King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to visit Pakistan on Feb 1, 3

JEDDAH: King Abdullah is expected to visit India, Pakistan, China and Malaysia but no formal dates are announced so far.

However, Pakistani and Indian envoys in Riyadh are attaching great significance to King Abdullah’s visit that begins from January 24. But Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farooq said few details are available. Yet it is certain that the King will be the chief guest on India’s Republic Day celebration on January 26.

He said King Abdullah with his entourage will arrive in New Delhi on for a four-day first official visit to India in 52 years.

Pakistani Ambassador A. A Mirza, said King Abdullah will visit Pakistan on February 1 to 3.

Mirza said upon his arrival in Islamabad from Kuala Lumper, King Abdullah is scheduled to hold meetings with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discuss on issues related to bilateral relations between the two countries in fields such as economy and defense.

Both envoys are optimistic that during the visit King Abdullah s delegation will sign a number of bilateral agreements in areas of economic cooperation, investments and trade.

The two sides are expected to sign a number of bilateral agreements in economy, investment and defense areas, Mirza said without elaborating.

The two sides will also discuss the Mideast peace and matters relating to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Pakistani envoy said.

King Abdullah will leave for Saudi Arabia on Feb. 3, he said.

Pakistan is the last leg of King Abdullah s four-nation tour with China and Malaysia also slated.

The relations between Saudi Arabia and India have existed since the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Indo-Saudi diplomatic relations were formally established in 1948 and upgraded fully in 1954.

In 1955 King Saud visited India, which was reciprocated in 1956 when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Kingdom as the Prime Minister of India.

Farooq said. Saudi Arabia and India are strategic partners and enjoy long-standing bilateral relations in wide-ranging areas and hence the King s visit has great significance for both sides.

Hamid Ansari, former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and member of the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank in New Delhi, in a published report said: From Saudi Arabia s point of view, India is one of the biggest buyers of oil from the Kingdom. And the fact that India and Pakistan are now on the peace track, has also helped Riyadh to look at New Delhi without feeling guilty about letting down Islamabad. Also, India is a regional power and it won t do any harm to keep in good terms with the leadership here.

Abdullah last visited Pakistan in 2003 as Crown Prince. He said Pakistan enjoys warm political and economic relations with Saudi Arabia and had witnessed visits by Saudi monarchs King Faisal and King Fahd in the past.