Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, starts Thursday a four-day official visit to Spain. The visit comes at the invitation of King Juan Carlos of Spain, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), quoting a Royal Court statement issued Thursday. The Crown Prince will sign a memorandum of understanding covering all aspects of military cooperation between the two countries. Several agreements were signed by the two countries during the successive visits of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the Spanish monarch during the past years. The establishment of Saudi-Spanish investment fund serves businessmen and investment sectors in the two countries. On the eve of his visit, the Crown Prince lauded in an interview with ABC newspaper the strong ties between the Kingdom and Spain. He said both countries are further bolstering these ties through exchanging views and increasing cooperation in all spheres. “The Kingdom looks with great appreciation the significant role Spain is playing in the European Union and its efforts in supporting Mideast security, stability and peace,” he said. Commenting on his visit to Spain, the Crown Prince said it emphasizes the depth of relations between Riyadh and Madrid. “We consider Spain a friendly country and therefore we always try to consolidate the bonds of this friendship by exchanging opinions and strengthening cooperation in all fields. The Kingdom has special friendship treaty with Spain since 1961. It also signed the first agreement on industrial and agricultural cooperation in 1974. Apart from this, both countries have formed a joint committee for industrial cooperation. We have also set up a $1 billion Saudi and Spanish fund,” the Crown Prince said. Prince Saud Bin Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, the Kingdom's Ambassador to Spain, said great importance is being attached to the Crown Prince's visit. The Crown Prince's visit marks a new era in Kingdom and Spanish relations, the ambassador said. He stressed that the visit reflects the depth of the Saudi-Spanish relations and the desire from both the sides for strengthening them further in all spheres. Prince Saud said: “We should recollect that Spain was the first country that hosted the Middle East peace conference in Madrid. Moreover, it is a friendly country that has a political weight and enjoys distinguished relations with the Arab world. __
