KUWAIT CITY, April 13, (KUNA): Kuwait and Brunei, with attendance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, signed bilateral agreements on Monday. The signing ceremony, held at Bayan Palace, was attended by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Oil and Gas cooperation agreement was signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Oil Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Brunei Minister of Energy Mohammad bin Daud. Kuwait Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shimali and bin Daud signed an agreement to avoid dual taxation and financial evasion.

Al-Shimali and bin Daud also signed an agreement to encourage and protect investment between both countries.
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-sabah and senior officials. Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace monday the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of their visit to the country. Official talks were held with Kuwaiti side headed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with attendance of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-sabah and senior officials. The Brunei side was chaired by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the accompanying delegation.

Boosting
Minister of the Amiri Diwan said the talks dealt with distinguished bilateral relations and ways of boosting them in all domains. The talks were held in a friendly atmosphere reflecting the strong friendship between both countries, he said.
Earlier, Brunei Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah and his accompanying delegation arrived here Monday for a three-day official visit to Kuwait. Upon arrival at the Kuwait Airport, he was received by H.H. Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, H.H. Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, Deputy Chief of the National Guard Meshael Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad, ministers, governors, senior state officials and high-ranking army, police and National Guard officers.
The mission of honor to accompany the Sultan was headed by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, an advisor at the Amir Diwan.
The Brunei Sultan’s party includes the ministers of energy, foreign affairs and commerce and several other state officials.
In the meantime, Brunei Minister of Energy Mohammad bin Daud held talks here Monday with Kuwait’s Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah on ways of fostering oil cooperation, with the two countries are prepared to sign later today a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Speaking to KUNA after the meeting, held at Bayan Palace, Sheikh Ahmad said Brunei intended to build an oil refinery and to use Kuwait crude oil.
The meeting, he added, touched upon the refinery which would be co-financed by private sectors in Kuwait and Brunei.
The refinery project is being studied and private sector companies to take part in the venture were not specified yet, said Sheikh Ahmad.
The Kuwaiti senior official said they have also discussed the agenda of a round table of oil ministers of producing and consuming countries, slated for April 25-26 in Japan.
The Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah who is currently on a visit to Kuwait, received on Monday, at his residence in Bayan Palace acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
Also attending the reception was Head of the honorary accompanying delegation and Amiri Diwan Advisor Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Hamed Al-Sabah and Assistant Undersecretary in His Highness the Prime Minister’s Diwan Sheikh Fahad Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.