"Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will discuss in Moscow the crucial issues of Russia's ties with the Arab countries and the fundamental problems of the Arab region," Sheikh Muhammad As-Sabah said.

He named the Middle East a problem Kuwait is "very concerned about," along with the task of maintaining security on the Persian Gulf, the situation in Iraq and Iran's nuclear dossier.

He said Russia had long been a "friend and ally of Kuwait" and that the meeting between the two countries should "activate the joint Russian-Kuwaiti committee, which has not met to discuss cooperation plans for a relatively long time."

All of these issues are on the agenda of a forthcoming meeting between the Russian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers in Moscow. The foreign minister said preparations would be made during his own trip for the Emir's visit.