DATE=5/16/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249434
TITLE= IRANIAN PRESIDENT / SAUDI (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI HAS HELD ANOTHER ROUND
OF TALKS WITH SAUDI LEADERS ON THE SECOND DAY OF HIS TRIP TO
SAUDI ARABIA. CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE
EAST BUREAU THAT OFFICIALS ON BOTH SIDES SAY THE VISIT WILL GO A
LONG WAY TOWARD IMPROVING TIES WHICH HAVE BEEN STRAINED FOR
DECADES.
TEXT: SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD AL-FAISAL MET WITH THE IRANIAN
PRESIDENT SUNDAY AND SAID THE TWO COUNTRIES HOLD SIMILAR VIEWS ON
MANY ISSUES AND HE HOPES THE CONTACTS WILL CONTINUE.
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAMAL KHARRAZI SAID HE WAS PLEASED WITH
WHAT HE CALLED THE FRIENDLY AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE OF SAUDI
LEADERS TOWARD IRAN.
PRESIDENT KHATAMI AND A LARGE IRANIAN DELEGATION WERE WARMLY
GREETED WHEN THEY ARRIVED SATURDAY IN SAUDI ARABIA.
SAUDI KING FAHD, IN A RARE APPEARANCE BROADCAST ON SAUDI
TELEVISION, RECEIVED THE DELEGATION AND SAID HIS GOVERNMENT HAS
ALWAYS SOUGHT BETTER RELATIONS WITH IRAN.
///FAHD ACT IN ARABIC, FADE ///
KING FAHD SAID IT IS SAUDI ARABIA'S DUTY TO PROMOTE RELATIONS
WITH IRAN TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS.
THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT IS THE HIGHEST-LEVEL OFFICIAL TO VISIT
SAUDI ARABIA SINCE THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION 20 YEARS AGO.
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES PLUMMETED FOLLOWING THE
REVOLUTION AND WERE SEVERED FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF 400 MOSTLY
IRANIAN PILGRIMS IN A CLASH WITH SAUDI POLICE DURING THE HAJJ, OR
HOLY PILGRIMAGE, IN 1987. THEY HAVE IMPROVED STEADILY SINCE
PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S ELECTION TWO YEARS AGO.
PRESIDENT KHATAMI SOUGHT TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH ARAB GULF
NATIONS AND THE TWO GOVERNMENTS EMBARKED ON A SERIES OF
CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES. THEY ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT THEY
WILL EXCHANGE MILITARY ATTACHES DURING A VISIT BY SAUDI DEFENSE
MINISTER PRINCE SULTAN.
///REST OPT///
THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WORKED TOGETHER LAST MARCH TO HELP LOWER OIL
PRODUCTION QUOTAS BY MEMBERS OF OPEC, THE ORGANIZATION OF
PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES. THE MOVE HAS RAISED OIL PRICES
AND BROUGHT SOME RELIEF TO CASH-STRAPPED GOVERNMENTS IN THE
REGION.
IRANIAN NEWSPAPERS SUNDAY SAID EXPANDED TIES WITH SAUDI ARABIA
WILL REDUCE THE NEED FOR FOREIGN MILITARY FORCES IN THE REGION, A
REFERENCE TO THE THOUSANDS OF U-S TROOPS STATIONED IN THE KINGDOM
AND IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. HOWEVER, SAUDI OFFICIALS HAVE
INDICATED THEY INTEND TO MOVE GRADUALLY TOWARD ANY SECURITY
REALIGNMENT.
PRESIDENT KHATAMI IS DUE TO VISIT THE HOLY CITIES OF MECCA AND
MEDINA IN THE COMING DAYS BEFORE GOING TO QATAR ON WEDNESDAY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SB/DW/JO
16-May-99 11:16 AM EDT (1516 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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