Iran-Saudi Ties Will Further Consolidate Regional Security: President

May 17, 1999 - 0:0
JEDDAH President Mohammad Khatami met and conferred with King Fahd here Saturday night. Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and Second Deputy Prime Minister Prince Sultan ibn Abd Al-Aziz as as well as Iranian oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Commerce Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari were also present at the talks. Stressing that there are still causes for concern and threat in the region, President Khatami said that in the past two years the region has been witness to the shaping of closer ties between regional countries.

The president underscored importance of security as the key factor most needed by the regional countries, adding that security can be preserved merely in the light of understanding, mutual respect and common interests. President Khatami underlined the importance of good relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in bolstering security and solidarity in the region, adding that closer Tehran-Riyadh ties will further consolidate security in the region.

Khatami termed rapprochement towards security and understanding in the region as a principled and strategic move, expressing satisfaction over mutual efforts by the two countries to further promote bilateral relations. King Fahd for his part said at the meeting that Tehran-Riyadh ties are currently at their highest level, adding that the two countries are determined to further expand bilateral relations. Stressing that his country has always sought expanded relations with Iran, the Saudi King said now all the doors are open to both countries.

therefore, he stated, it is the responsibility of officials of the two countries to further promote the good relations to the highest possible level. At the end of the meeting, King Fahd presented the highest Saudi medal of honor to President Khatami. Earlier, President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami inaugurated the new building of the Iranian Consulate General and the Office of Iran's Permanent Mission to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jeddah. The ceremony was attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Feisal, the Governor of the holy Mecca region, Amir Majed, Jeddah's Governor General Amir Mash'al, OIC Secretary General Ezzedine Laraki and members of the diplomatic corps from Islamic countries.

The Consulate General in Jeddah plays an important role in bilateral relations as the city serves as the seat of Saudi Administration for three months in a year. As Jeddah is the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia, economic experts are stationed at the consulate general to increase economic ties between the two countries. In the meantime, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ezzedine Laraki described President Khatami's visit as a crucial event.

He made the remark in a meeting with the Iranian president on the sideline of the inaugural ceremony of the new building of Iran's consulate general. Laraki said that President Khatami's visit to Saudi Arabia is one of the positive outcomes of the OIC summit meeting in Tehran in December 1997 and expressed hope that the world will witness materialization of othe achievements of the summit in the future.

He also termed as successful the preliminary conference on dialog among civilizations held in Tehran recently.