A joint Saudi-Iraqi statement was issued today. The following is the text of the statement:
The Iraqi Premier Dr Iyad Allawi paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 27 - 29 July 2004. A high level delegation accompanied him. Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, welcomed the visit, which will help boost relations between the two countries and peoples.
The head of the Iraqi delegation held official talks with King Fahd and the Crown Prince. On the Saudi side, a number of senior officials attended the talks.
The two sides discussed the future of relations between the two countries in an atmosphere of commitment to common interests and their development to serve the interests of the two countries and boost security and stability in Iraq and in the region.
The two sides welcomed United Nations Security Council resolution 1546, which addresses the end of occupation and Iraq’s regaining of its sovereignty. They stressed the importance of the implementation of the political processes contained in the aforementioned resolution, looking forward to boosting national sovereignty to preserve the unity of Iraq and restore its ties with Arab and Islamic countries. The two sides agreed to restore diplomatic representation between the two countries, work to develop cooperation in all fields, particularly boosting cooperation in security fields and exchanging expertise in this regard.
In addition, the two sides agreed on the following: Expanding trade between the two countries and providing the necessary facilities to achieve this goal; reiteration by the Saudi side of its willingness to proceed with the implementation of the $1 billion program to support the process of reconstruction in Iraq; the Saudi Development Fund will provide $500 million in soft loans and the other $500 million will finance and guarantee Saudi exports to Iraq as announced at the Madrid Donors’ Conference held in October. Officials from the two sides will meet to prepare the implementation details of the program. Principal agreement was also reached on a host of other fields of cooperation in oil, telecommunications, training, services and other fields; holding an Iraqi-Saudi meeting for Saudi and Iraqi businessmen next autumn to study means of enhancing and expanding the role of Saudi companies in reconstruction and investment in Iraq as part of developing cooperation in economic and commercial fields between the two countries.
The Iraqi Prime Minister thanked King Fahd and the Crown Prince for constant Saudi support of the Iraqi people in all fields.
Source: SPA
