RIYADH, 18 June 2007 — A very warm welcome awaits Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah when he visits Poland during his present five-nation tour which begins in Madrid today. The other countries in the royal itinerary are France, Jordan and Egypt.
Speaking to Arab News, Polish Ambassador Adam Kulach said that his country was preparing a very warm welcome for King Abdullah’s visit on Sunday. It is the first time a Saudi ruler has visited the Eastern European country. The last high-level visit from the Kingdom was by Prince Faisal in 1932.
The Polish envoy said King Abdullah had become a household name in Poland following his Royal Decree to separate the conjoined Polish twins Daria and Olga at his expense. “This magnanimity was gratefully acknowledged by every Pole. The king’s sympathy for the unfortunate remains in the hearts of all Polish citizens,” he said.
For his assistance to the separation of the twins, the king won a special award from the Polish newspaper, Gazetta Wyborcza. The award is presented to prominent international personalities in recognition of humanitarian services.
The king will witness the signing of a series of agreements between the two countries. They include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health, agreement with the Ministry of Finance on the avoidance of double taxation, MOU between King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and the Polish Academy of Sciences, MOU between King Abdul Aziz Medical College for Health Sciences and Warsaw Medical Unit and an agreement for the exchange of students and scholars between Polish universities and the Ministry of Higher Education.
The Polish ambassador said that the Third Session of the Saudi-Polish Joint Business Council would also be held during the king’s visit. Businessmen from the two countries will explore new areas of cooperation in order to boost economic ties.
Bilateral trade between the two countries was at $115 million during the first nine months of 2004. Polish exports to the Kingdom were valued at $75 million while its imports of petrochemical products, sheep skin and carpets were estimated at $40 million. Its exports to the Kingdom include steel, construction materials, glass, food and agricultural products, chemical and rubber products and electronic items.
Today King Abdullah is scheduled to hold talks with King Juan Carlos of Spain who made an official visit to the Kingdom last year. His discussions with the Spanish monarch will focus on the peace process in the Middle East, combating terror and the ongoing developments in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.
A team of 20 prominent businessmen from the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and a group of senior Saudi journalists will accompany the Saudi delegation which includes senior ministers and members of the royal family.
“The king and the accompanying delegation will be in Paris on Thursday,” French Ambassador Charles Henri D’Aragon said, adding that the program was being given final touches. He hoped that the visit would further strengthen relations between the two countries.
