PARIS (AP)- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has begun an official visit to France, holding extensive talks with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The visit coincided with the Prince’s active participation in the World Financial Summit, which aimed to fight poverty and tackle climate change globally.
The talks began with a productive one-to-one working lunch at the Elysée Presidential Palace, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries and addressing regional stability concerns. Of particular importance was the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, marking a significant development in the Middle East. France’s role as a major supplier of arms and defense equipment to the Gulf states reinforces the importance of these discussions. Additionally, preparations were underway for a global summit that would bring together leaders from more than 50 countries, dozens of non-governmental organizations and prominent environmental activists. The summit aims to promote public-private collaboration to fight poverty, advance climate action and protect biodiversity. This international gathering has great potential to make significant progress in addressing global challenges.
During his stay in Paris, Prince Mohammed also defended Riyadh’s hosting of the prestigious World Expo 2030, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s desire to play a leading role in the international community and demonstrate its role in innovation and progress.
The crown prince’s visit to France will restore the crown prince’s international image after the high-profile murder and mutilation of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, which Saudi Arabia strongly denies. was done as part of ongoing efforts. Prince’s involvement, but US intelligence agencies have suggested he was possibly involved in the killing, as part of a wider crackdown on dissidents in Saudi Arabia.
Since the incident, Prince Mohammed has taken steps to position Saudi Arabia as a potential mediator in global conflicts, particularly between Russia and Ukraine. In addition, the crown prince is trying to use Saudi Arabia’s influential position as a dominant member of the OPEC+ oil cartel to influence global energy prices. At the same time, he prioritized the implementation of ambitious mega projects in Saudi Arabia to create employment opportunities for the country’s youth and emerging population.
However, despite these efforts, significant challenges and international mistrust remain. Saudi Arabia is embroiled in a protracted conflict in Yemen, adding to regional instability. In addition, the number of executions in the country has also increased, cementing its position as one of the world’s leading executioners. Given these concerns, French officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they wanted to encourage Saudi Arabia to talk with Russia to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict while maintaining national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Participate in the conversation. expressed.
President Macron intends to bring human rights issues into the debate, reflecting France’s strong opposition to the death penalty and its commitment to promoting basic human rights around the world.
