RIYADH, 7 February 2005 — Greece has pledged to work with Saudi Arabia to combat terrorism and backed the reform initiatives launched by the Kingdom.
Ioannis Economou, the newly appointed Greek ambassador, said a four-member Greek delegation, including experts on terrorism and intelligence, is participating in the ongoing Counterterrorism International Conference in Riyadh with the aim of pooling international experience in tackling terrorism.
“We are fully supporting the efforts of the Saudi government to counter terror threats,” Economou said, “and we hope that the intensified efforts will yield the desired results.”
The ambassador also expressed his government’s view of current Saudi domestic issues. “We fully support the reform efforts, and it is up to the Kingdom and its people to find the best way and the best time to implement the reform agenda.”
Economou, who presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal early last week, said Athens seeks to enhance trade and investment relations with Riyadh. The two-way trade currently exceeds $1 billion with balance of trade heavily in favor of Saudi Arabia because of increasing oil exports to Greece.
The Kingdom has emerged as the largest oil supplier to Greece after Saudi Aramco’s 50 percent acquisition of Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries SA a few years ago.
The diplomat pointed out that Riyadh and Athens are working on a few bilateral agreements, including a cultural accord that will be signed in near future.
Greece undoubtedly can be a potential business partner of Saudi Arabia, as that country has become the strategic link to the sizable markets of the Balkans, the Black Sea, Eastern Europe and the East Mediterranean regions.
Referring to growing relations between Riyadh and Athens, Economou said: “The Kingdom and Greece maintain excellent relations that are founded on age-old close bonds between the Arab world and Greece. The two countries also have identical views on a host of regional and international issues of mutual concern.”
The Kingdom, a close ally of Greece and the European Union, is home to more than 500 Greek nationals.
