BRUSSELS: Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has praised the role of the Kingdom in the Arab World, describing Riyadh as an “important partner to the European Union”. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette ahead of a three-day Gulf tour beginning in Riyadh Monday, Ashton spoke of the prudent policies of Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in bringing constructive policies into effect in the Kingdom, introducing the dialogue of civilizations, and bringing calm to heated issues in the Arab arena. Ashton said she was looking forward to her meetings in Riyadh, and hoped that she would have the opportunity to meet King Abdullah. “I have several issues that require looking at during my Gulf tour,” she said. “My first stop is Riyadh.” Ashton is scheduled to meet with Prince Saud Al-Faisal to discuss regional issues, particularly those concerning Yemen and Bahrain, the latter of which she is due to visit Thursday. The Gulf initiative regarding Yemen, she said, has been well received in Europe, and she urged the Gulf countries and particularly Saudi Arabia to maintain their roles. “Riyadh especially is an axis of security and stability in the region,” she said. Iran and its nuclear intentions will be high on the agenda in her Riyadh meetings, she said. “This is a fundamental issue for Europe. It is one of its top priorities in terms of the safety of the region.” On the Middle East peace process, Ashton said that advances in both peace consultations and the announcement of the Palestinian state are a must over the next few months, “as per the recent European statement and the statement from the four-nation meeting in Munich in February”. In economic affairs, Ashton said that proposals for a free trade agreement between the European Union and the GCC will be on the discussion table at Wednesday's European-Gulf ministers meeting in Abu Dhabi. She said that she was of the conviction that the agreement should be “signed and put into effect as soon as possible”. “The Kingdom and the Gulf are an important trade partner for Europe, and that partnership should be developed in the near future,” she said.
