Turkish President Abdullah Gul starts on Monday an official visit to the country for talks with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and ways of strengthening them in all areas as well as issues of common concern.
Relations between Kuwait and Turkey are "historic and distinctive" and are in constant evolution at different political, economic, commercial, cultural and tourist levels and bound by a link of brotherhood, friendship and shared vision.
Such ties have become more established, thanks to the mutual and joint visits, agreements and protocols which so far have reached 20 covering economic activity, trade, tourism, health, environmental, technical and oil domains in addition to joint cooperation in various fields.
The state of Kuwait had initiated its diplomatic ties with Turkey in 1969 where the first diplomatic relations between the two countries were established through coordination with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Beirut and then moved to the Embassy of Turkey in Kuwait which was opened in 1971.
Kuwaiti-Turkish relations have been characterized by mutual respect over time, but have developed rapidly after the honorable stance taken by Turkey of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, in addition to its contribution along with the coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait, and putting its military bases at the disposal of the coalition forces to oversee the monitoring of the no-fly zone in northern Iraq.
And since the first hours of the Iraqi invasion, Turkey had condemned this barbaric act and considered it an act of aggression and assault on international law and the principle of international legitimacy and declared its solidarity with Kuwait to demand the return of sovereignty and independence to it.
Turkey's proximity to Iraq played a key role in the development of relations between Kuwait and Turkey as the latter had adopted an honorable position soon after the invasion by stopping pumping oil from the Iraqi wells passing through Turkish territory. It had also announced its entry into the international coalition that led the battle to liberate Kuwait and contributed effectively to the forces of this coalition despite the economic losses incurred by its position.
And as an expression of Kuwait's thanks for this principled position, His Highness the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had visited Turkey in November 1991 and expressed the appreciation of Kuwait and personal gratitude for Turkey's position towards the Iraqi invasion and its solidarity with the just right of Kuwait.
HH Sheikh Jaber had said during the visit that the Turkish position had culminated the close and well-established ties binding the two countries for many years and opened another page of constructive and fruitful cooperation for the best interest of both peoples.
His Highness had also called for continued pressure on the Iraqi regime for the release of Kuwaiti prisoners held in Iraqi prisons and return them to their parents and their families.
And following the liberation of Kuwait and the visit of His Highness the late Amir of Kuwait to Turkey, visits between the two sides had continued at various levels and had seen more development represented in the agreements that were signed in a number of areas.
In September 1991, former Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Hassan Al-Jarallah paid a visit to Turkey where he signed with his counterpart a trade protocol between the two countries.
In September 1992, former Kuwaiti Information Minister Bader Jassim Al-Yacoub visited Turkey and conveyed to the Turkish President Turgut Ozal thanks and gratitude of the Kuwaiti officials for the stances adopted by Turkey on Kuwait's just causes.
The president had reiterated his country's commitment to the need for Iraq to implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions eventhough his country had been affected by such resolutions.
In April 1993, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah visited Turkey when he was First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he attended the funeral of the late Turkish President Turgut Ozal, representing the late Amir.

-- In December 1993, former Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Al-Hajeri visited Turkey and met with Turkish President Suleiman Dimiryl and senior Turkish officials and signed the third minute of the joint Kuwaiti-Turkish committee aimed at activating trade exchange between the two countries.
In the month, former State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Abdelaziz Al-Dakhil visited Ankara and signed a memo of understanding for exchanging expertise in the agricultural sphere.
In September 1995, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-AHmad AL-Jaber AL-Sabah, then First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, visited Turkey and delivered a letter from late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad to Dimiryl, praising the strong position of Turkey for Kuwait's just causes.
Al-Dakhil paid another visit to Turkey in February 1998 where he delivered a letter from HH Sheikh Jaber to Turkish President within the framework of of Kuwait's diplomatic move to clarify its position towards the crisis triggered by Iraq with the UN inspectors.
In May 2006, deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and his then Turkish counterpart t Abdullah Gul signed a memo of understanding to enhance bilateral ties between the two countries and to review other conventions and agreements signed between the two sides.
In April 2007, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Naser Mohammad AL-Ahmad AL-Sabah paid an official visit to Turkey during which he discussed with Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan bilateral relations and coordination over issues of common interest.
HH also visited Istanbul and met a number of Turkish businessmen.
In November 2009, HH the Amir paid a visit to Istanbul where he took part in a COMSEC meeting of the OIC and met President Gul and discussed with him means of fostering bilateral relations.
On the Turkish side, numerous delegations had visited Kuwait. In May 1992, Turkish Trade Minister Taher Kosa paid a visit to Kuwait to attend meetings of the joint economic committee and expressed hope for more cooperation in this regard

-- In 1993, the then Turkish Premier Suleiman Demirel headed a high-ranking delegation on a visit to Kuwait, and talks with officials here focused on bilateral relations and means to boost cooperation in all areas.
And in 1995, President of the Welfare (Refah) Party Necmettin Erbakan came to Kuwait and called on the Iraqi regime to implement UN resolutions related to the aggression on Kuwait, while reiterating Turkey's commitment to sanctions imposed on Baghdad.
On October 6, 1997, Demirel, who had been elected president, arrived here on a two-day visit during which he held talks with the late Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern. On the sidelines of the visit, the two countries signed an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, as well as an agreement for cultural cooperation.
In December of the same year, Turkish State Minister of Defense came to Kuwait, met the late Amir and delivered to him a letter from President Demirel.
And in August 1999, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Cem visited Kuwait to deliver another letter from his country's president to the Kuwaiti leader, reiterating Turkey's full support for Kuwait should it face any Iraqi threat. In his letter, the Turkish president also thanked Kuwait for the assistance it provided for victims of the earthquake that hit Turkey.
Another letter delivered to the Kuwaiti leader by a Turkish envoy on October 1999 also expressed Turkey's appreciation to Kuwait for providing emergency assistance to Turkey, after a devastating quake left some 15,000 people dead. The late Sheikh Jaber had made a personal contribution of USD one million, while charitable and humanitarian organizations also provided assistance.
In solidarity with the Turkish people, the Kuwaiti Embassy in Ankara called off its national day celebrations in February 2000 and donated the money allocated to the event to victims of the earthquake.
Exchange visits were not limited to governmental delegations, but extended to parliamentary ones. A Kuwaiti delegation, headed by the then National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun, visited Ankara in 1994. The meeting was returned in 1996 by Deputy Speaker of the Turkish National Assembly Yasin Oglu, who called for intensifying efforts to release Kuwaiti POWs held in Iraqi jails, adding that his country spared no effort in putting forth this issue at international conventions.
On the economic front, in addition to the aforementioned agreements, the two sides signed an agreement on travel and transit cargo in 1970, as well as an agreement for economic, industrial and technical cooperation in 1983 - which led to the establishment of the joint economic cooperation committee.
The two countries are also bound by an agreement for the encouragement and protection of investment, signed in 1988. In May 1995, the commerce chambers of the two countries signed a cooperation protocol of six articles, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between the sides through establishing direct and effective commercial relations.
Also, in 1982 the two countries signed an agreement for economic and industrial cooperation, as well as another agreement in 1992 foe the support of investors and their protection.
As for investment opportunities open to the Kuwaiti private sector in Turkey, official there have promoted privatization programs, where the in 1995 the Turkish government put up economic projects for privatization at a cost of USD five billion.
In October 2005, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Kuwait, but said that despite the growth in commercial cooperation between the two sides in 2003-2004, it was still not at the aspired level given the capabilities of the two countries.
He noted that trade exchange between his country and Kuwait increased by 60 percent in 2004 compared to the previous year, and hoped that the volume of trade exchange would reach USD one billion in the near future.
Turkey is considered one of Kuwait's prominent commercial partners, and falls within the list of top 15 countries that Kuwait is engaged commercially with. Volume of Kuwaiti exports to Turkey stood at USD five million in 2006, while good going the other way came to USD 67 million.
Statistics in 2003 showed that 17 Kuwaiti companies were operating in Turkey, at a total capital of USD 200 million.
In terms of tourism, statistics indicate that more than 22,000 Kuwaitis visited Turkey this year.
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) is yet another Kuwaiti institute that is cooperating with Turkey. The fund made its first loan to Turkey in 1979 for an electricity network. Up to November 2009, KFAED presented a total of 12 loans to Turkey at a total of USD 101.117 million.
As for cultural cooperation, the two sides signed a protocol for twinning the city of Gazi-Ayintap with Kuwait City.
Also, since February 2008, the two countries have been bound by an agreement for health cooperation, whereby Kuwait is sending cancer and cardio patients to Turkey for treatment. Kuwait is also employing medical and nursing staff, as well as medical technicians from Turkey.  - Kuna