JEDDAH, 23 February 2006 — French President Jacques Chirac, who is expected to visit the Kingdom early next month, will address the Saudi-French Business Council in Riyadh, according to Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the council’s chairman on the Saudi side. He said Chirac’s meeting with Saudi businessmen would boost trade exchange and joint investment projects. “The business council meeting will discuss the challenges facing trade movement between the two countries,” Al-Jazirah quoted Al-Asheikh as saying.

Faqeeh Opens

INTOSAI Meeting

Arab News

RIYADH — Osama Faqeeh, head of the Bureau of General Control & Supervision, Tuesday emphasizing his organization’s efforts in verifying accounts of government departments and public corporations. He made this comment while talking to reporters after opening a meeting of the financial and administrative committee of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). “This is an independent organization and its membership fee is nominal. It follows UN regulations and takes care of the less developed and developing countries,” Faqeeh told reporters.

Kingdom, Indonesia

to Study Farm Trade

M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Arab News

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are set to boost cooperation in key economic areas, especially in the agriculture sector. A nine-member delegation composed of senior officials of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture, is currently visiting that Southeast Asian country to explore the specific areas of cooperation in agriculture sector, said Indonesian Ambassador Salim Segaf Al-Jufrie here yesterday.”This visit of the Saudi agriculture mission will be followed by another visit of a group of Saudi businessmen to Indonesia where they will attend an economic seminar on Feb. 27,” said Al-Jufrie before leaving for Jakarta for a Haj evaluation meeting.

Jordanian Delegation

to Visit Saudi Arabia

Abdul Jalil Mustafa

Arab News

AMMAN — A powerful Jordanian business delegation will visit Saudi Arabia early next week for talks with senior Saudi officials and private sector leaders with the avowed aim of promoting Saudi investments in Jordan and enhancing bilateral trade, according to Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce Haider Murad. The delegation will also take part in a meeting of the Joint Saudi-Jordanian Business Council, he said.