Putin offers Saudi atomic energy cooperation

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Putin offers Saudi atomic energy cooperation
Lydia Georgi
AFP
February 12, 2007



Putin a Riyad

RIYADH -- Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Monday to help Saudi Arabia develop atomic energy and pledged to develop ties with the Islamic world during his first visit to Riyadh, a key US ally.

Putin listed the "development of atomic energy" as one of the potential areas of cooperation between Moscow and Riyadh, according to an Arabic interpretation of his remarks made in Russian.

The offer, on the second day of a regional tour by Putin to boost military and energy ties with traditional US allies, follows an announcement by oil-rich Gulf Arab states two months ago to pursue nuclear energy technology.

Russia is also building a nuclear reactor in Iran amid an international standoff with the West, which suspects the Islamic republic is seeking nuclear weapons, a charge denied by Iran.

"Russia is determined to enhance cooperation with the Islamic world," Putin told a forum of Saudi and Russian businessmen on the second day of his trip, sealing the improving ties between Moscow and Riyadh.

The Muslim kingdom, a staunch Cold War ally of Washington, has rolled out the red carpet for Putin, whose country's oil output is exceeded only by regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah hailed him Sunday as "a statesman, a man of peace, [and] a man of justice."

Putin, whose country has been trying to restore its international clout, set the stage for his three-nation Middle East tour with a scathing attack on Washington's foreign policy, describing US dominance as "ruinous."

He told businessmen in Riyadh that Russia was a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country where Christians and Muslims coexisted peacefully, having had long experience in promoting cooperation between ethnic groups and religions.

"Russia is bent on pursuing this approach in all regions, including the Middle East and the Arab Gulf," he said.

The Russian president apparently made no mention of his country's military campaigns that have killed thousands in the mainly Muslim breakaway province of Chechnya, which has been wracked by conflict for most of the last 12 years.

Putin brought along the leader of the mostly Muslim region of Tatarstan, Mintimir Shaimiyev, who received from Abdullah the "King Faisal International Award for Service to Islam," an annual prize worth $200,000.

During a meeting Sunday, Putin and Abdullah "discussed the full range of developments on the regional and international scenes, chiefly ... the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq," official Saudi media reported.

Putin's visit came amid increasingly open Russian criticism of Western policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Moscow describing as "counterproductive" the boycott of the elected Islamist-led Palestinian government.

King Abdullah, who last week hosted talks in Mecca that led to a breakthrough Palestinian national unity accord, said Russia had an important role to play in achieving Middle East peace through its position as one of the process' sponsors.

Putin, whose government is anxious to sell weapons to a country that has traditionally relied on Western manufacturers, also met Monday with Crown Prince and defense minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz.

A diplomatic source has said Putin's talks were expected to lead to a "verbal understanding" on the sale of about 150 Russian T-90 battle tanks to Riyadh, which is seeking to diversify its defense systems.

King Abdullah stressed the importance of the world's two top oil producers cooperating to keep world markets stable after prices soared late last year only to drop back sharply.

Later Monday, Putin was to head to the gas-rich tiny emirate of Qatar, headquarters for the commanders of US forces in the Middle East.

Qatar has the world's third-largest reserves of gas after Russia and Iran and analysts said Putin was likely to discuss proposals for a gas version of the oil cartel OPEC.

He was then due to travel on to Jordan, where he will meet King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php...2-103534-6265r

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