RIYADH: President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering has embarked on a four-nation tour of the Gulf region, arriving in Saudi Arabia today with a mission to improve mutual understanding and friendship between the European Union and the Arab world. The four-day trip will also take him to Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
“Pottering’s visit takes place in the framework of intercultural dialogue and his personal engagement to foster understanding between Arab and European blocs,” said a statement released by the European Commission’s office in Riyadh.
Pottering will hold wide-ranging talks with several senior Saudi and Gulf officials including Prince Saud Al-Faisal, foreign minister. He will also visit the Shoura Council and the GCC General Secretariat besides meeting with OIC officials here.
“Key agendas of Pottering’s visit are the relationship between the Gulf States and the EU, political, trade and energy cooperation, the Middle East peace process, regional stability, the role of Gulf States in international organizations such as the Arab League and their interaction with the Union for the Mediterranean, as well as issues of religion and tolerance in the context of intercultural dialogue,” said the statement. The European Parliament chief will meet Sultan Qaboos in Oman. During 2008, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, Pottering and the European Parliament intend to achieve closer cooperation between cultures, especially by promoting dialogue with Arab and Islamic countries in an effort to improve mutual understanding.
