The Ambassador of European Union Delegation H E Cristian Tudor bid farewell after the successful completion of his term to the diplomatic corps in an event held at the St Regis last week
Addressing the exclusive gathering of diplomats and well wishers and media Ambassador Tudor, said that Kuwait will remain a partner and ally of the Union in the Arab Gulf region and emphasized that relations between the Kuwait and the EU have reached unprecedented levels.
Ambassador Tudor added that without the support of the Kuwaiti authorities, it would not have been possible to achieve continuous achievements in the relations between the two sides. He also expressed his gratitude to the political leadership and the Kuwaiti government for the cooperation. He also stressed his confidence following the announcement of the first strategy of the Union towards the Gulf states which focuses on “strengthening joint cooperation”.
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union has retained the Ambassador’s posting in the Gulf region, where he will continue to play his role in strengthening relations between the European Union and the Gulf, including cooperation with Kuwait.
Ambassador Tudor explained that Kuwait was the first Gulf country to sign a cooperation arrangement with the European Union in 2016 and has since then strengthened it to include various fields, such as trade, investment, research, education and development, humanitarian aid and security.
“I am very happy with my experience in Kuwait, on a personal and official level, I discovered an open society and I was lucky to arrive in Kuwait in October 2019. These relationships were very important, especially during the pandemic,” he told reporters. Tudor added that he does not have any information about the further development on the “Schengen” visa issue.
“Personally I am very optimistic and I think that the process is going smoothly, but I can’t say when. The process takes a long time, but it does not mean that there is any obstruction or consequences, as you know, the European Union is comprised of 27 countries, the decision-making process and its decision-making in the European Union takes its time between the European Council and the European Parliament. But I appreciate the efforts made by the Kuwaiti government,” he said.
Ambassador Tudor also praised the relations between the Kuwaiti authorities and the European Union mission, adding that the issue of exemption from the “Schengen” reflects the European Union’s interest in Kuwait and its position.
“At the level of the European Union, this year in particular, a European Union strategy dedicated to the GCC countries was announced, as for the first time in the European Union it is developing a special strategy in the GCC countries in all fields, political, humanitarian and economic. We want to go in-depth with the Kuwaiti authorities in terms of digital transformation and green transformation. Although there is a war in Europe and that the European Union still depends on traditional energy, we are very committed to this transformation, and we are interested in deepening and researching more on this issue with the authorities Kuwaiti,” he said.
Ambassador Tudor explained that the process of appointing a new ambassador needs administrative procedures that take time, but he assured that the ambassador will be appointed soon. He said that his departure from Kuwait will be on 1st of September.
“Through my career in Kuwait, I discovered a diverse Kuwaiti society, and this trip in Kuwait helped me increase my experience and knowledge in the Gulf, in general. I lived in Kuwait the process of establishing an EU mission from scratch, and I believe that my appointment in Qatar is due to my successful and positive experience in Kuwait, where I gained this kind of experience,” he said.
He also said that the European Union is a successful project, and despite the existence of war between Russia and Ukraine, the union is strong and united internally. “We went through difficult circumstances, but this war against Ukraine helped us in unifying our positions, so I am sure that this project has its benefits and returns, like any successful investment project,” he said.
Read Today's News TODAY... on our Telegram Channel click here to join and receive all the latest updates t.me/thetimeskuwait
