Ex-envoy says Saudi Crown Prince’s upcoming visit shows importance of Pakistan

Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri, former ambassador of KSA to Pakistan, speaking on the contours of Saudi foreign policy during a seminar organized by Sustainable Development Institute in Islamabad Jan. 16, 2019. (Photo courtesy: SDPI)

• Former Saudi ambassador encourages Pakistani private sector to enhance business cooperation with Saudi Arabia
• Says agenda of crown prince is “purely economics”

ISLAMABAD: A former Saudi ambassador to Pakistan said on Wednesday that the expected maiden visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan next month reflected the importance of the South Asian country for the kingdom.
Dr. Ali S. Awadh Asseri made these remarks at a seminar held at Islamabad’s Marriott hotel on the contours of Saudi foreign policy.
The retired Saudi diplomat, who served in Islamabad following the 9/11 attacks till 2009, is part of the International Institute for Iranian Studies, a Riyadh-based think tank. He is in Pakistan on a visit to explore opportunities for joint research collaboration with Pakistani research and educational institutes. He spoke alongside the chairman of the institute Dr. Mohammed S. Alsulami.
In order to diversify the cordial and historic relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia “we need to work together to achieve the ambitions of the Saudi leadership which is looking forward to helping Pakistan” through “actions that would benefit the people” on both sides, Dr. Asseri said. He urged the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry to “move toward Saudi Arabia for economic cooperation” and encourage trade and technological advancement opportunities.
Last week, Saudi Energy Minister made a brief visit to Pakistan and announced work on a proposed oil refinery in Baluchistan worth more than $10 billion within the next 18 months to overcome the country’s dependency on expensive oil imports. Riyadh has pledged $6billion in financial assistance to Islamabad to ease its economic pressures and is willing to invest in mutually beneficial projects that would increase employment opportunities and bring much needed foreign direct investments.
When asked to detail the changes in Saudi foreign policy, Dr. Asseri said, “If you look at the agenda of the crown prince, its purely economics”. He said the Saudi leadership is working on revolutionary reforms and a series of projects to achieve its Saudi Vision 2030 to secure the country’s future.
“The world does not need revolutions like Libya and Syria. The world needs evolution and reforms” which is the primary focus of the Crown Prince, he added.
But regional conflict and relations with Iran are impediments to Saudi goals, Dr. Alsulami said detailing past events of jagged Saudi-Iran relations. “Both sides have to take steps to build trust but if Iran moves forward toward (improving) relations, Saudi Arabia will reciprocate by advancing ten steps toward Iran.”
“There is no choice but to co-exist” and Pakistan, he said, can play a vital role in reducing those tensions.
Director General of Pakistan House, an institute of international and cultural affairs, Rana Athar Javed told the Saudi delegates: “For Pakistan its always remained very important that the relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran remain normal”.
“We have also promoted that there must be rapprochement between the two countries so that the tension in the Middle East reduces and we get on with other matters that is people to people relations, academic exchanges, and counter violent extremism and those that paint a negative image of Islam.”