NATO official: Proud of NATO-ICI Regional Center in Kuwait

NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Ambassador Boris Ruge on Monday expressed his pride for NATO-ICI Regional Center in Kuwait, making it the only in the region. Speaking to KUNA after a discussion seminar organized by the NATO-ICI Regional Center and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative entitled (NATO dialogue), Ruge said that his visit to Kuwait aims at enhancing cooperation with Kuwait in education, training, political dialogue, environmental operations and looking into Kuwait's prioritized needs. The aim of the visit is also to enhance the NATO-ICI Regional Center in Kuwait's role with the Istanbul initiative making it an active center for cooperation and training with the participation of Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain, the ambassador added. The seminar also hosted Kuwaiti figures such as Assistant History Professor at Kuwait University Bader Al-Seef, Defense Undersecretary Dr.Abdulla Mishal Al-Sabah, and some diplomats. On his part, Al-Saif said that Kuwait had a pivotal role as the first Gulf country to join NATO as a non-partner member 20 years ago. He added that the (NATO dialogue) discussed the strategic cooperation between Kuwait and NATO, as Kuwait is an essential partner in boosting regional stability and security in the Arabian Gulf region. Kuwait was the first country to join NATO's Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), which is a platform established by NATO to promote security cooperation on a bilateral basis between NATO and partner countries in the broader Middle East region, in June 2004. Source: Kuwait News Agency