Putin calls for Russian-Saudi cooperation in fighting terrorism

Moscow, May 22 (UNI) Praising highly the bilateral relations between Moscow and Riyadh, President Vladimir Putin has called for Russian-Saudi cooperation in fighting terrorism to ''promote peace and international security and stability''.

President Putin, in his special message to Saudi King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, which was delivered by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his meeting with the Saudi King in Riyadh yesterday ''lauded successful bilateral relations in trade, economy, investment, energy and other spheres and stressed the mutual desire to promote peace and international security and stability,'' the Kremlin press service said today.

''Increased interaction, including the joint response to international terrorism, will strengthen Russia-Saudi partnership,'' it noted.

Mr Lavrov, who arrived in Riyadh yesterday for his four-day visit to the Gulf countries, held talks with his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal and senior officials of the Saudi National Security Council.

The official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement that Russia and Saudi Arabia ''maintain a stable political dialogue, based on proximity of the approaches of the two countries to the pressing international and regional problems.'' ''Cooperation in the trade and economic spheres as well as partnership in energy security has stepped up noticeably in the recent past,'' Mr Kamynin noted.

UNI XC VJ ND1732