Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas is to visit Saudi Arabia Thursday at the beginning of a Gulf tour that will also take him to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait.
Abbas, on his first visit to the oil-rich kingdom after becoming Prime Minister is expected to discuss the outcome of his recent visit to Washington with Saudi leaders. He is also expected to raise the issue of financial aid to the
Palestinians.
In addition, the talks will deal with the situation in the Palestinian occupied territories and the "continued Israeli aggressions against the Palestinians and the construction of the so-called security fence," Palestinian representative to Saudi Arabia, Mustafa Sheikh Dib had told AFP.
Abbas is scheduled to leave the Saudi Red Sea port city of Jeddah on Sunday for Abu Dhabi where he will hold similar talks with UAE leaders.
The last part of his tour will be a landmark visit to Kuwait marking an improvement in ties with the emirate after thirteen years of strained relations.
The main purpose of Abbas's two-day visit to Kuwait is to restore bilateral ties to their pre-Iraqi invasion level, Dib said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
