French Defense Minister Holds Saudi Talks
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet held talks Saturday with his Saudi counterpart in Riyadh on bolstering ties between their ministries, SPA state news agency reported.
The meeting focused on "strengthening bilateral relations and existing partnerships between the defense ministries" of the two countries, SPA quoted defense minister Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz as saying.
He lauded "solid relations between the two countries (which) go back to 1926, based on common interests."
SPA cited Longuet commending the oil-rich kingdom for its stability which enables it to play a global "vital role", stressing Paris' "keenness to strengthen its partnership with the kingdom in various fields."
Last month, French defense group Nexter announced receiving a Saudi order for 73 Aravis armored vehicles, in the first successful deal for the product outside France.
24 March 2012, 18:13
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Prince Salman told the press that the presence of many Arabs in his country presented the continuing risk of destabilization, and he asked the French to send the Foreign Legion to help the Throne control this problem. He said, "We are you, and you are us."
