Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, yesterday called for a peaceful solution to the Chechnya problem but described the crisis as an internal matter for Russia. âWe look forward to a settlement of the protracted Chechen issue through peaceful and constitutional means within the framework of the Russian Federation,â the crown prince told the Russian Interfax news agency.
| Is he making nice? Or did he really toss the Chechens to the wolves? |
Crown Prince Abdullah, who concluded his landmark three-day visit to Moscow on Thursday, highlighted the significance of Saudi-Russian oil cooperation to preserving international oil market stability. âMy visit to Russia was primarily aimed at further enhancing bilateral cooperation in various spheres and discussing international and regional issues of mutual concern,â the crown prince said.
| There's money involved. Maybe he did... |
âSaudi Arabia views Russia as a partner and not as a competitor in the area of oil,â he said. The two countries signed a major agreement for cooperation in the oil and gas sectors during the royal visit. He said the Kingdom was going ahead with its war on terror, adopting comprehensive measures to stamp out terrorism. He urged greater international cooperation in combating terrorism and drying up sources of terrorist funding.
| Even if it puts some Soddy banks out of business as usual? |
Crown Prince Abdullah declared himself optimistic that the commercial partnership between Saudi Arabia and Russia would be bolstered by technology transfer, increasing investment and joint projects. |