Reply #28: Russia, Saudi Arabia Sign Oil Agreements - Tuesday September 2, 2003

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Russia, Saudi Arabia Sign Oil Agreements

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3099445,00.html

Tuesday September 2, 2003 7:59 PM


By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

Associated Press Writer

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia and Saudi Arabia - the world's largest oil exporters - signed oil industry cooperation agreements Tuesday during a landmark visit to Moscow by the Arab kingdom's ruler.

The two sides also were expected to take up the sensitive question of whether rebels in the secessionist republic of Chechnya receive funding from Saudi charities.

Crown Prince Abdullah, who met with President Vladimir Putin, is the first Saudi head of state to visit post-Soviet Russia. A Saudi crown prince last visited in 1932.

``This day will go down in history as it opens a new era in the Saudi-Russian relations,'' the prince said during talks with Putin and other officials.

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