* Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on January 12 started his five-day visit to Russia, during which he will hold consultations on a peace treaty with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. * Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Polish charge d'affaires to voice Tehran's protest at the European country's decision to host a conference that the US is going to hold against Iran next month, Tasnim news agency reported on January 13. * Kuwait will host the third Kuwait-US Strategic Dialogue Session on January 15 with an aim of further cementing relations and cooperation between the two countries, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said on January 12. The strategic dialogue will set a roadmap for cooperation between Kuwait and the US for the next 25 years in different fields, KUNA said. * Jordan on January 12 called for international efforts to end the stalemate in the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, state-run Petra news agency reported. * The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: January 13
Kuwait news agency
Kuwait, Japan and Vietnam: Joint petrochemical complex on schedule
Site preparation works for the proposed refinery and petrochemical complex jointly owned by Kuwait, Japan and Vietnam is proceeding "as scheduled," while the investors are exploring possibility of investment cuts, major Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co. said Monday. "We are aiming to put the plant into operation in 2014," the Tokyo-based firm said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). … [Read more...] about Kuwait, Japan and Vietnam: Joint petrochemical complex on schedule
Political News 6/9
Vietnam-Vatican working group meets next week The 5th meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group will be held from September 10-11 in Hanoi, aiming to enhance relations between the two sides, Foreign Ministry Vice-Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said on September 5. Hang added that the meeting will take place as part of an agreement reached during the 4th meeting of the group in June last year. According to Hang, the Vietnamese delegation will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, while the delegation from the Vatican will be led by Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri. … [Read more...] about Political News 6/9
UN out to raise whopping $6.5 bn for Syrians at Kuwait meet
KUWAIT CITY - Delegates from some 60 nations meet in Kuwait Wednesday at a UN donors conference which aims to raise a whopping $6.5 billion (4.7 billion euros) in aid for more than 13 million Syrians affected by war. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will chair the one-day ministerial-level Second International Pledging Conference for Syria, which will be opened by Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. UN Secretary General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Nigel Fisher has told Kuwait's official KUNA news agency that the funds will be used to aid some 13.4 million Syrians whom the United Nations estimates will be affected by the Syrian civil war by the end of 2014. The figure is higher than the original 10 million people announced by the United Nations seven months ago. The United Nations will need $2.3 billion to support 9.3 million people inside Syria and $4.2 billion for Syrian refugees, expected to nearly double to 4.1 million by year's end, the UN official … [Read more...] about UN out to raise whopping $6.5 bn for Syrians at Kuwait meet
Kuwait, PetroVietnam reaffirm cooperation for refinery JV
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Chief Executive Officer Farouk Al-Zanki and PetroVietnam President and CEO Do Van Hau on Friday reaffirmed their concerted efforts to resolve outstanding issues of the planned refining and petrochemical joint venture. "Mr. Do pledged his full support to secure Vietnamese government's guarantee for foreign exchanges for lenders of the project," Al-Zanki told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) after the talks. "The Kuwaiti government is committed to this project, which is also in line with KPC's strategy to expand downstream business," he said, adding that KPC will supply 100 percent crude oil for the vital joint venture with Vietnam and Japan. The state-of-the-art refinery will have an annual oil processing capacity of 10 million tons, or 200,000 barrels per day (bpd), with a view to going online in 2015. "The contract for Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) will be awarded once outstanding issues, including finance, are resolved," Al-Zanki said. The … [Read more...] about Kuwait, PetroVietnam reaffirm cooperation for refinery JV