Doha: A joint statement was issued today by the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the visit of HRH Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud to Doha on Dec. 8-9.
The statement said that based on the solid historical relations, close fraternal bonds, ties of kinship and a common destiny that unite the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and based on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, HRH Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud paid a visit to Doha on Dec. 8-9 of 2021, Jumada Al-Awwal 4-5 of 1443 on the Hijri calendar.
HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud held a talks session where they reviewed regional and international issues of joint interest. They also discussed the opportunities available for the two countries in the political, military, security, economic, commercial, investment, industrial, cultural, sports, environmental, energy, and infrastructure fields.
The statement added that sixth meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Joint Coordination Council was held in a mood filled with a sense of fraternity, understanding, and mutual trust. The meeting was chaired by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HRH Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. Their Highnesses and Excellencies members of the council from both sides participated in the meeting.
At the outset of the meeting, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani welcomed HH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and expressed his happiness with His Highness' visit that will push distinguished bilateral ties to broader horizons in all fields. His Highness praised the commitment and interest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in enhancing bilateral ties.
For his part, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to HH the Amir, and his wishes of good health and happiness for His Highness, and for the Qatari people continued progress and prosperity, and expressed his satisfaction with what was accomplished during the council's sixth meeting towards achieving the desired goals.
In the political field, the two sides expressed their intent on strengthening cooperation on all political issues and to develop joint positions that maintain the two country's security and stability. The two sides also affirmed the importance of continuing coordination regarding developments in all bilateral and multilateral events in a way that would achieve security, stability, and prosperity in the two countries and the region.
In the security and military affairs, the two sides expressed their satisfaction with the military cooperation between the two countries, and stressed the continuation of cooperation in this field, strengthening the exchange of information, visits and joint training, benefiting from expertise in specialized fields, exchanging scholarships for military colleges and academies in the two countries, and activating the security agreements signed between them.
In the economic and commercial affairs, the two sides affirmed their determination to develop the existing aspects of cooperation and work to increase the volume of bilateral trade, facilitate the movement of goods and to take advantage of economic, commercial and industrial opportunities in a way that contributes to enabling the private sector to enhance trade between the two countries to broader horizons and help them increase exports and diversify their respective economies.
The two sides also agreed to enhance means of cooperation on international climate policies, to cooperate in implementing the Green Middle East initiative launched by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to cooperate on the implementation of a circular carbon economy, and to seek to establish a regional complex for carbon extraction, use and capture, to help limit Carbon emissions in an economically sustainable manner, in addition to cooperation in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, as well as a development of projects related to these areas, to contribute to the sustainability of demand for global energy supplies.
The Saudi side expressed its appreciation for Qatar's support for the important Green Middle East initiative and its announcement that it will plant one million trees before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and 10 million trees by 2030.
The two sides stressed the importance of enhancing the benefit of the two countries from the electrical interconnection, maximizing the use of local component in energy sector projects, encouraging purchases from products manufactured in the two countries, exchanging expertise, cooperating in stimulating innovation, applying emerging technologies in the energy sectors, and developing the environment that could serve as an incubator for these technologies.
They also emphasized the importance of enabling and enhancing investment integration opportunities between the two countries in the air transport, communications and information technology sectors, in addition to enabling entrepreneurship and technology between companies of the two countries, developing cadres working in the fields of cybersecurity, financial technologies and digital marketing, and benefiting from opportunities related to infrastructure projects, free and logistical zones, and gas. They also stressed the importance of benefiting from the incentives granted to the business sector in the two countries, especially during the State of Qatars hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in a way that contributes to the success of this major event and achieve the two countries visions for 2030.
In the cultural and social affairs, the two sides agreed on the necessity of coordinating efforts in order to highlight the positive image of the citizens in the two countries, especially the youth segment. They also highlighted their intent on implementing programs and plans for bilateral promotion and marketing for local and international cultural and entertainment festivals, seminars and conferences in a manner that enhances the cultural movement between them, empowers the private sector and pushes it to exploit the available opportunities and diverse capabilities in the two brotherly countries, the two sides also agreed to work on developing human cadres through the implementation of training programmes.
The two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of joint interest, and stressed the importance of working to coordinate their positions to serve their interests and enhance security and stability in the region, and the world.
In that regard, the two sides stressed on the contents of the Al-Ula Declaration issued Jan. 5 of 2021, and reviewed the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud that was adopted by the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on its 36th session in Dec. 2015.
The two sides emphasized their support to achieving peace in the Middle-East, and the importance of reaching a comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in line with a two state solution, international legitimacy resolutions on the matter, and the Arab Peace Initiative, which would guarantee the Palestinian people the right to establish their country on the borders of 1967 with East Al Quds as its capital. They also stressed the importance of uniting international efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
The two sides welcomed the success of the electoral process in Iraq, and expressed their wishes for the formation of an Iraqi government that will continue to work for the security, stability and development of Iraq.
The two sides also welcomed the understandings reached by the parties to the transitional phase in Sudan, and affirmed their continued support for everything that would achieve security and stability in Sudan, and their wishes for Sudan and its brotherly people for stability and prosperity.
On the Lebanese issue, the two sides stressed the importance of carrying out comprehensive reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its crises, and that Lebanon does not become a starting point for any actions that destabilize the security and stability of the region or a corridor for drug trafficking.
On the Syrian issue, the two sides stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria in accordance with the Geneva Declaration (1) and Security Council Resolution No. (2254) to end the human suffering of the Syrian people, preserve Syria's unity and territorial integrity, and support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria.
On the Libyan issue, they stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the Libyan crisis in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and in a manner that achieves security and stability in the region.
With regard to Afghanistan, the two sides stressed the need to support security and stability in Afghanistan and not to allow the existence of safe havens for terrorists and extremists in it, and stressed the need to continue international efforts to combat terrorism. The two sides expressed the importance of supporting relief efforts and humanitarian work in Afghanistan. The Saudi side praised the mediation efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar to achieve peace in Afghanistan and its vital role in evacuating foreign citizens and restarting Kabul Airport.
For its part, the Qatari side valued the Kingdom's invitation to an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, which will be held in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 12/17/2021.
They also stressed the importance of cooperation and dealing seriously and effectively with Iran's nuclear and missile issue with all its components and repercussions in a way that contributes to achieving regional and international security and stability, emphasizing the principles of good neighborliness and respect for UN resolutions and international legitimacy, and sparing the region from all destabilizing activities.
The two sides also commended their efforts in the field of combating terrorism and its financing, and their joint efforts within the framework of the International Terrorist Financing Targeting Center, based in Riyadh.
HRH Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud expressed his thanks to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the hospitable welcome during his visit, and invited His Highness to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and hold the seventh meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Joint Coordination Council there.
