Saudi crown prince to visit for business, defence cooperation talks
ISLAMABAD: The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who also serves as the deputy prime minister and minister for defence of the kingdom, is scheduled to visit Pakistan from February 15-17 on the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for talks on subject.
According to a Foreign Office (FO) release, the Saudi crown prince would be leading a high powered delegation including Minister of Economy and Planning Dr Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al-Jasser, Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Nizar Bin Obaid Madani along with important Saudi businessmen.
The visit is of special significance since it would be his first visit to Pakistan after assuming this position. He had earlier visited Pakistan in 1998 when was serving as the governor of Riyadh.
During the visit, Prince Salman is expected hold talks with the President and the prime minister on bilateral and international matters of mutual interest.
Among other senior dignitaries, the minister for defence, the minister for finance, the speaker of the national assembly, the adviser to the prime minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs and the chief of Army Staff would be calling on the crown prince.
The key topics in the agenda include ways to increase export of Pakistani manpower to Saudi Arabia and to facilitate the Pakistani community residing in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Later, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam Khan explained that there is no specific reference to stationing of Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia, though other defence matters are expected to come under discussion.
“We have been providing training to the Saudi Armed Forces. We would also be interested in sale of arms to Saudi Arabia like JF-17 Thunder and Mushshaq aircraft and other equipment.”
Categorically denying that Saudi Arabia was interested in acquiring nuclear arsenal from Pakistan, the spokesperson said “Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are not discussing nuclear cooperation.”
She added that Pakistani nuclear installations were safe with the country dealing with nuclear technology for more than 40 years. “We have a number of nuclear power plants in the civilian domain. We have a nuclear weapons program which is a declared one. We have extensive security regimes for both. Our civilian nuclear program is under IAEA safeguards and it is meant to provide energy and it is also used in agriculture and medical fields.”
She concluded that talks on nuclear installations was propaganda. “This campaign is motivated and baseless and we reject it.”
As for a draft defence-cum-security pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia having been prepared for signing during the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince, the FO spokesperson said a number of proposals are under consideration, and they will “probably be finalised over the next two or three days.”
Saudi crown prince to visit for business, defence cooperation talks – The Express Tribune
