RIYADH, 2 June 2004 — A special plane sent by the Italian government will take home the body of an Italian national killed in the Alkhobar terror attack.

Antonio Amarto from Naples was among the hostages who died at the Oasis Compound on Saturday night.

His murder has cast a pall ahead of Italian National Day celebrations today.

Italy has itself been a victim of terror attacks in the past, making it logical for the two countries to cooperate and share experiences in the fight against terror.

Italian Ambassador Armando Sanguini said the Kingdom and Italy agreed to reinforce all aspects of an existing security agreement, signed by the two countries in 1995, to fight terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.

“The renewed move... will greatly boost security cooperation, which will help to fight terrorism and curb organized crime,” Sanguini told Arab News.

After talks with Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd, the ambassador said he had been given “all cooperation from Saudi officials following the terrorist attacks.”

“I have no doubt that Riyadh and Rome together can through their consolidated experience achieve a solid social, economic and political stability in this region,” he said.

There will be regular biennial consultations from now on, a decision taken during the visit of Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini to Saudi Arabia last week.

The ambassador said bilateral relations will be boosted by the visits of Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu and Agriculture Minister Giovanni Alemanno to the Kingdom later this year.

Meanwhile, France will help Saudi Arabia ensure its security against acts of terror, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said in Paris yesterday.

“No one is shielded” from terrorism, Barnier told France’s lower-house National Assembly. “We will naturally be at the side of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help it carry out actions for its own security.”

Barnier said Paris was working to protect the nearly 4,000 French nationals living in Saudi Arabia, as well as those living “in other countries where there are risks to them and their children.”