Kuwait King to sign accord on mega oil refinery

Dubai, May 6: Kuwait King Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is visiting India in mid-June, is expected to sign several major pacts, including an agreement on setting up a mega oil refinery in India.

The Emir would be accompanied by Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and several other senior ministers.

His visit would strengthen bilateral political and economic ties, sources said. The centrepiece of the growing ties would be an economic cooperation treaty that would accelerate joint investment projects, sources added.

The Emir, during his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders, would identify areas of cooperation such as education, power, petroleum, infrastructure development, capacity building and free trade.

Meanwhile, the issue of welfare of Indian workers, who form about half a million in Kuwait, would also come up for discussion during high-level meetings.

Currently both countries are discussing various memorandums of understanding relating to labour, avoidance of double taxation, investments and economic cooperation, that would come up for approval during the Emir's visit.

UNI