Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Lauds Media Efforts

KUWAIT CITY, March 15, 2011 - Kuwait's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Sheikh Jaber
Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah praised the efforts of the Kuwaiti media last
week, as a delegation of journalists he supported returned from a
high-profile tour of the region earlier this year.

"Often there is no greater way to communicate with Kuwaiti citizens than
through a free and fair news media," Sheikh Jaber said. "The media connects
us, brings us together and is an essential tool of democracy."

The Defence Minister made his remarks in honor of a delegation of media
members returning from a recent tour of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman,
the UAE, Lebanon and Syria. The delegation represented Kuwait in the midst of
three landmark anniversaries — the 50th anniversary of its independence, the
20th anniversary of its liberation from Iraq and the 5th anniversary of the
Kuwaiti Amir's assumption of power.

Sheikh Jaber expressed his admiration for the Kuwaiti press and media,
citing this as a reason for his full-fledged support of the media delegation.
The delegation was made possible with the cooperation of the Kuwaiti
Embassies and the military attaches from the Ministry of Defence.

Beginning with a tour throughout the Gulf from 28 January - 4 February,
the delegation met with a variety of government officials. In Saudi Arabia,
the delegation met with the following: Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Governor
of Riyadh; Prince Khalid bin Sultan, Assistant Minister of Defense and
Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs; Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja,
Minister of Culture and Information; and Prince Nayef bin Abdulziz, Second
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. In Bahrain, they met with the
Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa; the General Commander
of Bahrain's Defense Force; and the Minister of the Media. In Qatar, the
delegation met with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh
Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani and the Chief of Staff.

In Oman, they met with the Sultan counselor Abdulziz Alrawas; the
Minister of Defense Affairs Bader Alborsaidi and the Minister of Media. Also,
in the UAE, the group interacted with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed; Deputy Prime Minster and Minster of
Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed; Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs Dr. Anwar Geragash and Chief of Staff Lt. General Hamed Alromaithy.

A separate tour to Syria and Lebanon followed from 8 February - 12
February. In Syria, the delegation met with Muhammad Naji al-Otari, Prime
Minister; Ali Habib Mahmud, Minister of Defence; Walid al-Mouallem, Minister
for Foreign Affairs; and the Minister of the Media. Finally, the delegation
concluded the tour in Lebanon where they met with Lebanese President Michel
Sleiman and former speaker of the Parliament during the Gulf War, Hussein
el-Husseini, among others.

Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister has often spoken of the need for greater
communication with members of the media. In recent years he has patronized a
set of awards for the best journalists in Kuwait.

This has been issued by Al Madar. For more information, visit
www.almadar-kw.com/

Hani Megahed, +965-2266-6008