• Muhammad-Putin talks frank, positive: Al-Jubeir • Deputy Crown Prince assures all help to Saudi students
Saudi Gazette report
THE historic Saudi-Russian relations got a further boost on Thursday when the two countries signed six agreements including one on peaceful use of nuclear technology. Also, the meeting between Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, and Russian President Vladimir Putin was frank and positive, according to Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, who was also present during the talks. The historic relations between the two countries go back to 1926 when the then Soviet Union became the first nation to recognize King Abdul Aziz as the Sultan of Najd and Hijaz, and later as the King of Saudi Arabia, and henceforth the relations witnessed remarkable growth. Thursday's tête-à-tête between the Saudi crown prince and Russian president was focused mainly on further bolstering bilateral relations, and strengthening cooperation, particularly in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, military and technical cooperation, housing, oil and gas sector and investment opportunities. Putin and Prince Muhammad Bin Salman discussed the latest developments in the region and reviewed the efforts being exerted to resolve major crises affecting the region. Welcoming the deputy crown prince, Putin underscored the significance of bilateral relations between the two countries. He also recalled his invitation extended earlier to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to visit Russia and then renewed the invitation. On his part, Prince Muhammad conveyed the greetings of King Salman to Putin. He also handed the King's invitation for Putin to visit the Kingdom. The reception was attended by Al-Jubeir, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi, Acting Minister of Housing Essam Bin Saad, Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet Khaled Al-Eisa and President of General Intelligence Khaled Al-Humaidan. The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, and other senior officials. Al-Jubeir told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman to Moscow has assumed great importance owing to the international and regional circumstances. Al-Jubeir said the two-hour meeting between the two leaders was characterized by frankness and clarity. “They exchanged viewpoints at all levels on political, security and economic matters of concern to the region and the two countries,” he said. Al-Jubeir added that many agreements were signed on energy, space research and other fields. Their objective is to boost and intensify the economic and investment relations between the two countries. As to the current and aggravating issues of the region, Al-Jubeir said all matters of concern to the two countries were discussed. He said the talks were positive and contributed to raising the level of relations between the two countries. He said they will contribute to finding solutions to the many challenges facing the Kingdom and they will contribute to boosting the relations between the two countries in all fields. Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom's relations with one country does not come at the expense of relations with another country. He said the Kingdom has all along been striving to build strong and most ideal bridges of cooperation with all countries of the world. Meanwhile, the deputy crown prince received Saudi scholarship students at his residence in St. Petersburg and assured them all possible help from the state. Prince Muhammad asked the students to fully concentrate on their studies. He emphasized the Kingdom's keenness to develop human resources and boost cooperation with the scientific institutions and advanced academies in the world. Prince Muhammad also met with Muftis and head of MuslimReligious Administration for Federal Russia Sheikh Rawi Ain Al-Din and his delegation. Sheikh Al-Din briefed the deputy crown prince on the administration's activities and its vision. Meanwhile, the historic agreement for cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy was signed by Hashim Yamani, president of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A CARE), and Sergei Kiriyenko, president of the Russian state nuclear energy agency. The agreement aims at developing and strengthening relations that will benefit both parties in the economic and technical fields. According to sources, Russia will assist the Kingdom with technology and expertise in building nuclear reactors. The Kingdom has an ambitious plan to build around 16 nuclear reactors for peaceful purposes and generation of electricity. Since several months, the Russian nuclear experts were working along with K.A CARE officials to finalize the agreement. Gen. Abdurahman Al-Binayan, chief of the Saudi General Staff, and Alexander Fomin, director of the Russian Federal Service for Military–Technical Cooperation, signed the agreement for cooperation in various military fields. Moscow's role in Yemen ‘important' Saudi Ambassador to Russia Abdulrahman Al-Rassi said Moscow has an “important” role in implementing a Security Council resolution on Yemen. Rassi said there was an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia on maintaining legitimacy of Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi's government, and that Moscow was key in implementing the resolution which demands that the Iran-backed Houthi militias withdraw from all areas seized during the latest conflict and relinquish arms seized from military and security institutions. He said Russia's role was also “important” when it comes to regional countries such as Iran, stressing that Russia was a super and important power in the Security Council to “maintain stability and security in the world.” He added: “I think that Russia is feeling this responsibility and we always hope and talk with Russian officials on the Iranian issue or other. I do not think that Russia's interest is in the instability in the region and this is certain.”
