Sarajevo- Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, President of the General Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, arrived in Sarajevo today at the start of an official visit to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina at an invitation of President Bakir Izetbegovic.
At the airport, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz was received by Civil Affairs Minister Adel Othmanovic and senior government and protocol officials.
Also receiving him were the Saudi ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Hani bin Abdullah Mo'mena, Consul General Fahd Al-Enzi, Director of King Fahd Cultural Center Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, and members of the Saudi embassy.
During the visit, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz is scheduled to meet with the Bosnian President, Prime Minister and senior government ministers and officials and pay visits to a number of historical, touristic, and civilizational sites in Sarajevo and other cities.
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz explained that he is making an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina upon instructions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, his keenness to deepening the relations with the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, opening new horizons of cooperation between the two countries and at an invitation of the Bosnian President.
He also explained that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques attaches special attention to the relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina since he was chairing the Council for Assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war in the Balkan region and his visit to Sarajevo in 2000 and meeting with late President Aliezet Begovic, as well as his interest in following-up the rehabilitation projects that led to tightening the economic ties between the two countries.
For his part, President Bakir Izetbegovic expressed personal appreciation as well as that of his government of the role of the Kingdom in assisting his country to overcome the post-war difficult situations and start re-building the nation through political and economic stability and development, lauding the pivotal role being played by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques at that stage, making him an exceptional personality to the Bosnian people.
He confirmed the great profile the Kingdom is enjoying in the hearts of all Muslims and its leading role in the political fields and its Islamic leverage in addition to its economic importance at the global level.
He said he is gearing forward to further enhancing fraternal ties between the two friendly peoples in all humanitarian fields and contacts at the people-to-people and legacy levels which is parallel or even overpasses the importance of enhancing economic relations, now seen as proceeding steadily with the need to further support it to become at the size of the distinguished relation between the two countries.
During the meeting, bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries in all fields were discussed.
In remarks to reporters following the meeting, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, expressed happiness to visit Bosnia, thanking the President and government officials for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to him.
He recalled that he was accompanying the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during his visit to Bosnia in 2000 and meeting with late Present Ali Izetbegovic.
He also recalled that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques requested that his meeting will become one meeting with representatives of all religions in Bosnia and not only Muslims, a message that the Kingdom prefers Bosnia religious stability and co-existence which was considered a great role of the Kingdom that contributed to the current stability of the country.