Heir Apparent chairs third Qatari-Saudi panel meeting

QNA/Riyadh

HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Crown Prince,  Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, and HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Qatar and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh yesterday

The Qatar-Saudi Joint Co-ordination Council held its third meeting here yesterday at the Al Azizia Palace, chaired by HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Saudi Crown Prince,  Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General Sultan bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.
The meeting was attended by HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and the members of the official delegation accompanying the Heir Apparent.
On the Saudi side, the meeting was attended by Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Nayef  bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal,  and a number of princes and ministers.
Prince Sultan in his speech said the session is being held in the light of the achievements that reflect the true will and the sincere desire of both countries to promote and deepen co-operation under the guidance of the wise leadership of the two countries.

HH the Heir Apparent chairing the third meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Joint Co-ordination Council in Riyadh yesterday

"The challenges facing our region require us, within the framework of our council,  to  deepen the political consultation, strengthen security co-ordination and joint action in various areas,  a matter which will enable us to deal with these challenges positively, and achieve the common interests of our two countries, and the Gulf Co-operation Council and our Arab and Islamic nations,” he said.
 Prince Sultan expressed satisfaction with the level the bilateral ties have reached, and the confidence that the relations will reach out to wider horizons thanks to the guidance of the leadership in both countries, and their keenness to carry forward this constructive process for a bright future of the two countries and their peoples. 
HH the Heir Apparent in his speech expressed  the hope that the meetings of this session of the Joint Co-ordination Council would lead to constructive steps that would contribute to further strengthening the co-operation between the two countries.
    The Heir Apparent expressed his satisfaction at what have been achieved through advancing  the level of co-operation, and enhancing consultation, as well as consolidation of  ongoing contacts,  thanks to the directives of the leaderships of the two countries.
  Then, the two sides reviewed bilateral ties and ways of bolstering them in all fields and discussed the situation in the region as well as regional and international issues of common interest.
   At the end of the meeting, the Heir Apparent and Prince Sultan signed the minutes of the third meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Joint Co-ordination Council.
 They also witnessed the signing of a draft agreement on co-operation in the field of civil defence, a draft agreement on co-operation in combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and precursor chemical trafficking, as well as a memorandum of understanding (MoU)  in the field of environment protection and conservation, and a  memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of meteorology between the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. 
 Later the Heir Apparent attended a dinner banquet hosted by Prince Sultan at the Al Azizyah palace.
The banquet was also attended by the second deputy premier and minister of the interior Prince Nayef  bin Abdel Aziz , the Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and a number of princes and ministers.