Turki, Chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said on Sunday the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council is expected to sign commercial agreements aimed at raising the volume of trade between the two countries and strengthening trade and industrial relations. The meeting on Tuesday would also facilitate joint ventures between the two sides, remove obstacles facing investments and lay down the foundation for improved relations. He added the meeting would reaffirm the strong commercial ties between the two countries. The Qatari businessmen have always been keen to maintain and develop good relations with their Saudi counterparts, he said. The council is co-chaired by Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatari Heir-Apparent. The total volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached about QR3.5 billion in 2006, from QR2.7 billion in 2005. Commercial records indicate that 26 Saudi companies as well as several Saudi individuals have businesses in Qatar. The total capital of Saudi companies registered in Qatar has reached QR35.6 billion, with the volume of actual investments in the Qatari market estimated at tenfold. There are some 94 Saudi companies that have joint ventures in Qatar. Meanwhile, the joint preparatory committee of the council wrapped up meetings here on Sunday to draft the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the council. Dr. Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al-Salem, Undersecretary at Ministry of Interior and head of the Saudi side at Sunday's meeting said issues of mutual concern were discussed in the two sessions. He said the two sides showed identical viewpoints on ways to promote relations in all political, security, social, and economic fields. Saif Mugaddam Albo-Einain, Qatar's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the two sides worked as one team, reaching agreement on several points on the agenda. Several committees were formed to decide on the topics to be discussed by the coordination council's meeting, he said. Meanwhile, Ahmed Bin Ali Al-Qahrani, the Saudi Ambassador to Qatar, has said Riyadh and Doha have proved their keenness to strengthen relations in all fields.
