JEDDAH, 26 December 2004 — British Ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles has welcomed the successes achieved by Saudi Arabia in disrupting the terrorists’ plans, seizing their weapons and capturing wanted individuals.
“I pay particular tribute to those brave members of the Saudi security forces who have lost their lives in combating this evil. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” the ambassador says in the winter issue of “Kingdom to Kingdom — Partners in Enterprise,” published by the British Embassy in Riyadh.
“The UK is standing with the government and people of Saudi Arabia, in the hard times we’re going through as much as we’ve done throughout our shared history,” he said, adding that the UK, sadly, has long experience of fighting terrorism.
“We’ve developed techniques and expertise which we are happy to share with our Saudi friends. British counterterrorism experts are cooperating closely with their Saudi colleagues,” he said emphasizing that fighting terrorism is a long-term business that requires long-term commitment.
“As well as high-level political visits and active commercial links, we continue to see increasing numbers of Saudis visiting the UK for business, education and pleasure. And with the end of the summer, we’ve seen the return of many British nationals to the Kingdom,” the ambassador said.
“Our diplomatic and consular posts across Saudi Arabia have maintained a series of senior visits, most recently by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in October, his second visit in six months. The bilateral commercial relationship continues to develop. There has been a series of trade missions in both directions, bringing companies from Saudi Arabia and Britain together.
A large delegation of Saudi companies and officials, including Prince Turki Al-Faisal, attended the Royal Agricultural Show in Warwickshire, in particular to develop the export of Saudi dates. British companies remain committed to the Saudi market, with six trade missions so far this year. “They are finding that business here is booming,” he said.
