- ARAB NEWS
- 05 May 2024
Since 1975
RIYADH: Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended his congratulations to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saudi Arabia winning the bid to host the World Expo 2030.
Riyadh garnered 119 out of 165 votes – beating challengers South Korea and Italy – by the member-states of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions.
A readout of their talks published on Thursday, a day after the Russian president’s visit to the Kingdom, noted their discussions on the countries’ historical and strategic relations as well as the current regional and international situations.
“The two sides stressed their keenness to continue working to enhance mutual and joint investments in the two countries, enable the private sector, exchange visits, hold joint investment forums and events, develop the investment-attractive environment, provide the necessary enablers, and solve any challenges in this field,” the statement read.
The two leaders commended the close cooperation between them and the successful efforts of the OPEC+ countries in enhancing the stability of global oil markets.
They also stressed the “importance of continuing this cooperation, and the need for all participating countries to adhere to the OPEC+ agreement, in a way that serves the interests of producers and consumers and supports the growth of the global economy.”
The leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in areas including oil and gas, environment, technology, digital economy, space and sustainable tourism.
The statement also noted the two sides’ “deep concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” and stressed the need for a cessation of military operations in Palestine as well as the need to protect civilians.
“There is no way to achieve security and stability in Palestine except through implementing international resolutions related to the two-state solution in order to ensure the creation of appropriate conditions for peaceful coexistence and economic development, and to enable the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement read.
Putin traveled to the UAE earlier on Wednesday, where he was received by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at Qasr Al-Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi.
