Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks with Iraqi President Mohammed Fuad Masum on Tuesday.
Masum arrived in Riyadh amid hopes that both countries will engage in high-level talks to restore peace in Iraq, as well as in the region. He was received by Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin. This is the first presidential visit from Iraq since 2010, and it is widely seen as a possibility for rapprochement between the neighboring countries.
“During his significant visit, Masum is expected to meet high-ranking Saudi officials to discuss bilateral cooperation, especially political and security conditions in Iraq and the region, which concern the two countries,” a diplomatic source earlier said Tuesday.
Iraqi foreign minister, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, said that “the talks between Saudi and Iraqi leadership will help defuse the situation. It is a continuation of the previous meetings held in Jeddah, Paris and New York.”
All previous Saudi-Iraqi meetings indicated the seriousness on the part of the two countries to boost ties, said the National Iraqi News Agency quoting Al-Jaafari.
Abdullah-Masum talks focus on Iraqi crisis
Abdullah-Masum talks focus on Iraqi crisis
Saudi Cabinet reviews cooperation and agreements with other nations
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs meeting and briefs ministers on his recent meeting with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
- Cooperative efforts includes projects focusing on development and education, political consultations, environmental protection, health, investment and air transport
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers reviewed a number of domestic and international matters during a session in Jeddah on Tuesday chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The crown prince briefed the Cabinet on his recent meeting with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which included discussions about regional security and stability, the latest developments in the Middle East, and other topics of importance to the Arab and Islamic world, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He also shared with ministers the contents of a letter he received from the president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The council discussed progress in cooperative efforts involving Saudi Arabia and other countries including Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Estonia, Cuba and Kiribati, and approved a number of memorandums of understanding.
The cooperation includes projects focusing on development and education, political consultations, environmental protection, health, investment and air-transport services, the press agency said. Ministers also approved an agreement between the Saudi General Authority for Awqaf and its Omani counterpart relating to endowments.
They reviewed national initiatives, including one for the promotion of charitable work, and the enhancement of humanitarian and developmental efforts across the country.
A merger of the National Competitiveness Center with the Saudi Center for Economic Business to create a combined Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center was authorized.
