Monday, Feb 12, 2007
International
Putin arrives in Saudi Arabia http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/12/stories/2007021205041500.htm
Atul Aneja
DUBAI: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Saudi Arabia to shore up ties with the world's largest oil producer in the fields of hydrocarbons, military and railways.
Mr. Putin is leading a large high-level delegation, which includes Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and top representatives of the Russian Military-Technological Cooperation agency as well as railways. Others in the delegation include Alexei Miller, the head of the Russian gas giant Gazprom, and Vagit Alekperov of Lukoil. Russia is the second largest exporter of oil after Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Putin is the first Russian head of state to visit Saudi Arabia. During his two-day stay, Mr. Putin will hold talks with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and other top ranking officials. He is also expected to have a breakfast meeting on Monday with Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, who is also the Kingdom's Defence Minister. Specific agreements in the field of defence are unlikely. However, Russian officials say that Saudi Arabia has shown an interest in acquiring Russian T-90 tanks, and in diversifying its overseas military procurements.
The two sides are expected to align their positions on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Saudi Arabia last week hosted a key meeting in Makkah of Palestinian factions, which led to an agreement on the formation of a Palestinian national unity government. Russia has welcomed this accord and has advocated the end of the Western boycott of Hamas. Russia is a member of the "Quartet group" engaged in implementing the "road map" which has the formation of an independent Palestinian State as its goal.
The Russian President is also visiting Jordan, where he is expected to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. During his stay in Riyadh, Mr. Putin is likely to discuss with his Saudi interlocutors, the crisis in Iran and ways to avert a conflict there. Despite their several differences, the Saudis are holding an active dialogue with the Iranians at the level of their National Security Council heads. Russia is also seriously engaging the Iranians in order to defuse the crisis.
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