THE SAUDI-AUSTRALIAN JOINT COMMISSION BEGAN HERE TODAY ITS EIGHTH SESSION. SPEAKING ON THE OCCASION, DR HASHIM YAMANI, THE COMMERCE MINISTER, SAID THE VISIT OF PRINCE SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ, THE GOVERNOR OF RIYADH REGION, TO AUSTRALIA IN 2000 AND THE VISIT OF THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER OF TRADE TO THE KINGDOM IN 2004 HAVE HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON FURTHER ENHANCING COOPERATION BETWEEN THE KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA. DR YAMANI CONFIRMED THE STRENGTH OF THE SAUDI ECONOMY AND ITS CAPABILITY OF ADAPTING ITSELF TO THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE KINGDOM'S GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT (GNP) AMOUNTED IN 2005 TO ABOUT $307.3 BILLION . DR YAMANI SAID THE VOLUME OF TRADE EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA AMOUNTED IN 2005 TO $2077 MILLION, WHILE THE NUMBER OF THE JOINT PROJECTS AMOUNTED TO 21 WITH AN INVESTED CAPITAL OF $207.7 MILLION.