Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Saudi, Malaysian Ambassadors Pin Hopes on King Salman’s Visit to Malaysia | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Saudi Arabia’s King Salman meets with ministers next to Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia February 26, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su


Riyadh- Malaysia Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Zainol Rahim Zainuddin said that the visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Malaysia sets the cornerstone of future strategic relations between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur and will cement economic, defensive and security ties between them.

Saudi-Malaysian trade has been growing gradually with up to 27.8% in 2016 only – Riyadh is the second biggest commercial partner of Kuala Lumpur amidst forecasts that Saudi investments in Malaysia will provide thousands of job opportunities.

“This visit has a clear purpose: to underscore the strategic security, defensive, political and economic relations between the Kingdom and Malaysia and to advance towards better levels of cooperation,” Zainuddin told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Zainuddin added that Malaysia expects this visit to have a profound effect on the size and nature of cooperation between both countries on all levels. He continued that Malaysia imports from Saudi Arabia crude oil, petrochemicals and mineral resources while it exports electronic equipment and tools, oils, spare parts and wood products.

Saudi Ambassador to Malaysia Fahad Abdullah al-Rashid expected that King Salman’s visit to Malaysia would result in a qualitative transition in the relations between the two countries. He said that the political, economic and national relations were built on understanding and mutual respect amidst the ongoing cooperation in confronting terrorism.

Rashid noted that bilateral relations were established in the mid 1960s when the Saudi and Malaysian embassies were opened – several agreements and MoUs were inked between the two countries.

He added that Malaysia reinforcing its participation in the Saudi Vision 2030 is likely, showing that it has huge and diverse potentials, wide experience in the housing sector and stands out in the field of education, training, energy and technology.