Preparations for Khatami's visit to Saudi Arabia

Saudi diplomatic sources told the London-based al-Hayat daily that preparations are underway for the visit of the Iranian President Muhammad Khatami for Saudi Arabia.

The visit is expected to take place within three months. The Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Muhammad Rida Nouri said that "officials in the two countries are working to coordinate for the visit." The Iranian President will meet during the visit with King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah, defense minister and high ranking Saudi scholars. The ambassador continued that President Khatami's talks with the Saudi officials will center on "deepening relations between Riyadh and Tehran" and will review issues pertaining to the Islamic world.

Khatami is the chairman of the current session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference OIC.

Nouri continued that "oil will be among one of the main issues to be debated during the visit."One year before King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz extended and invitation to President Khatami to visit Saudi Arabia, it is still not known whether Khatami will choose the timing of his visit to Saudi Arabia to coincide with the pilgrimage season to perform al-Haj rituals before his official visit to Saudi Arabia or after this pilgrimage season.

The ambassador continued that "Khatami's visit to Saudi Arabia, which is his first official visit after he assumed power is but an evidence on the priority Iran pins on relations with Saudi Arabia."