By IINA,
Jeddah : Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz held talks with the visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here yesterday. The talks were also attended by Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. They discussed various issues of mutual concern, including bilateral, regional and international matters. The leaders showed concern over the prevailing situation in the Muslim world, including Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Kashmir, according to Pakistani Press Consul Mohammad Jamil.
Gilani and the accompanying delegation arrived on a three-day official visit to the Kingdom.
Speaking on the occasion, King Abdullah said: “We are enjoying our brotherly relations with Pakistan. We would always be with Pakistani brothers.” The Pakistani government is likely to seek a strong political and diplomatic initiative on the part of Muslim countries by addressing the Palestinian issue and the Middle East situation after this meeting, said Zardari. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs held separate talks with his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is accompanying Gilani, and discussed issues of mutual interest. Other ministers and government officials in Gilani’s delegation are Raja Pervez Ashraf, Jehangir Badar, Senator Talha Mahmood, Choudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Haji Mohammad Ishaq, Khurshid Begum and Ghaus Bakhsh Khan.
Earlier Gilani visited the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Addressing a press conference in Madinah, Gilani said they would request the Saudi leadership to continue their moral and financial support for the prosperity of Pakistan. “With Saudi Arabia, we will also discuss to increasing two-way investments in the government and private sectors,” said Zardari. On energy crisis in Pakistan Gilani said it was a global crisis. “Only those countries could overcome the situation that are strong in their agriculture and oil reserves.” Gilani is on his first official visit to any country after assuming his office.