PARIS, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- Twenty-four hours before meeting UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura, Kuwaiti Education and Higher Education Minister Nouriya Al-Subeeh recalled the State of Kuwait's commitment to the values of the UN and support and commitment to the UN body's projects.

Interviewed by KUNA, the minister reviewed Kuwait's efforts to correct negative images of the country and also to adjust the nation's goals to become, once more, member of the UNESCO Executive Board, which will be elected October 24.

Al-Subeeh is in Paris to attend the UNESCO General Conference, which formally opened Tuesday.

"Kuwait is a member of UNESCO, therefore it has to cooperate in such events and take advantage of proposed projects. Such projects are useful for us. We achieve what is possible for us and we benefit from UNESCO expertise," she said.

The Minister added that "Kuwait also shares the main principles of the UNESCO such as peace, justice, equality in opportunities between the two sexes, education for all, and cooperation between rich and poor countries."

Al-Subeeh also pointed out that there was an important task to accomplish in correcting the image some had of Kuwait.

She stressed that "the world has to know that Kuwait is an active country and that all these main UNESCO policies are implemented in Kuwait."

The official remarked participation in UNESCO venues "is of great importance, especially as our delegation covers all fields linked to the issues being proposed in the conference, such as scientific research, higher education, education, and culture."

On the Executive Board, the minister said she hoped that Kuwait's candidate, Dr. Hassan Al-Ibrahim, would win the confidence of the member states and be elected to the UNESCO higher council.

The election will take place on October 24, and while Yemen and Bahrain are leaving the Board, it is hoped Saudi Arabia and Kuwait would get their seats.

The Minister also said that Kuwait's participation in the Executive Board is an opportunity and venue to counter any claims of violations of UNESCO principles in Kuwait. Kuwait also attends as a representative of the Gulf Cooperation Council states on the prestigious board, she noted.

Al-Subeeh further expressed hope that in the next session of the General Conference in two year's time, Kuwait would have two nominees for all committees.

During her visit to the UNESCO, Al-Subeeh will Wednesday meet with Director General Koichiro Matsuura and hold talks with senior officials and ambassadors from the Arab Group.

The Kuwaiti Minister said the meeting with Matsuura will be an opportunity to inform the latter that UNESCO's strategic plan for 2008-2013 has Kuwait's support and that Kuwait has many projects it will be adopting.

She said that during her meeting, she would like to shed light on the national conference for the development of education to be held in Kuwait in February 2008.

Calling for such a conference reflects His Highness the Kuwaiti Amir's keen interest in education, the minister told KUNA.

Al-Subeeh said international institutions and organizations will participate in the conference and, therefore, UNESCO's vision will be present there as well.

In separate comments, Secretary General of the Kuwait National Commission for UNESCO, Abdelatif Al-Baijan, told KUNA that Kuwait's participation at such conferences is of "vital importance as it is an opportunity for exchange of ideas and viewpoints with other member states."

He added that through such participation, "we present the role played by the commission and the education ministry and show that the state implements the program proposed by the UNESCO."

He also noted that the Kuwaiti delegation this year was of particular high status and that this was necessary so that it takes part in activities of all committees at work.

Al-Baijan, a former Cultural Attach{ in Paris, also remarked that Kuwait implements UNESCO programs in many fields, such as water, environment, human rights, and women rights and affairs.

The figure stressed that the commission exerts all efforts to have a more effective and active participation and it tries to benefit from the UNESCO programs to serve Kuwait and its national goals.

By Sherouq Sadeqi