Kuwaiti information minister winds up successful visit to Syria

Kuwaiti Information Minister Youssef Sumait left Damascus on Wednesday following a three-day official visit to Syria. In a pre-departure statement he said: "We have benefited from the Syrian information expertise and I discussed with Dr. Salman ways of developing bilateral cooperation in the field of TV programs and performance and in mutual literary and cultural works."

In a statement to the Syrian local daily Tishreen, and al-Osboi weekly, the Kuwaiti minister said that for Kuwait, the Palestinian issue is pivotal. The restoration of Palestine is a basic requirement.

Kuwait, he said, is interested in the implementation of the Damascus Declaration, the member countries of which should react more intensively amongst themselves.

The Kuwaiti minister pointed to the stability enjoyed by Syria. He added that Syria enjoys a stable vision of the future and the Syrian media involvement shows advanced support for targeting pan-Arab and comprehensive mobilization.

Sumait underlined the significance of consolidating cooperation between Syria and Kuwait in all media, political and vocational spheres. He called for the need to implement mutual agreements and to hold more joint media and cultural ventures.

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Wednesday received Kuwaiti Information Minister Youssef Sumait who conveyed to al-Assad a message from Emir of Kuwaiti Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah. President al-Assad asked Sumait to convey a message in return, expressing greetings to the Kuwaiti prince and people.

Earlier in the day, during his meeting with Syrian tourism Minister Danhu Dawoud, the Kuwaiti minister, he said:" Our duty is to boost the tourism movement in Syria." He expressed Kuwait's readiness to arrange for setting up a tourism exhibition in Kuwait.