“The rise of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the international scene is largely due to Prince Saud Al-Faisal’s diplomacy,” said Alexander Sultanov, special Russian envoy to the Middle East and deputy foreign minister, on the occasion.

Stressing the prince’s role in developing bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the Russian Republic, Sultanov said the prince commanded great respect in Russia as in the rest of the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. 

“The bilateral relations paved the way for mutual cooperation and coordination between the two countries in their efforts for peace in the Middle East and stability in the Arabian Gulf,” Sultanov said.

The special envoy noted the role of the joint efforts of the two countries in settling various international issues.

The Russian diplomat also commended Saudi Arabia’s contributions for peace such as the Arab peace initiative and the interfaith dialogue in addition to Saudi efforts against terror.

He also underscored the Kingdom’s efforts for solving the global economic crisis with the participation in the G20 summits.

In his address, former Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said the prince has great respect for the diverse cultures and civilizations in the world and that he is a role model for anyone who strives for the welfare of the Kingdom in particular and the humanity in general.

Primakov also wished the prince all success in his efforts to better Arab-Russian relations and forge peace in the Middle East.