Kuwait Times

Published Date: October 20, 2008

ABU DHABI: Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah yesterday addressed the fifth edition of the Future Forum 2008 on Kuwait's political, social and economic achievements. Kuwait has fulfilled most development goals of education, health, women's empowerment, and fight against poverty and famine, he said. The State of Kuwait is pursuing its reforms in various fields out of its belief that reforms are a sustained process that could not be determined by a
schedule or forcibly imposed without taking societal circumstances into consideration, he said.

He hailed Kuwait's role in international development by presenting development and humanitarian assistance to developing nations through $300 million for the fight against poverty in Africa and $100 million from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to ease out the ramifications of surging food prices.

He pointed to several challenges impeding political and economic reforms in the region's countries as a result of continuing tensions and instability.
The Israeli government's persistent reluctance to abide by international legitimacy resolutions is mainly to blame for tensions in the Middle East region, not to mention emerging calls using cultural diversity as an excuse to fuel conflicts and to mix between religion and terrorism, he said.

He hoped that everybody would get united to create a common space that could prop sustainable development values, reject hegemony and hostility and focus on the culture of tolerance and respect of human values.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister stressed the importance of the forum, which was created four years ago, in the continuity of dialogue, exchange of opinions and experience, respect of cultural and religious differences, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, building of confidence, cooperation and coordination on diverse issues that concern the G-8 member countries and Middle Eastern countries; including terrorism and human rights.

Over the recent few years, many countries in the region have witnessed favorable and encouraging developments that have reflected their commitment towards necessary reforms, he said.

Meanwhile, the minister held several side meetings with participating foreign ministers on ways and means of bolstering and developing bilateral relations.

He met Genadi Tarasov, the UN coordinator on the issue of Kuwaitis missing in Iraq, Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Swiss Foreign Minister Michael Ambuhl.

Following the wrapping-up of the forum, the Kuwaiti deputy prime minister and foreign minister and his party left Abu Dhabi.

His high-level delegation to the fifth edition of the Future Forum included Chief of Staff of Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister's office Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Al-Mesh'an, First Secretary of Kuwait Embassy Ali Al-Zaidi and Al-Otaibi. --- KUNA