News
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Qureshi, Saud discuss bilateral relations
* Foreign minister briefs his Saudi counterpart on recently concluded Pak-US strategic dialogue
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal held a meeting in Jeddah on Saturday.
Bilateral relations and regional and international issues were discussed in the meeting.
Qureshi is on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to a press release issued from the Consulate General of Pakistan, Jeddah. Both ministers were of the view that Pak-Saudi relations are deep-rooted as the people of both countries are bound in ties of history, religion and culture. The foreign minister conveyed the greetings of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Gilani to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Saud al-Faisal and stressed the need for frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries. The Saudi foreign minister briefed Qureshi on the recent visit of the Indian prime minister to Saudi Arabia.
He said that the Indo-Saudi bilateral relations could never be established at the cost of Pak-Saudi relations. He also underlined that the recent exchanges in Indo-Saudi relations would also help Pakistan. Both the foreign ministers exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan. It was agreed that both nations would consult each other and move in tandem, on matters pertaining to Afghanistan. The foreign minister briefed his Saudi counterpart on the recent Pak-US strategic dialogue and also apprised him of the developing political situation in Pakistan. Prince Saud Al-Faisal congratulated the Pakistani leadership and the foreign minister on the political achievements of the democratic government, especially the introduction of constitutional reform package through consensus. Both the foreign ministers reviewed the whole range of Pak-Saudi bilateral relations. It was agreed that the meetings of foreign secretary level political consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission would be given priority and would be held soon. Both the foreign ministers also held a one-on-one meeting that lasted for half an hour.
Prince Saud Al-Faisal happily accepted the invitation of the foreign minister to visit Pakistan. Saud and Qureshi directed their official staff to work on mutually convenient dates for the visit. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk