RIYADH: France’s President François Hollande held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, on Friday focusing on improving political and economic relations and strengthening institutions to fight terrorism.
Earlier Hollande awarded the crown prince with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest national award, for his efforts in the region and around the world to combat extremism and terrorism.
Prince Mohammed had been met by the French president at the Elysee Palace, where they held talks on economic, social and political issues affecting the world. There were also reportedly specific discussions on developments in the Middle East and how the two countries could work together to solve conflicts ravaging the region.
Prince Mohammed also held talks with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls in Paris on Friday. This followed a lunch hosted in honor of the crown prince by the French prime minister with his council of ministers.
During the session, they reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways of enhancing cooperation. They also spoke about the latest developments in the region.
The talks were attended by Essam bin Saad bin Said, minister of state, Adel Al-Toraifi, minister of culture and information, Adel Al-Jubeir, foreign minister, and Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Anqari, Saudi ambassador to France.
Other officials present were Chief of General Intelligence Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan, Adviser at the Royal Court Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Muhaisin, Deputy Director General of General Investigation Lt. Gen. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Qarni, and several French officials.
The crown prince had arrived Thursday at Orly International Airport in Paris and was welcomed by Ségolène Royal, French minister for ecology, sustainable development and energy, the Saudi ambassador, and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, Jean-Marc Ayrault, minister of foreign affairs and international development, met with his Saudi counterpart on the sidelines of the visit on Friday.
Al-Jubeir said the Saudi and French officials discussed the Syrian crisis and peace process to ensure security in the region as well as a host of other issues including Iraq, Iran, Palestine and Yemen. “The talks between the two sides were positive.” The Saudi-French relations are strong, Al-Jubeir said following his meeting with Ayrault.
Later on Friday, the crown prince left Paris with his delegation.
France remains a major partner of the Kingdom. In 2012, it was ranked eighth among the top 10 countries exporting to the Kingdom.
The volume of trade between the two countries doubled to more than 10 billion Euros in 2014, up by 10 percent compared to 2013.
France is the third largest investor in the Kingdom, with its direct investments standing at $15.3 billion, while the value of Saudi investments in France is valued at 900 million Euros.
Joint communique on the occasion of Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit to France
