DOHA – Saudi Arabia and Qatar reaffirmed on Thursday their resolve to strengthen cooperation on all political issues and seek to formulate common positions that safeguard their security and stability. In a joint statement, the two countries underlined the need to take advantage of the vast economic opportunities pertaining to infrastructure projects, free zones, logistics, gas and energy, especially during the period of Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The statement was issued here at the end of the two-day state visit of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to Qatar on the third leg of his current tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The two countries also expressed their satisfaction over their military cooperation and emphasized the need to continue it. In their joint statement, the Kingdom and Qatar reiterated their common view of finding a peaceful solution to all the regional issues. They stressed the need for Lebanon not to be a launching pad for any actions that destabilize the security of the region, and to undertake comprehensive reforms to ensure that the country overcomes its crises. Both countries welcomed the electoral process in Iraq. They also stressed the importance of reaching political solutions to the Yemeni and Syrian crises. Riyadh and Doha welcomed the conclusions reached by the parties to the transitional phase in Sudan. As for Libya, they agreed on the importance of reaching a political solution to the crisis in the north African country. Crown Prince reaffirms depth of ties Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman stated that his talks with the Qatari leaders reiterated the depth of ties between the two countries. In a cable sent to Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar after his departure from Doha, the Crown Prince said that the visit and the talks confirmed the strength of the brotherly relations between the two countries, and the common desire to deepen cooperation between them in all fields, in a way serving the interests of the two countries and their peoples, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Crown Prince said both countries stressed their mutual keenness in further expanding cooperation in all fields. He also wished security, stability and prosperity for the Qatari people. The Crown Prince, who arrived in Qatar on Wednesday, held wide ranging talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim. They also co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. Accompanied by Sheikh Tamim, the Crown Prince visited on Thursday Lusail Stadium in Doha, which is expected to host the final match of the 2022 World Cup. The Crown Prince arrived on Thursday in Bahrain on the fourth leg of his GCC tour that already took him to Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The tour is ahead of the GCC Summit which will be held in Riyadh during this month.
