Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at his palace here today the Iraqi Premier, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari and the accompanying delegation.
The Crown Prince welcomed the Premier, wishing him and his accompanying delegation a pleasant stay in their second country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
On his part, the Iraqi Premier expressed his appreciation of and thanks to the Crown Prince for a warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to them since their arrival in the Kingdom, wishing the Kingdom steady progress and prosperity.
During the meeting, they reviewed the overall developments at the Arab and international arenas led by the situation in Iraq. Aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in all fields for the benefit of both countries and peoples were also discussed.
The Crown Prince was briefed on the latest developments in Iraq. "Iraq is in our hearts", he said and prayed to Almighty Allah that the Iraqi people be united for the benefit of their homeland and be protected from any harm.
In his remarks, the Premier re-affirmed his appreciation of the Kingdom's stand, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and the Crown Prince, with regard to maintaining Iraq's unity and territorial integrity.
The meeting was attended by a number of Saudi senior officials and the delegation accompanying the Iraqi premier.
In a press statement, the Crown Prince wished the Premier, his delegation and the Iraqi people all success and progress.
He pointed out that the Iraqis have their own opinions and would not accept the opinions of the others. "We have full confidence that reason will prevail and Iraq will restore its security and stability".
On the new political experience in Iraq, the Crown Prince said: "It is difficult but it will be overcome by reasons and men in Iraq".
On his part, Dr. Al-Jaafari said that his visit to the Kingdom aims at enhancing close relations binding the two countries. He described relations as old and deep-rooted.
The Iraqi Premier added that the Kingdom is a neighboring country and home to the Two Holy Mosques. He added that the Kingdom has honorably stood by Iraq in difficult circumstances. "The Kingdom has also been affected by Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and terrorism. Now our common enemy is terrorism", he said.
Dr. Al-Jaafari noted that the Kingdom has an Islamic and international influence. "There are many joint matters between the two countries", he said and added: "If our viewpoints become closer, they will be reflected on the Arab and Muslim worlds and the entire world".
He indicated that Saudi officials have shown excellent understanding of the situation in Iraq.
