Indian premier visit to review Saudi-Indo ties - Arab News
By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | ARAB NEWS
RIYADH: Terrorism and cooperation in security with special reference to the situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East region will be key issues that India will take up with the Kingdom when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah holds talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Feb. 28.
This will be the first visit to Riyadh by an Indian prime minister in the last 28 years and it will be an extremely important occasion to review Saudi-Indo relations, said Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad on Saturday. King Abdullah and the Indian premier will discuss a range of bilateral, regional and international issues including Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Yemen, he added. Ahmad said Singh will be accompanied by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, for whom King Abdullahs wife Princess Hessah Al-Shalan will host a reception on the sidelines of the visit. Singh will also be accompanied by a number of Indian businessmen. A contract to set up a $680 million joint investment fund will also be signed during the visit.
Riyadh and New Dehli will sign nine agreements including an extradition treaty, an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, an agreement on scientific cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in peaceful use of outer space, an MoU on cooperation in IT and services, and an agreement between the Center for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and KACST on cooperation in IT and services.
Singh will deliver a speech at the Shoura Council on March 1 in which he will share his perspectives on Saudi-Indian ties. The centerpiece of the business segment of the visit will be addressed by Singh at the Council of Saudi Chamber on Feb 28, said Ahmad. Singh will wrap up his three-day visit to Riyadh on March 1 immediately after meeting the Indian community the same day.
By GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | ARAB NEWS
RIYADH: Terrorism and cooperation in security with special reference to the situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East region will be key issues that India will take up with the Kingdom when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah holds talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Feb. 28.
This will be the first visit to Riyadh by an Indian prime minister in the last 28 years and it will be an extremely important occasion to review Saudi-Indo relations, said Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad on Saturday. King Abdullah and the Indian premier will discuss a range of bilateral, regional and international issues including Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Yemen, he added. Ahmad said Singh will be accompanied by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, for whom King Abdullahs wife Princess Hessah Al-Shalan will host a reception on the sidelines of the visit. Singh will also be accompanied by a number of Indian businessmen. A contract to set up a $680 million joint investment fund will also be signed during the visit.
Riyadh and New Dehli will sign nine agreements including an extradition treaty, an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, an agreement on scientific cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in peaceful use of outer space, an MoU on cooperation in IT and services, and an agreement between the Center for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and KACST on cooperation in IT and services.
Singh will deliver a speech at the Shoura Council on March 1 in which he will share his perspectives on Saudi-Indian ties. The centerpiece of the business segment of the visit will be addressed by Singh at the Council of Saudi Chamber on Feb 28, said Ahmad. Singh will wrap up his three-day visit to Riyadh on March 1 immediately after meeting the Indian community the same day.
