Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, and French President Francois Hollande on Friday discussed "anti-terrorism" efforts and ways to boost security cooperation between the two countries. The crown prince also held talks with Prime Minister Manuel Valls. They reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and the means to boost them in various fields. Apart from this, they discussed the latest developments in the region and the two friendly countries' stance towards them. They also discussed the means to achieve security, stability and peace in the region and cooperation between the two countries in combating extremism and terrorism of all forms. Earlier, the crown prince also met with the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday. The two spoke of increasing military drills and cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France. Hollande expressed Paris's support to Saudi efforts to reinstate the internationally-recognized government in Yemen. The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen attempted to topple the government of Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi last year. In late March, Saudi Arabia then led an Arab coalition to topple the Houthis and put Hadi's government back in power. Prime Minister Valls also held a luncheon banquet for Crown Prince Muhammad and his accompanying delegation. It was attended by Minister of State and Cabinet Member Dr. Essam Bin Saad; Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel Bin Zaid Al-Turaifi; Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir; Saudi Ambassador to France, Dr. Khalid Al-Anqari; Chief of General Intelligence Khalid Bin Ali Al-Humaidan; Advisor at the Royal Court Abdullah Bin Abdulrahman; and Deputy Director General of General Investigation Lt. Gen. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Qarni. The policies of the two countries under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and President Hollande aim to contribute to the achievement of security, stability and peace in the world in general and in the region in particular. The two countries have reiterated their full satisfaction over the development of bilateral relations in various political, economic, cultural and defense fields, and identical viewpoints on many common issues. Events and developments in the region have proved the depth of relations between the two countries through continuous consultations between their leaderships to find the best ways to resolve the situations in the region. France is a major trade partner of the Kingdom and is ranked eighth in 2012 among the top 10 countries exporting to the Kingdom, and it is also ranked 15th among the countries importing goods from the Kingdom. The volume of trade exchanges between the two countries doubled to reach more than 10 billion euros in 2014, up by 10 percent compared to the 2013. France occupies third position among investors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its foreign direct investment equities are valued at $15.3 billion, while the value of Saudi investment in France is valued at 900 million euros. Saudi-French relations could easily rank as one of the most solid in the world, with an increasingly aligned view on tackling political and security issues, which have been buttressed recently by high-level meetings between leaders of the two countries. The crown prince's visit to France is part of this qualitative shift in bilateral relations, particularly since it follows the second meeting of the Saudi-French Standing Coordinating Committee that brought together more than 1,500 business people from the two countries in Riyadh. This shared view on regional issues has seen the Kingdom and France seeking a new government in Syria without the involvement of Bashar Al-Assad. Paris has always supported the revolution, and called for an end to the massacre of the Syrian people. However, new realities are emerging with the involvement of Russia and Iran in the conflict, coupled with America's diminishing role, which require new regional and international alliances that can ensure a positive outcome to the crisis. The feeling among many is that the only solution is a cease-fire and negotiated settlement. The alternative is a long and ugly civil war in Syria. Saudi Arabia has taken significant steps to ensure the stability and security of the region as a whole, which includes the launch of Operation Decisive Storm. Saudi Arabia, the foremost leader in the region, is seeking with the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states to fill the leadership void in the Arab world. France is considered a strategic partner because of its prominent status in Europe. This partnership will go a long way in bringing much-needed security and stability to the region.
