RIYADH: A long-dormant security pact between the Kingdom and Italy, lying on the back-burner since 2007, will be relaunched during the visit of Angelino Alfano, Italian minister of interior, here on Sunday.
Alfano has been invited by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on security matters.
“A detailed discussion on security matters, counterterrorism efforts, police collaboration, and an exchange of information between Riyadh and Rome will follow between the Italian minister and Crown Prince Mohammed within the framework of the relaunched MoU (memorandum of understanding),” said Italian Ambassador Luca Ferrari here Thursday.
The move is a major step forward for the two countries to curb terrorism and strengthen security ties, he added. He pointed out that the relaunch of the MoU, calling for closer police cooperation, underlines the common interest in intensifying the collaboration between the two countries in all fields of strategic interest like the fight against terrorism and crime.
“The MoU will pave the way for boosting cooperation, especially in terms of training Saudi police officers in Italy,” said the Italian diplomat. The move to restart the police cooperation agreement has been necessitated by the recent reports of Daesh operations in Italy and the arrests of terror suspects in that country from time to time.
Recently, Italy finalized plans to install a high security cordon around the Colosseum in Rome amid rising fears of terrorist attacks. Not only this, a wanted commander of the Daesh terror group, convicted in Italy for terrorist recruitment, was arrested in Sudan. Moez Fezzani, popularly known by his nickname Abu Nassim, lived in Italy for most of his 20s before becoming a Daesh commander in Libya.
Referring to the clean and combative track record of Italy and the Kingdom in the war against terrorism, Ferrari said that “Saudi Arabia and Italy have had excellent records of success in fighting the menace of terrorism and in foiling terror attempts.”
During his stay in Riyadh, Alfano will also meet and hold talks with Shoura Council President Abdullah Al-Asheikh. In this context, Ferrari noted that “a Shoura Council delegation visited Italy last week in an attempt to boost cooperation in legislative affairs and parliamentary diplomacy.”
A group of Italian parliamentarians will also be visiting Riyadh in the near future, he said, while referring to progressively growing relations between Riyadh and Rome.
There has been a regular exchange of visits by top Saudi and Italian officials in the last two years. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited the Kingdom in November last year with an aim to intensify political consultations and strengthen trade and investment ties.
This was followed by the visit of Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni to Jeddah in June this year. Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti paid an official visit to the Kingdom in early October.
Alfano has been invited by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on security matters.
“A detailed discussion on security matters, counterterrorism efforts, police collaboration, and an exchange of information between Riyadh and Rome will follow between the Italian minister and Crown Prince Mohammed within the framework of the relaunched MoU (memorandum of understanding),” said Italian Ambassador Luca Ferrari here Thursday.
The move is a major step forward for the two countries to curb terrorism and strengthen security ties, he added. He pointed out that the relaunch of the MoU, calling for closer police cooperation, underlines the common interest in intensifying the collaboration between the two countries in all fields of strategic interest like the fight against terrorism and crime.
“The MoU will pave the way for boosting cooperation, especially in terms of training Saudi police officers in Italy,” said the Italian diplomat. The move to restart the police cooperation agreement has been necessitated by the recent reports of Daesh operations in Italy and the arrests of terror suspects in that country from time to time.
Recently, Italy finalized plans to install a high security cordon around the Colosseum in Rome amid rising fears of terrorist attacks. Not only this, a wanted commander of the Daesh terror group, convicted in Italy for terrorist recruitment, was arrested in Sudan. Moez Fezzani, popularly known by his nickname Abu Nassim, lived in Italy for most of his 20s before becoming a Daesh commander in Libya.
Referring to the clean and combative track record of Italy and the Kingdom in the war against terrorism, Ferrari said that “Saudi Arabia and Italy have had excellent records of success in fighting the menace of terrorism and in foiling terror attempts.”
During his stay in Riyadh, Alfano will also meet and hold talks with Shoura Council President Abdullah Al-Asheikh. In this context, Ferrari noted that “a Shoura Council delegation visited Italy last week in an attempt to boost cooperation in legislative affairs and parliamentary diplomacy.”
A group of Italian parliamentarians will also be visiting Riyadh in the near future, he said, while referring to progressively growing relations between Riyadh and Rome.
There has been a regular exchange of visits by top Saudi and Italian officials in the last two years. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited the Kingdom in November last year with an aim to intensify political consultations and strengthen trade and investment ties.
This was followed by the visit of Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni to Jeddah in June this year. Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti paid an official visit to the Kingdom in early October.
