RIYADH, 2 February — Saudi Arabia is expected to sign a security agreement with Iran before the Haj season this year, Interior Minister Prince Naif said in a press statement here Wednesday. The prince stated this after his return from Tunisia where he participated in the meetings of the 18th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Interior.
“It could be signed before Haj and, of course, the signing will take place in Tehran. I expect my Iranian brothers to fix the time. According to the previous agreement, it is to be made in the second half of Dul Qaadah (in the second week of February) and we expect from them, the Iranian interior minister to fix the date,” Prince Naif, who is also the honorary president of the council, said.
The Council of Ministers had authorized Prince Naif to sign the security agreement with Iran in its recent meeting. Prince Naif also had stated earlier that he would soon visit Tehran to sign an agreement which is expected to cover fighting crimes, terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, extradition and monitoring of borders of regional waters.
In his press briefing Prince Naif also described the recently concluded meetings of Arab interior ministers at Tunis as successful.
Commenting on the appointment of the Muhammad Ali Koman as the new secretary general of the council to succeed Ahmad Al-Salim, Prince Naif said he was satisfied about the appointment especially because all the participating interior ministers unanimously agreed to Koman’s nomination.
Koman has expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation and Prince Naif for being appointed to the post as the council’s secretary general, a press statement said on Wednesday.
In another development, the council’s former secretary, Ahmad Al-Salim, congratulated Koman on his new assignment. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Salim said the council’s new headquarters would be built over an area of 2,869 square meters overlooking Tunis Lake in the north of the country’s capital. The project will cost an estimated total cost of $2,736,857, he added.
The former secretary general also praised Kingdom’s contribution to the new plot of land to house the headquarters of the council’s general secretariat. (SPA)
