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Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh with wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur arriving at the
King Khalid International Airport -Royal Terminal, Riyadh in
Saudi Arabia on 27-2-10
(Photo:
Bureau) |
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India, Saudi Arabia
to deepen ties during PM visit:
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh leaves for Saudi Arabia Saturday on a three-day visit during
which the two countries will deepen their strategic relationship,
officials here said Friday
....Read
Full
Riyadh getting ready to welcome the Indian
Prime Minister
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Riyadh:
Indian Prime Dr. Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here on Saturday on a
three-day historic visit. Ministers and senior officials greeted
Singh at the King Khaled International Airport.
In a departure
from normal protocol norms, the Saudi Arabian leadership rolled out
the red carpet to the Prime Minister as he was received at the royal
terminal of the King Khalid International Airport by Crown Prince
Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who is also the first Deputy Prime Minister
and Defence and Civil Aviation Minister.
In a rare gesture, the entire Cabinet — including Riyadh Governor
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Mohammad bin Ayaf and Prince Naif bin Abdul
Aziz — was at the airport to receive Dr. Singh and his official
delegation. The nearly 40-km route from the airport to the city
centre was lined with Indian and Saudi Arabian flags.
The
welcoming delegation included Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier
and minister of defense and aviation, Interior Minister Prince Naif,
Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman, Commerce and Industry Minister Zainal
Alireza, Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja, Shoura
Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh, several members of the royal
family, commanders of the armed forces, diplomats and senior members
of the government.
Singh was accompanied by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, Commerce and
Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister
Murli Deora, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad,
Deputy Foreign Minister Sashi Tharoor; National Security Adviser
Shiv Shankar Menon and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
T.K.A. Nair.
The
trip marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister since a visit
by Indira Gandhi in 1982.
"It
was an unprecedented welcome to our prime minister," said Vishnu
Prakash, joint secretary and spokesman of the Ministry of External
Affairs at a news conference.
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Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh arrived at the King Khalid International Airport
- Royal Terminal, Riyadh. He was received by the Crown Prince
Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz and other dignitaries in Saudi Arabia on
27-02-10
(Photo:
Bureau) |
Singh is slated to hold discussions with Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah on Sunday and is scheduled to deliver a speech
at the Shoura Council on Monday about the constructive role played
by the Shoura in the political and economic development of the
Kingdom.
On
Sunday, Singh will meet Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Al-Naimi,
and Alireza. Singh is also slated on Sunday to address the Council
of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He will meet Prince Naif
in the afternoon.
Nine agreements are to be signed during the visit on Sunday night at
Al-Rawdah Palace in Riyadh, including an extradition treaty and
memoranda of understanding on scientific and technological
cooperation.
"My
visit carries special significance," said the prime minister to
reporters prior to his departure from Delhi. "I am conscious of the
fact that this will be only the third visit by an Indian prime
minister to Saudi Arabia. My visit reflects the strong mutual desire
of both countries to reinvigorate our relations, as manifested in
King Abdullah's historic visit to India in 2006 as the chief guest
at the Indian Republic Day," he added. "India and the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia have enjoyed special relations based on several
millennia of civilizational and cultural linkages and
people-to-people exchanges."
The
Kingdom hosts 1.8 million Indian expatriates and it welcomes 140,000
Indian Haj pilgrims every year.
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