iNarrators.com - News that Matters

World Needs Abdullah: Sarkozy

Friday, 22 June 2007

Khaled Almaeena

PARIS, — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed yesterday regional and international issues with a focus on the situation in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, nuclear proliferation and the war on terror.

At a meeting held at the Elysee Palace, the two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen mutual relations and open new horizons of cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting King Abdullah referred to the six decades of friendship between Saudi Arabia and France and also congratulated Sarkozy on his victory in the May presidential election.

The king also said France plays a crucial role in the Middle East. “France has an international standing that places on the country huge responsibilities and roles that it must fulfill, particularly pertaining to the Middle Eastern issues. The world will listen to the voice of France — the voice of justice and fairness — under the leadership of President Sarkozy.”

Sarkozy affirmed his wish to maintain France’s good relations with the Kingdom. The president said his country would continue under his leadership to recognize the Kingdom’s important position in the Islamic world and its influential position in the global economy.

“The world needs the Kingdom in order to achieve peace,” said Sarkozy. “The world needs the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to find a way out of tension and clashes.”

Many, especially among leftists and immigrants, view Sarkozy as anti-immigrant for his policies and statements he has made in the past. He has pledged to crack down on illegal immigration and, as interior minister, often used harsh language about crime in the Paris suburbs that raised accusations of racism.

On the other hand, Sarkozy has also called for employment quotas that would potentially help Arab and other immigrants overcome job discrimination. He has promised to create 250,000 jobs for disadvantaged youths by the end of the year.

Many are waiting to see if the president can curb rising tensions, especially in the Parisian suburbs, related to growing number of jobless immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East. Yesterday, Sarkozy said he hopes to foster positive relations with the Arab world and that his administration would not coddle Israel when it perceives the country of applying heavy-handed tactics.

“France is keen to be friendly with the Arabs,” he said. “Its relations with Israel will never prevent it from being the first to tell Israel that it is wrong when it commits a wrong.”

Sarkozy also accepted an invitation extended by King Abdullah to visit the Kingdom this year. The king and president also had a close-door meeting following the discussions and a lunch was hosted in honor of the Saudi delegation, which included top officials.

Earlier in the day Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal met with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner at his office. Prince Muhammad ibn Faisal, who heads the Kingdom’s EU relations division of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Saudi Ambassador to France Muhammad ibn Ismail Al-Ashaikh and French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Charles d’Aragon attended the meeting.

Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and his French counterpart Christine Lagarde discussed the Kingdom’s railroad projects, the energy sector and mutual trade and investment.

A joint statement meanwhile expressed the Kingdom’s desire to boost cooperation in the field of higher education, vocational training and scientific research.

The business community in the Kingdom is particularly upbeat about King Abdullah’s current European tour. They believe that businessmen and industrialists stand to gain the most from the royal visit.

Commenting on the current tour of the king to Europe, Egypt and Jordan, Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy said the current visit is the expression of King Abdullah’s vision aimed at building and developing strategic relations.

“These visits will open new horizons for Saudi investors and businessmen and pave the way for the flow of investments to these countries and attract investments from these countries to the Kingdom particularly when the Kingdom welcomes large foreign investments in the economic cities envisaged by King Abdullah,” Al-Jeraisy told the Saudi Press Agency yesterday.

Ahmad Al-Rajhi, member of the board of directors of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “Saudi products have gained the confidence of consumers the world over, and are marketed in 120 countries.”

With bilateral trade between France and the Kingdom reaching $7.9 billion last year and Saudi exports accounting for $5.45 billion and French exports at $2.25 billion; Saudi Arabia is one of France’s most important trading partners.

In the political sphere, cooperation between the two countries has been strong since the founding of the Kingdom by the Late King Abdul Aziz. France was one of the first to recognize King Abdul Aziz’s government in 1926.

A statement from the French president’s office said the Kingdom has been playing a key role in encouraging stability and balance and moderation in the conflicts in the Arab world over the past several years.

Saudi-French relations are marked by mutual respect and standing on the foundations laid by King Faisal and former French President Charles de Gaulle in 1967.

The two countries signed the Al-Jazirah Pact in 1931. Saudi Arabia benefited shortly after that when France established a weapons factory in Al-Kharj. In 1929 France sent an economic delegation to Saudi Arabia followed by a diplomatic delegation in 1936.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=97800&d=22&m=6&y=2007

Comments

Add New

RSS