Azernews.Az

A two-day meeting of the heads of Saudi Arabia`s diplomatic missions in Central and Western Asian countries was held in Baku this week.

Saudi Prince Khalid bin Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, who attended the event, said the Kingdom and Azerbaijan enjoy excellent relations, but they are still below the level sought by the two countries` governments.

``We therefore intend to further expand these relations,`` he said.

Prince Al Saud said the fact that cultural and economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan have a long history and the relations between the two countries` leaders further promote bilateral cooperation. The Prince noted that a number of important documents have been signed in past years and expressed hope that Saudi-Azerbaijani economic relations will develop rapidly as well.

He recalled his visit to Azerbaijan in October 2010, welcoming the progress that has been accomplished in the capital Baku in such a short time.

During a dinner reception arranged after the ambassadors` meeting, which took place at Kempinski Hotel Badamdar Baku, Saudi Ambassador Fahd bin Ali al-Dusari said the Saudi diplomats were not meeting in Azerbaijan`s capital by mere chance, regarding this as a graphic example of the high-level relations between the two countries.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Hafiz Pashayev, in his remarks, stressed the role that the Baku meeting will play in strengthening ties between the South Caucasus republic and Gulf states.

Besides Deputy Minister Pashayev, the dinner was attended by Azerbaijani Presidential Administration`s head of foreign relations Novruz Mammadov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, Elshad Iskandarov, Caucasus Muslims Office chairman, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazada, and the ambassadors of Arab countries to Azerbaijan.