RIYADH, 29 April 2006 — Greek President Karolos Papoulias will arrive in Riyadh today for talks with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on matters of regional and bilateral interests.
The Greek leader, in the first leg of a regional tour, is slated to arrive in the evening accompanied by Dimitrios Sioufas, minister for development, and Kefaloyiammis, minister of merchant marines.
Major roads in the capital are decorated with Greek and Saudi flags to welcome the president and to show solidarity and friendship between Saudi Arabia and Greece.
Papoulias will present the Grand Cross of the Order Redeemer medal to King Abdullah for his outstanding services. It is the highest award given by the Greek government to its nationals and distinguished foreign friends.
Prior to his meeting with King Abdullah, Papoulias will attend a reception in his honor at the Greek Embassy. King Abdullah will host a dinner for the president at the Yamamah Palace soon after the formal talks.
On Sunday, he will attend a session of the Shoura Council and will hold talks with the members of the Saudi-Greek Parliamentary Friendship Society. He is also slated to visit the National Museum at the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center. He will attend a luncheon hosted by Crown Prince Sultan before leaving for Doha late afternoon.
The president is to sign an agreement with the Kingdom on avoidance of double taxation. According to Ioannis Economou, ambassador of Greece, relations between Greece and Saudi Arabia are constantly enriched.
