikh Jabir Al-Khalid Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. President Nathan will be hosted to dinner by His Excellency Dr Yousef Ebraheem, Head of the Mission of Honour (Minister-in-Attendance) and Advisor to the Amir, in the evening.
President Nathan will depart Kuwait for Singapore tomorrow morning.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
5 NOVEMBER 2008