Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman held wide-ranging talks with Argentine Vice President Gabriela Michetti on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues here Sunday.

The two leaders, while discussing ways and means to boost bilateral links, reviewed the relations between the Kingdom and Argentina in different sectors.

“The talks with top Saudi officials focused on several commercial and political issues of common interest, which will go a long way in cementing ties” said Argentine Ambassador Jaime Sergio Cerda, while speaking about the talks of Michetti during her stay in the Saudi capital. Her talks with the king were attended by several members of the royal family, ministers and high-ranking Saudi officials.

Prominent among them were Prince Faisal bin Bandar, governor of Riyadh region; Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, minister of the National Guard; Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, minister of state and cabinet member; Ibrahim Al-Assaf; finance minister; Abdul Rahman Al-Fadli, minister of water, environment and agriculture; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar bin Obaid Madani.

Referring to the visit of the Argentine vice president and her meetings with Saudi officials, the diplomat said that Michetti will also hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, minister of interior, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, minister of defense.

“She is also scheduled to pay a visit to the Riyadh-based King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE),” he added. The visit of Argentine vice president to KACARE is significant in view of the fact that Saudi Arabia signed a nuclear energy cooperation deal with nuclear desalination specialists in Argentina in 2011. Argentina’s Atomic Energy Commission and technology firm INVAP have a simplified pressurized water reactor design for small-scale electricity generation and water desalination, suitable for the Kingdom.

On the other hand, state-owned R&D companies from Argentina and Saudi Arabia have set up a joint venture company, Invania, to develop nuclear technology for the Kingdom’s nuclear power program. Invania has been established under the nuclear cooperation agreement. According to INVAP, the joint venture aims to leverage Argentina’s nuclear experience and capabilities to help Saudi Arabia implement its own nuclear power program.

On trade and investment fronts, the two countries have forged closer ties. A major Saudi company, Al-Marai, has acquired land in Argentina for $87 million for the production of alfalfa to feed dairy cows in the Kingdom.

Two-way trade between the Kingdom and Argentina exceeds $1 billion annually. The South American country exports large quantities of frozen chicken, fruits, vegetables, corn, among others. Its imports include petrochemicals.

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