Riyadh, February 28: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accompanied by over 100-member strong delegation arrived here Saturday to a warm welcome.
Singh and his delegation was received by Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, and Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh.
Cabinet ministers and senior Saudi officials were also present to receive Singh who is expected to hold talks with King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, on a number of bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern that include political, economic and culture. However, security and regional stability topped the agenda of talks. Growing extremism and violence across West Asia and parts of South Asia from Palestine to Pakistan will be the main focus of talks.
On Monday, Singh will address the Shoura Council, a rare honor for a visiting foreign dignitary. His visit marks the first by any Indian prime minister in 28 years.
The Indian delegation accompanying the premier includes Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs (instead of S.M. Krishna; Minister of External Affairs as reported earlier), Anand Sharma, Commerce and Industry Minister; Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of Health; Shiv Shankar Menon, National Security Adviser and T.K.A Nair, Principal Secretary to the PM.
“There is a deep concern both in India and Saudi Arabia about the sense of insecurity and instability that is pervasive in the region,” Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed said earlier.
Singh will also sign a number of agreements including an extradition treaty and MoUs on peaceful use of the outer space and cooperation in information technology and other sectors.
In an exclusive interview to Saudi Gazette published Saturday, Singh said that India and Saudi Arabia belonged to the same extended neighborhood.
“During my visit I propose to discuss with King Abdullah how we can promote greater stability and security in the region,” he said.
“Both King Abdullah and I reject the notion that any cause justifies wanton violence against innocent people. We are strong allies against the scourge of extremism and terrorism that affects global peace and security.”
“Our view is that Iran is a signatory to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty); it is entitled to all the rights that go with its membership of the NPT; and it must also observe all the obligations that go as part of the membership of the NPT,” said Singh.
Singh is also scheduled to address the Saudi business community at the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The Council will host a luncheon in honor of the Indian PM and his accompanying delegation that include 25 CEOs of leading Indian companies.
Around ten agreements, including an extradition treaty, is likely to be signed during the current visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia. A Riyadh Declaration is likely to cement the bilateral ties that have gone “beyond the normal cliches”, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said here.
“You may see language in the Riyadh Declaration you may not have seen before,” Tharoor said while informally interacting with the media here late Saturday night after the prime minister arrived here on a three-day leading a powerful delegation of ministers and officials.
It is the first visit of an Indian prime minister to Saudi Arabia after 28 years.
The Riyadh Declaration is likely to take forward further what the historic Delhi Declaration, signed during the visit of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to India in 2006, had chalked out.
Around 10 agreements covering fields like security, science and technology, culture and media are likely to be signed during the course of the prime minister’s visit, the highlight of which will be an extradition treaty between the two sides.
Calling for a wide-ranging strategic partnership between the two sides, the Delhi Declaration had charted out a new path for enhanced cooperation in energy and economic ties and a commitment by both sides to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
Stating that there has been a qualitative change in relations between India and Saudi Arabia, Tharoor said: “It has gone beyond the normal cliches of bilateral relations. This is a relationship that has genuinely taken a leap forward.”
According to the minister, when the Saudis use terms like strategic partnership, “one talks about a shared view of the world”.
“We have seen the problem of so-called state terrorism. But we can sensitise our friends here on this,” Tharoor said.
During parleys with King Abdullah Sunday night, the issue of regional security and anti-terrorism measures is likely to get top priority.
Regarding the issue of good Taliban and bad Taliban, Tharoor said the Indian side would make it very clear that there will be no place in the peace dialogue for those who try to enforce their extreme views on religion through the barrel of the gun.
“Those people who are called Taliban and who are willing to accept the democratic process and are willing to lay down arms and participate in the national integration of the Afghan country within the national system under (Afghan President) Hamid Karzai, such people India is willing to see coming,” he said.
“Those who believe that pluralism is wrong, who believe in the extreme view of their religion and who want to enforce their views of their religion through the barrel of the gun, such people will have no place in the dialogue,” Tharoor said.
“This is what we will be saying to the Saudi side. And I am sure the Saudis will not disagree.”
The minister also mentioned Saudi Arabia’s outright condemnation of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. “After 26/11, they were vociferous in their condemnation and sent a senior leader to India to express their views,” the minister pointed out.
—IANS