Saudi King receives French interior minister

Saudi CP discusses with French minister bilateral cooperation, security issues

Saudi Arabia signs security agreement with France

Saudi interior minister says security agreement includes fighting terrorism, drugs, money laundering

French minister condemns Prophet Muhammad caricatures

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz received French Minister of the Interior, Overseas, and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie and the accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, she conveyed greetings from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the king who in turn sent his greetings to the president. They also reviewed a number of issues of common interest.

Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General received at his palace French Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie.

During the audience, the French minister conveyed the greetings of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the Crown Prince who in turn sent his greetings to the president.

They also reviewed a number of issues of common interest, ways of enhancing cooperation between the two friendly countries, and security topics.

The audience was attended by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Minister of Interior and a number of officials.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed a security agreement with France in the field of security forces and defense.

On the Saudi side the agreement was signed by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Interior Minister, and on the French side by Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie.

The function was attended by Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, and a number of senior officials.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Interior Minister, said his talks with French Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie have covered all security issues notably the issue of terrorism as well as the situation at the Arab and international arenas.

Addressing a press conference following signing a security agreement with France, Prince Naif noted that the Saudi and French views as regards cooperation between the Kingdom and France in the field of fighting terrorism were identical.

Prince Naif pointed out that the security agreement included fighting terrorism, drugs and money laundering.

Prince Naif said terrorism is still existing and working, adding that as long as sources of terrorism exist then terrorism will exist.

On his meeting with the French Minister, he said 'we have discussed issues frankly and plainly, and dotted the i's and crossed the t's'. We have agreed to directly work through our security organs without resorting to other channels so as to realize security in the desired manner', he said.

Prince Naif expressed optimism over the outcome of this cooperation which aims at averting terror acts before their occurrence.

On the chance of the French companies to obtain a contract for providing the Kingdom with its requirements for implementing the fence project across the Saudi-Iraqi borders, Prince Naif said the matter will be subject to an open competition among the various companies, and added 'the issue will be settled through tenders, and the company which has the best offer will be selected'.

On the return of terrorists from Iraq, Prince Naif said 'this is possible' adding that the Kingdom has been working with the Arab and non-Arab countries to obtain positive results and to get acquainted with these terrorists before their arrival to the Kingdom, and moreover it has been carefully and perfectly observing this matter across the borders. On her part, the French Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorizes said cooperation between the Kingdom and France depends on the great confidence existing between the two countries.

She highlighted the security achievements accomplished by the security organs in the Kingdom in the field of combating terrorism, and added 'these achievements have dimensions for a tangible and fruitful cooperation between the two countries'.

The Visiting French Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie described its country's relations with the Kingdom as deep-rooted and old, particularly in the security field.

In a press conference to mark the end of her official visit to the Kingdom, she said cooperation between the two countries is continuing and representing mutual confidence between the two friendly countries.

She said her visit which comes in the aftermath of the official visit to the Kingdom by France's President Nicolas Sarkozy recently constitutes the orientation and wish of the two countries towards cooptation in all fields, particularly in the security field and all fields of concern to the two interior ministries.

She suggested that the security agreement signed between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and her country gives a new momentum to security protection in all fields in its capacity as a strategic and not temporary agreement.

She explained that the agreement addresses personnel in the field of security and security authorities and all operations in the field of cooperation in addition to training, devices, terrorism combat and other crimes on the Internet, illegal drug trade, forged medicines, internal economy and immigration.

She drew the attention that France has established the Islamic Council Commission which will be run by elected Muslims in France, noting that this will be the party to which the French government speaks.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Interior Minister, held a meeting with French Minister of Interior, Overseas and Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie.

They reviewed issues of mutual interest, notably means for enhancing cooperation between the Kingdom and France in the security domains. The meeting was attended by Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs, as well as a number of senior officials from the Saudi and French sides.

The French minister had arrived in Riyadh on an official visit to the Kingdom.

At Riyadh Airbase, the French Interior Minister was received by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Minister of Interior; Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs; and a number of officials.

French Minister of the Interior, Overseas France, & Local Authorities Michele Alliot-Marie received Abdullah Zainal, the Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues pertaining to the bilateral relations.

The meeting was attended by French Ambassador to the Kingdom Bertrand Besancenot, and the French Minister's accompanying delegation.

The French minister condemned the publication by some Danish newspapers of offensive cartoons against Prophet Muhammad under the fallacious pretext of defending the freedom of speech.

She voiced sorry over such acts, asserting that such behaviors should be condemned.

French Interior and Overseas Territories Minister Michele Alliot-Marie wrapped up a 36-hour visit to the Saudi capital saying that misunderstanding religion was the reason that many Muslim youths embrace extremist ideologies.

Alliot-Marie, who is responsible for overseeing the administrative organization of religions in France in her capacity as Interior Minister, made this statement during a meeting with Sheikh Saleh Al-Asheikh, minister of religious affairs, endowments, call and guidance. She stressed that terrorism cannot exist among true followers of Islam anywhere.

Pointing out that a French minister of interior was visiting the Kingdom after an interval of 14 years, Alliot-Marie said that when she was officiating as defense minister, she had visited the Kingdom four times. "When I was defense minister, I appointed Muslims as senior officers in the French army and those officers have justified the confidence reposed in them by way of their impeccable services, " she stressed.

Regarding the four Frenchmen who were killed last year in the Kingdom, she said that France does not have any intention to call for an extradition of suspects since her country is confident that the men responsible for committing the crime would be served justice in the Kingdom.

"I am confident that those accused would get the proper judgment for their act of terrorism on innocent people," she said.

Speaking about the agreement signed Sunday between the Kingdom and France, she said it covers a wide area for an indefinite period. The areas incorporated in the agreement included internal security, civil defense, combating terrorism, money laundering, drug and human trafficking. The two countries have had a technical cooperation agreement since 1980 and the new accord aims to reinforce the bilateral commitment, she added.

She said that her Saudi counterpart Prince Naif agreed that the two countries hold identical views on fighting terrorism.