MADRID, 6 June 2008 — Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, arrived here yesterday on an official visit to Spain at the invitation of King Juan Carlos. His talks with Spanish leaders are expected to focus on Middle East peace and ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
“I am confident that our talks with King Carlos, Crown Prince Felipe de Borbon and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will bring our viewpoints closer to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and coordinate international efforts to promote constructive cooperation for the benefit of humanity,” Prince Sultan said in an arrival statement.
Prince Sultan was greeted at the airport by Crown Prince Felipe, Saudi Ambassador to Spain Prince Saud ibn Naif and other high-ranking officials. He was given an official welcome at the airport. Later, he met with members of the Arab diplomatic corps in Spain.
The royal visit reflects the deep-rooted historic relations between Saudi Arabia and Spain. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah visited Madrid last year as part of a European tour, which also took him to France and Poland. During the king’s visit, the two countries decided to set up $5 billion investment fund to finance massive infrastructure projects in both countries.
Prince Sultan is on a four-day visit to Spain, a Royal Court announcement said, adding that it was aimed at establishing continuous contacts with world leaders in order to protect the interests of Saudi Arabia and mobilize support for Arab and Islamic causes. Prince Sultan is accompanied by a high-level delegation including Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Nizar Obaid Madani.
In his arrival statement, Prince Sultan highlighted the strong relations between the two countries. “King Abdullah’s visit last year was instrumental in boosting Saudi-Spanish relations to new heights as it saw the signing of several agreements to strengthen cooperation in different areas,” the crown prince said.
In an interview with Spanish national daily ABC on the eve of his visit, Prince Sultan urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to accept the Arab Peace Initiative, which was originally proposed by King Abdullah. “This initiative, with its comprehensiveness, remains the base for all Arab efforts toward realizing peace in the Middle East,” he said.
He condemned Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people. “Israel has been following unilateral policies and violating all international laws and human rights through building and expanding the settlements, building a wall and imposing collective penalties on the Palestinians, leading to deepening of the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” he said.
