Kuwaiti Emir arrives in Beirut

May 18, 2010, 12:39 GMT

Beirut - Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al- Sabah arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for a two-day official visit, the National News Agency reported.

The Emir was welcomed at Beirut's International Airport by Lebanese president Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Sheikh Sabah is scheduled to meet with the Lebanese president later on Tuesday.

The Kuwaiti Emir paid a similar two-day visit to Damascus earlier this week, where he met with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

During his visit to Syria, Sheikh Sabah discussed ways to promote solidarity among Arab nations to help tackle the challenges facing the Middle East region.

The leaders also called for the promotion of bilateral cooperation, encouragment of mutual investment and working for a united Arab front to work toward establishing peace in the region.

The Syrian and Kuwaiti heads of state also signed six agreements for their countries to cooperate in areas of tourism, cultural exchanges, mutual investments and infrastructure constructions.

According to Syrian officials, Kuwait invested 6 billion dollars in Syria between 1991 and 2009 which involved 37 projects in industrial, agricultural and transportation sectors.

The emir is scheduled to visit Jordan after Lebanon.