RIYADH, 17 March 2004 — Polish President Alexksander Kwasniewski will arrive here Saturday on the first leg of a Gulf tour that will also take him to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Poland’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Adam Kulach, said the visit will open a new chapter in Saudi-Polish bilateral relations, paving the way for greater economic, political, cultural and trade cooperation.
The Polish president and a delegation of 70 comprising ministers, deputy ministers, journalists and businessmen will be accompanied by Minister of Defense Jerzy Szmajdzinski, and Minister of Finance Andrzej Raczko.
Poland’s first ambassador to the Kingdom, Krzysztof Plominski, who is now the director of the Middle East department at the Polish Foreign Ministry, is also a member of the delegation.
Kwasniewski is scheduled to hold talks with Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, and Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.
Topics for discussion include regional security, defense and business-related subjects — petrochemicals, mining, tourism — and investment opportunities in the two countries.
Polish businessmen will hold talks with their counterparts at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Polish exports to the Kingdom are worth an estimated $67.5 million annually while imports of petrochemicals, sheepskins and carpets are estimated to be worth $29.5 million annually.
The two countries hope to sign this year a series of agreements on the avoidance of double taxation, investment protection, aviation and terrorism.
