PARIS: The visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to France is aimed at improving bilateral ties, as also world peace and security, according to a report in a local publication on Tuesday.
The policies of the two countries under Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and French President Francois Hollande are focused on mutually beneficial agreements on the political, economic, defense and cultural fronts, the report stated.
The two countries have a long history of consulting on major challenges facing the world started by King Faisal and Charles De Gaulle in 1967. King Khalid visited in 1978 and 1981. King Fahad visited France twice when he was crown prince, in 1975 and 1981.
The first French president to visit Riyadh was Valery Giscard d’Estaing in 1977, who then made the trip again in 1980 and 1981. King Fahad went on two official visits to France during 1984 and 1987, while King Abdullah visited France twice, in 1985 and 1999.
The visit of Jacques Chirac to the Kingdom in 1997 was another milestone on the path of deepening relations between the two countries, followed up by trips in 2001 and 2006.
In 1986, King Salman, who was then governor of Riyadh, and Jacques Chirac opened the Saudi exhibition in Paris, which was visited by thousands of French citizens, who were exposed to Saudi Arabia’s traditions and religious values.
King Salman also visited Paris in 1997 and signed a cooperation agreement between the two cities with the mayor of Paris. In 2014, King Salman, who was then crown prince and defense minister, visited France at the invitation of Hollande. In 2015 the French president visited the Kingdom and attended the 15th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a rare invitation to a foreign leader.
Military and security officials also exchanged regular visits resulting in cooperation around training for marine, air and ground troops. The Kingdom also singed a security agreement with France in 2008.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif met the French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in 2016, and French Prime Minister Emanuel Valls in the same year.
In 2015, Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian in Abu Dhabi during the 12th IDEX exhibition. He also held several meetings with French officials in Riyadh and Paris, which resulted in the signing of a number of agreements.
In 2010, an exhibition about the Kingdom was opened at the Louvre and continued for two months. In April 2012, a Saudi cultural event was held at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris focusing on the founding of the Kingdom by King Abdulaziz.
France is considered one of the Kingdom’s key partners and is ranked eighth globally in terms of countries exporting to the nation. France was the 15th largest recipient of Saudi exports. Trade between the two countries stood at more than 10 billion euros in 2014, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2013. In 2015, the volume of trade was 7 billion euros.
The policies of the two countries under Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and French President Francois Hollande are focused on mutually beneficial agreements on the political, economic, defense and cultural fronts, the report stated.
The two countries have a long history of consulting on major challenges facing the world started by King Faisal and Charles De Gaulle in 1967. King Khalid visited in 1978 and 1981. King Fahad visited France twice when he was crown prince, in 1975 and 1981.
The first French president to visit Riyadh was Valery Giscard d’Estaing in 1977, who then made the trip again in 1980 and 1981. King Fahad went on two official visits to France during 1984 and 1987, while King Abdullah visited France twice, in 1985 and 1999.
The visit of Jacques Chirac to the Kingdom in 1997 was another milestone on the path of deepening relations between the two countries, followed up by trips in 2001 and 2006.
In 1986, King Salman, who was then governor of Riyadh, and Jacques Chirac opened the Saudi exhibition in Paris, which was visited by thousands of French citizens, who were exposed to Saudi Arabia’s traditions and religious values.
King Salman also visited Paris in 1997 and signed a cooperation agreement between the two cities with the mayor of Paris. In 2014, King Salman, who was then crown prince and defense minister, visited France at the invitation of Hollande. In 2015 the French president visited the Kingdom and attended the 15th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a rare invitation to a foreign leader.
Military and security officials also exchanged regular visits resulting in cooperation around training for marine, air and ground troops. The Kingdom also singed a security agreement with France in 2008.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif met the French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in 2016, and French Prime Minister Emanuel Valls in the same year.
In 2015, Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian in Abu Dhabi during the 12th IDEX exhibition. He also held several meetings with French officials in Riyadh and Paris, which resulted in the signing of a number of agreements.
In 2010, an exhibition about the Kingdom was opened at the Louvre and continued for two months. In April 2012, a Saudi cultural event was held at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris focusing on the founding of the Kingdom by King Abdulaziz.
France is considered one of the Kingdom’s key partners and is ranked eighth globally in terms of countries exporting to the nation. France was the 15th largest recipient of Saudi exports. Trade between the two countries stood at more than 10 billion euros in 2014, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2013. In 2015, the volume of trade was 7 billion euros.
