Posted on 09/02/2003 7:43:12 AM PDT by Brian S
Tuesday September 2, 2003 1:39 PM
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW (AP) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah met Russia's president Tuesday on the first visit to post-Soviet Russia by a Saudi leader, aimed at coordinating oil exports and soothing Russian concerns about alleged funding of Chechen rebels by Saudi charities.
Saudi Arabia and Russia are the world's first and second largest oil exporters, respectively, and Moscow is keen to solidify its ties with the kingdom.
But Moscow has reprimanded Riyadh for failing to stop financial support allegedly flowing from the kingdom to separatists in the mainly Muslim republic of Chechnya. Russian officials have maintained that the Chechen gunmen who seized a Moscow theater last October made calls to Saudi Arabia during the siege.
Hosting Abdullah - the de facto Saudi leader - at the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin hailed Saudi Arabia as ``one of the most important Muslim nations.''
``We have always considered the Muslim world, the Arab world, as one of our most important partners,'' Putin added.
The crown prince responded in kind, saying that ``Russia holds a special place in our hearts since it was the first to recognize the young Saudi government.''
After the talks, Russian and Saudi officials signed an agreement on cooperation in the oil and gas industry, calling for joint ventures in exploration and research. It also envisages pooling efforts to ``maintain stability in the global oil market'' - suggesting coordinated action on production levels and prices, according to a statement released by the Russian Cabinet.
``Forging closer ties with the richest oil country will give Moscow good prospects of influencing the global oil market,'' the business daily Kommersant said Tuesday.
It added that improving ties between Moscow and Riyadh could attract Saudi investment into Russia's high-tech industries and weapons production. ``The combination of Saudi finances and Russian high technologies may lead to the creation of a new global powerhouse,'' Kommersant said.
With Muslims making up about 20 million of Russia's 145 million population, Putin has expressed a desire to see Russia become an observer nation in the Organization of Islamic Conference, a grouping of Muslim-majority countries. The issue could be raised during Abdullah's visit, according to reports.
Russian officials have said they expected the Kremlin talks to also focus on joint efforts to combat terrorism. Riyadh has faced widespread international criticism for being unable to control terrorist organizations allegedly operating in Saudi Arabia. Fifteen Saudi citizens were involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
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