The visits of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal and the Minister of Commerce and Industry H.E Abdullah A. Yamani to Rome, both in different occasions in June 2005, and the subsequent visits of the President of the Italian Senate Marcello Pera and the Minister of the Productive Activities Mario Scajola, respectively in August and November of 2005, is a clear indication of the firm commitment of both countries to further enhance and consolidate their ties. Moreover, it worth mentioning the visit of the President of Foreign Relations Commission of the Council of Shourah Dr. Bandar Al-Aiban to Rome in November 2005 and that of the Ex Minister of Foreign Affaires De Michelis to Riyadh in November 2006, in addition to both countries’ participation at the ministerial meeting in Bruxelles in May 2006 between the European Union and the GCC countries. Italy has actively supported the Kingdom’s efforts in the World Trade Organization in December 2005 and still supports the establishment of a free trade area between the EU and the GCC countries, hopefully to be concluded by the end of this year. Other interesting bilateral initiatives are underway under the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the new Italian government which took office in May 2006 following the elections of the preceding month. He is scheduled to co-preside the next meeting of the Italian Saudi Joint Commission for Economic and Industrial Cooperation scheduled in the upcoming autumn, year 2006. Both countries have, on many occasions, firmly expressed, whether at bilateral or multilateral level, their joint commitments and support to the stability and the reconstruction of Iraq, the peace process in the Middle East, the measures aimed at combating the international terrorism and the stability of the world energy market. Moreover, Italy has been actively engaged in the activities of the International Energy Forum based in Riyadh by co-presiding the last meeting held in Riyadh at ministerial level.

 

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