King Salman conferred Brunei’s highest honor

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah conferred Brunei’s highest honor, the Royal Family Order for Brunei’s Throne, on King Salman, on Saturday. (SPA)

RIYADH: King Salman was conferred Brunei’s highest honor, the Royal Family Order for Brunei’s Throne, on Saturday.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei presented the award to the Saudi king after the two leaders met in Brunei and discussed a range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
The Brunei honor was conferred in recognition of the king's efforts to restore peace and security regionally and internationally, and his government’s management of The Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
A joint statement said the two leaders “stressed the importance of reaching a lasting, comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause in accordance with the contents of the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy.”
On the Syrian crisis, the two leaders underscored the importance of finding a political solution based on the Geneva communique and UN Security Council Resolution 2254, as well as the importance of providing humanitarian and relief assistance to Syria’s displaced people and refugees.
King Salman and Sultan Bolkiah also “stressed the importance of preserving the unity in Yemen and achieving its security and stability. They also confirmed the importance of a political solution to the crisis in Yemen based on the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Initiative, outputs of the National Dialogue Conference and the UN Security Council Resolution (2216), emphasizing their support for the legitimate authority in Yemen as well as access of the humanitarian aid to all Yemeni regions,” said the statement.
The two leaders agreed to coordinate their stances within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to serve the interests of the two countries and citizens, as well as the interests of the Islamic world. They also emphasized “the need to reject extremism and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever its source.”
The sultan expressed his appreciation to King Salman: “This important and historic visit reflects the continuous fraternal, friendly and bilateral relations binding the two brotherly countries,” said the statement.
The two leaders agreed to “activate” a bilateral agreement in the fields of economy, investment, education, culture, youth and sports. They also highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in political, military, security and Islamic affairs.
In 2001, the first Saudi ambassador was appointed in Brunei, and a draft joint agreement between the two countries was signed in July that year, which defined the scope of bilateral cooperation in commercial and economic fields.