Pranab Mukherjee reaches Riyadh, meets King Abdullah

Riyadh, Apr 19 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday reached here to boost investments in trade, infrastructure and oil sector between India and Saudi Arabia.

Soon after his arrival here, Mukherjee, who is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, met King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

The Saudi Arabian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nazar Madani, received Mukherjee at the airport.

During King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud's state visit to India in 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and King Abdullah had signed a "Delhi Declaration" agreement in February 2006 aimed at evolving a vision for a strategic relationship and for bilateral cooperation in various sectors.

Both countries had then agreed to work on long-term contracts in the oil sector that would ensure reliable, stable and increased supplies.

During his visit to New Delhi in February, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal had invited Mukhrejee to continue the high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Mukherjee will hold wide-ranging talks with Prince Faisal on bilateral, political, economic, commercial, consular and cultural matters.

Mukherjee's visit is also aimed at doing the groundwork for Dr. Singh's visit to Saudi Arabia later this year. y Naveen Kapoor

ANI