Sudan and Saudi Arabia Hold Highest level Talks in Jeddah

Sudanhorizon – Agencies

The Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, held talks on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, where he arrived on an unannounced visit.
Burhan was accompanied by Foreign Minister and Minister of International Cooperation, Mohi El-Din Salem, and the Director General of the General Intelligence Service, Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal.
Burhan and his delegation were received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, Saudi Ambassador to Sudan, Ali bin Hassan Jaafar, Sudanese Ambassador to the Kingdom, Dafallah Al-Haj, and a number of Saudi officials, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Upon his arrival, Burhan met with the Saudi Crown Prince to discuss issues of mutual interest, primarily how to activate the role of the Strategic Coordination Council between the two countries and ways to end the war in Sudan.
The Sudanese Sovereign Council’s media office reported that the Sudanese-Saudi talks reviewed the course of bilateral relations, prospects for strengthening them, and ways to advance cooperation between the two countries.
Burhan expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom, commending its role in supporting Sudan in all fields. He reiterated Sudan’s solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia against the attacks targeting its security and stability, emphasizing Sudan’s rejection and condemnation of the Iranian attacks on the Kingdom.
The meeting also addressed regional security and stability, particularly Red Sea security. Burhan affirmed Sudan’s readiness to provide all forms of support to its Saudi brothers, stating that the Kingdom’s security is an integral part of Sudan’s security. He praised the wisdom of the Saudi leadership under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
For his part, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed the visit of the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, emphasizing the depth of the historical relations between the two countries and expressing his appreciation for Sudan’s supportive stances towards the Kingdom and its solidarity with it.
Both sides affirmed their commitment to continuing intensive consultations and coordination between the two countries on regional issues.

Arms Deal Cancelled
Burhan’s visit to Saudi Arabia coincided with leaks reported by Reuters indicating that Pakistan had canceled a $1.5 billion arms and aircraft deal with Sudan after Saudi Arabia requested the termination of the agreement and refused to finance the purchase, according to two Pakistani security sources and a diplomatic source.
Reuters quoted one of the security sources as saying, “Saudi Arabia indicated that Pakistan should terminate the deal after abandoning the idea of financing it.”
The Saudi government’s media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the Sudanese Armed Forces issue an immediate response.
Reuters reported that the Pakistani military also did not respond to a request for comment, and that neither the army nor the air force had previously confirmed the existence of a deal in the works.
The source added that some Western countries had advised Riyadh to refrain from engaging in proxy wars in Africa.

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