HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia at the Emiri Diwan where an official welcoming ceremony along with a popular celebration were held on Monday afternoon.
The official ceremony started with the arrival of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' motorcade after which both the Saudi and Qatari national anthems were played.
HH the Emir then shook hands with the princes and ministers accompanying the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
For his part, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques shook hands with Their Highnesses and Excellencies, sheikhs, ministers, dignitaries and senior state officials.
HH the Emir handed over to King Salman the Sword of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani, the highest national decoration, which is carried by the Emir of the State and to be presented to kings, presidents and princes.
The ceremony was attended by HE Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah al -Thani, HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, Personal Representative of HH the Emir, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa al -Thani, Speaker of the Advisory (Shura) Council, HE Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Khulaifi and his deputy along with a number of Their Excellencies sons of HH the Father Emir, members of the Royal Family, ministers and dignitaries.
On the Saudi side, the ceremony was attended by Prince Abdulilah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Prince Khalid bin Fahd bin Khalid bin Muhammad al-Saud, Prince Mansour bin Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Prince Saud bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saud along with a number of princes and ministers, members of the accompanying delegation.
Earlier, HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani led well-wishers to welcome the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival in Hamad International Airport on Monday afternoon on a two-day official visit to Qatar.
HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, Personal Representative of HH the Emir, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani along with a number of Their Excellencies sons of HH the Father Emir were at the airport to welcome the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Also on hand to welcome the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques were a number of Their Excellencies the ministers.
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani extended on behalf of the people of the State of Qatar and his behalf sincere welcome and expressed great pleasure on the visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to his second country Qatar among his family and relatives, adding that the State of Qatar shares with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people deeply-rooted, strong and well established fraternal ties.
This came in a statement of HH the Emir on the occasion of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud's visit, during which HH the Emir expressed his intense pride over the deep friendly and historic relations between the State of Qatar and the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which were laid by parents and grandparents and HH commitment to continue boosting, enhancing and promoting them for the benefit of our peoples.
Later, HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al -Thani hosted a luncheon banquet at the Emiri Diwan in honour of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and the accompanying delegation.
The banquet was attended by HE Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah al-Thani, HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, Personal Representative of HH the Emir, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani , HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al -Thani, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa al-Thani and HE the Speaker of the Advisory (Shura) Council Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi and his deputy as well as a number of Their Excellencies sons of HH the Father Emir and a number of Their Excellencies members of the Royal Family, ministers and dignitaries.