Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz held talks Wednesday with his British counterpart Geoff Hoon in Jeddah.
"Saudi-British friendship goes back more than 65 years, but that doesn't mean there are no differences in viewpoints" between the two countries, Prince Sultan said at the end of the meeting.
The prince said the multi-billion-dollar Yamama arms contract Britain and the Saudi kingdom signed in 1985 was "positive and is going ahead," SPA said.
He did not specify whether Riyadh had resumed payments to British Aerospace rescheduled in 1999 because of budgetary problems or if London was continuing delivery of 120 Tornado fighter planes, Hawk training planes and tanks in line with the contract, the report added.
Hoon held talks Tuesday with King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. He arrived in Saudi Arabia from Kuwait. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
