Kevin Rudd, Australian Foreign Minister, congratulated King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier as well as the people of Saudi Arabia on the 81st National Day of the Kingdom. Rudd praised the existing bilateral relations between the two countries. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Rudd also highlighted bilateral cooperation at regional and international arenas and the partnership between the two countries in the Group of Twenty and other international forums to serve the issues of stability, peace and other developmental issues around the world. He also spoke about growing bilateral relations between the two countries in recent years, stressing the commitment of the Australian government to deepen further the bonds of friendship and cooperation with the Kingdom and the Muslim World. Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed Bin Ismail Aal Al-Sheikh, Saudi Ambassador to France, held a reception Saturday to celebrate in Paris the Kingdom's National Day.
