UK Secretary of State for Defense Receives Saudi Minister of Defense, Then an Expanded Meeting Held

UK Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps received at Lancaster House Palace in the British capital, London, today, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of his official visit to Britain.

Upon arrival of the Saudi Minister of Defense, an official reception ceremony was held in which the guard of honor was reviewed.

Then, the two sides commenced an expanded bilateral meeting in the presence of the delegations of the two ministries. During the meeting, the strategic partnership between the two friendly countries was reviewed, and the prospects for bilateral cooperation and ways to enhance relations in the military and defense fields to achieve the aspirations of the two countries to serve their common interests were discussed.

The two sides also discussed coordinating efforts to support security and stability in the region and the world, in addition to a number of issues of common interest.

The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom; the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Fayyad bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili; the Assistant Minister of Defense, Eng. Talal bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi; the Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Hussein Al-Biyari; Director General of the Office of the Minister of Defense, Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif; and the Military Attaché at the Kingdom’s Embassy in London and Dublin, Major General Staff Pilot Riyad bin Mohammed Abu Abah.

On the British side, it was attended by Chief of Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Tony Radakin; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Richard Knighton; the Chief of Staff of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General Patrick Sanders; the Director General of Industry, Trade and Economic Security, Avril Jolliffe; the Director of Policy for the Middle East, Kashif Chowdhury; the Director of Air Force Strategy Natasha Sharp; and the British Military Attaché in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Brigadier General Ben Wilde.