Saudi king confers with Muqtada al-Sader
Saudi Arabia-Iraq, Politics, 1/12/2006

Saudi Arabia's king Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader in his first open appearance in the region for this controversial Shiite Iraqi leader.

This came in the course of the Saudi king reception of several Muslim leaders and figures in his palace in Mona, east of Mecca city, on the sideline of Muslim Hajj ritual.

The Saudi TV on Wednesday showed scenes from a special meeting between the Saudi King and Muqtada al-Sader with several Shiite men of religion who came to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj yearly ritual.

In conclusion of the meeting, al-Sader stressed it aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries, refusing to give additional details.

Iraqi officials said that the two sides discussed the situation in Iraq and the current efforts in order to achieve national reconciliation in the country. One Iraqi official said that the Saudi king expressed backing for the national unity in Iraq.

The chairman of the Iraqi mission to al-Hajj Sheikh Khaled al-Atieyah said hat Muqtada al-Sader arrived in al-Madina al-Munawaara since ten days and that Saudi officials notified him since his arrival that he is the guest of King Abdullah, noting that he entered the Kingdom via Ar'ar ( north ) crossing.

Worthy mentioning that the Saudi and Iraqi government has a controversy concerning the entry of the Iraqi pilgrims to the Kingdom as al-Riyadh said that Baghdad delegated a number of pilgrims exceeding the share agreed upon.

Among the figures the Saudi King received on Wednesday were the Senegal President Abdullah Wad; and the Lebanese prime minister and speaker of parliament Fouad al-Sinoura and Nabih berri, respectively. N.

Previous Stories:
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  Saudi Arabia on the Iraqi constitution   (10/27/2005)
  Iraq's FM apologizes over interior minister's insults to Saudi Arabia   (10/3/2005)

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