MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Saudi Arabia’s King Salman for talks at the Kremlin on Thursday, cementing a relationship that is pivotal for world oil prices and could decide the outcome of the conflict in Syria.
Putin received the monarch in the gold-decorated St. Andrew Hall, one of the grandest spaces in the Kremlin, attended by soldiers in ceremonial dress and with an orchestra playing their countries’ national anthems.
“I am sure that your visit will provide a good impulse for the development of relations between our two states,” Putin told King Salman as they sat alongside each other in the Kremlin’s lavishly decorated Green Parlor. “This is the first visit by a Saudi monarch in the history of our relations and that in itself is a landmark event,” Putin said.
The king invited Putin to visit his country — an offer the Russian leader accepted — and said they planned to keep cooperating to keep world oil prices stable.
King Salman told Putin that Iran must stop meddling in the Middle East, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.
“We emphasize that the security and stability of the Gulf region and the Middle East is an urgent necessity for achieving stability and security in Yemen,” the king said.
“This would demand that Iran give up interference with the internal affairs of the region, to give up actions destabilizing the situation in this region.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir told journalists that “relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia have reached a historic moment.”
King Salman and President Putin signed a slew of arms and energy deals.
Saudi Arabia signed preliminary agreements to buy Russia’s S-400 air defense systems and anti-tank guided missile systems and receive “cutting-edge technologies,” the state-owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) said.
These agreements are “expected to play a pivotal role in the growth and development of the military and military systems industry in Saudi Arabia,” SAMI said in a statement.
The leaders of the world’s largest energy exporters discussed an extension of an OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) agreement to cap oil output.
The two countries signed a series of multibillion-dollar investment deals including one to create a $1 billion fund to pursue energy projects.
Moscow and Riyadh worked together to secure a deal between OPEC and other oil producers to cut output until the end of March 2018, helping support prices.
Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said Saudi Arabia is “flexible” regarding Moscow’s suggestion to extend the pact until the end of next year.
Agreements on global oil supply have helped oil markets to stabilize, Al-Falih said.
He said Saudi Arabia wants to develop ties with Russia further, particularly in the private sector.
“I see huge opportunities for the business sector in both nations,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said agreements came in the fields of “energy — not only traditional but also nuclear power — and also in cooperation in space exploration (and) agro-industry and infrastructure projects.”
Later, speaking at a news briefing, Al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia is working closely with Russia on uniting Syria’s opposition, adding that Moscow and Riyadh agreed on the need to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and state institutions.
Al-Jubeir also said that both Russia and Saudi Arabia believe in the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs and in the principle of territorial integrity.
For his part, Lavrov focused on the common ground, saying the two leaders had agreed on the importance of fighting terrorism, and finding peaceful solutions to conflicts in the Middle East.
Lavrov said the meeting between the Saudi monarch and Putin saw a “particular focus on Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.”
Separately, the Russian-Saudi Investment Forum concluded on Thursday in Moscow with announcements of joint business and investment projects.
Ibrahim Al-Omar, governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), said: “We’re working on improving the level of FDI (foreign direct investment) to the Kingdom by attracting more investments. We’re working to give the private sector a bigger share in the market.”
The energy minister said bilateral cooperation in the last two years has benefited the oil market by stabilizing prices.
“It has breathed back life into OPEC, which found itself… unable to swing its production as supply was persistently high in 2014 and global inventories were steadily rising ahead of demand,” Al-Falih added.
Saudi-Russian relations reach new heights
Saudi-Russian relations reach new heights
Indonesian doctor raises health awareness among Hajj pilgrims
- Indonesian Dr. Indah Melina walked among other beneficiaries of the initiative, sharing health tips with Indonesian pilgrims
- All Hajj campaigns have a medical team with doctors, nurses and technicians who monitor pilgrims’ health
RIYADH: Indonesian Dr. Indah Melina, a beneficiary of the Makkah Route Initiative, is raising awareness among pilgrims about the importance of maintaining good health.
At Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia, she walked among other beneficiaries of the initiative, sharing health tips with Indonesian pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
“I have been working as a doctor at a public hospital in Indonesia for four years,” said Melina, 33.
“I was thrilled to be selected as part of the medical team for the Hajj season. It has always been my dream to serve Indonesian pilgrims and ensure their safety.”
All Hajj campaigns have a medical team with doctors, nurses and technicians who monitor pilgrims’ health.
“The team is given a list of pilgrims’ names and health information, which enables it to monitor those with specific medical conditions. Comprehensive and advanced healthcare services are also provided upon their arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Melina added.
Hajj is a holistic ritual serving both soul and body, the doctor said. She works to promote awareness among pilgrims about the importance of personal and environmental hygiene at the holy sites, following Islamic teachings.
She also highlights the need for pilgrims to carry identification cards and acknowledges the efforts of the Kingdom’s authorities to ensure health security.
The first Makkah Route Initiative flight from Indonesia departed from Surabaya airport on May 12, carrying approximately 300 pilgrims.
The initiative, implemented by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, is intended to streamline pilgrims’ journeys from airports in their home countries.
Launched in 2017 as part of Vision 2030, it involves a dedicated team that assists pilgrims, as well as buses to transport them safely and comfortably on their journey through Makkah and Madinah.
Other services provided include biometric scans, the issuance of Hajj visas, and electronic luggage coding.
The world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation will be sending 241,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year for the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj this year is expected to start on June 14 and end on June 19.
Saudi authorities seize multi-million dollar haul of narcotics
- The drugs haul had an estimated street value of between $47 million and $117.5 million
- Two people were arrested in the Riyadh region
RIYADH: Saudi authorities have seized a massive haul of 4.7 million Captagon tablets with a street value of up to $117.5m, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.
Major Marwan Al-Hazmi, spokesperson for the Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control, said the tablets were found hidden in a shipment of concrete blocks.
The drugs haul had an estimated street value of between $47 million and $117.5 million, according to research published in the International Addiction Review Journal, based on assumptions that users pay in the range of $10-$25 a pill.
Amphetamines are largely used by young men and teenaged boys across the Middle East, and the money raised through the sale of all narcotics are usually ploughed back into the drug trade while some find their way into organized crime and terrorism.
Two people were arrested in the Riyadh region, according to SPA and have been referred to the Public Prosecution and initial legal procedures have been taken against them.
The authorities have called upon the public to report all information regarding drug smuggling or selling by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom. Alternatively, authorities may be contacted by email at [email protected].
Reports of suspected cases of drug smuggling are treated with strict confidentiality. Financial rewards are offered for information leading to arrests.
Saudi surgeons train Indonesian doctors in advanced cardiac procedures
- Saudi surgical team is embedded with a general hospital in Medan, in North Sumatra
- Some procedures taught by Saudi doctors have never been performed in the province
JAKARTA: A 22-member medical team from Saudi Arabia has been in Indonesia since the beginning of May to train doctors in advanced cardiac procedures on adults and children.
Facilitated by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief, the cardiovascular surgical team is embedded with Adam Malik Central General Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra province.
It consists of surgeons, specialist nurses, perfusionists and respiratory therapists from the King Faisal Cardiac Center in Jeddah and the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center in Riyadh.
Among them are “some of the best heart surgeons in Saudi Arabia,” who not only “help save the lives of Indonesian people, but also provide training to young doctors to handle open-heart surgery, catheterization and pediatric heart surgery,” Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in a statement on Monday.
“(Their presence) will encourage quality improvement and accelerate the transfer of knowledge to young Indonesian doctors. They will train and work with well-known doctors from abroad, learning their work discipline, work culture and interaction with patients.”
During their stay in Indonesia, the Saudi Arabia doctors will perform surgery on about 30 patients, with all the costs covered by the program.
Heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in the Southeast Asian nation — after stroke — killing 250,000 people a year, including 6,000 children.
Many patients die before they receive specialist care, which is often available only at hospitals in the biggest cities.
The transfer-knowledge program sponsored by KSrelief supports Indonesia’s health system transformation plan, under which all regional government hospitals will be expected to carry out open-heart surgery and pediatric heart surgery, without having to refer patients to the main cardiac centers in Jakarta.
The Ministry of Health said some of the complex procedures introduced by the Saudi Arabia team at the Medan hospital, including the replacement of a part of the aorta and the aortic valve of the heart, have never been performed in the province.
The ministry quoted the Medan hospital’s head of cardiovascular services, Dr. Faisal Habib, who said his team was also learning from the Saudi Arabia doctors the advanced techniques of handling surgery in less invasive ways.
“One of their master skills is performing heart surgery without opening the entire chest, but only through a small opening,” he said. “We are learning this from their expertise.”
Saudi vice foreign minister attends reception to mark Africa Day
- Africa Day, which is celebrated annually on May 25, acknowledges the continent’s role in the fight against colonialism.
- The party took place at the Palace of Culture in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter on Monday
RIYADH: Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji was among those attending a special event to commemorate Africa Day.
The party took place at the Palace of Culture in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter on Monday, reported Saudi Press Agency.
El-Khereiji was welcomed by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Saudi Arabia, Diaa Al-Din Bamakhrama, ambassador of Djibouti, and Iyad Tijani, head of the African Group and ambassador of Cameroon.
As well as emphasizing the Kingdom’s deep-rooted political and diplomatic relations with African countries and organizations, he highlighted its commitment to developing cooperation and partnerships with African countries in trade and integration, as well as enhancing consultation, coordination and mutual support in international organizations on issues of common interest.
Africa Day, which is celebrated annually on May 25, acknowledges the continent’s role in the fight against colonialism and the progress it has made, as well as reflecting the challenges it faces in a global environment.
SAR signs rail transportation contract with major manufacturer
- P&G wants to utilize the rail network to advance its product transportation and enhance operational efficiency
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia Railways has signed a major contract with Ismail Abudawood and Procter & Gamble to transport goods from the company’s factory in Damman to customers in Riyadh.
SAR’s Senior Vice President of Freight Badr Al-Atni and P&G’s Chief Operating Officer of Supply Chain and Logistic Network Operations Ahmed Bannan completed the deal on Monday, reported Saudi Press Agency.
P&G wants to utilize the rail network to advance its product transportation and enhance operational efficiency.
The agreement will help reduce truck traffic on highways between Dammam and Riyadh, which will lower carbon emissions and help preserve road infrastructure and safety in line with the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the Saudi Vision 2030.
