Mohammed bin Salman in France: 4 prominent files including ‘Iran and energy security’
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday evening as part of a European tour that began in Greece.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived Wednesday evening at Orly airport in Paris where he was received by French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire, a government source told AFP.
Macron, who is based in Africa, said in a statement that he will return Thursday afternoon and receive Mohammed bin Salman hours after a scheduled working dinner at 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) in the Elysee.
The crown prince left Greece on Wednesday evening for Paris. Greek Deputy Prime Minister Pikra Menos was among the first to arrive at Athens International Airport.
Pending meeting files
A diplomatic source at the French Embassy in Riyadh told the German Press Agency that “regional and international developments, efforts made towards them, facing common challenges, maintaining security and stability in the region and fighting terrorism will be at the center of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s talks with President Emmanuel Macron during their meeting at the Elysee Palace”.
The source, who preferred anonymity, said that the visit of the Saudi crown prince comes at the invitation of the French presidency.
According to the source, the two sides will discuss several important and key issues: the Russian-Ukrainian war, the energy crisis, Iran’s nuclear file, and the situation in Yemen in light of Iran’s continued intervention through the smuggling of weapons and ammunition and the sending of military experts to Houthi militias.
According to observers, Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Paris is very important in light of the current international situation, the sensitivity of the energy issue, and developments in the Middle East.
The talks between the Saudi crown prince and the French president are the third in eight months. They had a telephone conversation in May and a bilateral meeting in December.
Contact and value
Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from Emmanuel Macron last May, during which the Saudi crown prince congratulated the French president on his re-election to a second term.
During the call, they reviewed Saudi-French relations, stressed the strategic partnership between the two countries, and discussed regional and international developments and efforts to achieve security and stability.
Last December, Prince Mohammed bin Salman met at the French president’s grandmother’s Peace Palace, where Macron was on an official visit to the kingdom.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Saudi crown prince welcomed the French president, while Macron expressed his pleasure at the visit to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
During the meeting, they reviewed the aspects of Saudi-French relations and the existing areas of partnership between the two countries, in addition to examining the prospects of bilateral cooperation and the opportunities for its development in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The meeting also reviewed the latest developments in the Middle East and efforts to achieve international peace and stability, as well as the exchange of views on a number of issues of common concern.
