Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdelaziz arrived Friday in Stockholm for a three-day state visit to Sweden, the third of leg of a tour that has already taken him to Germany and Syria.
He was received at Stockholm International Airport by Prime Minister Goran Persson and Sweden's heir apparent Princess Victoria, reported the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Talks with Swedish officials will focus on the deteriorating situation in the Middle East as well ways to boost bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and Sweden, said SPA.
The Saudi prince arrived from Berlin, where he held talks with German President Johannes Rau, said SPA, adding that both officials called on Thursday for an end to "hatred in the Middle East."
The Saudi prince and the president agreed that an end to hatred between Israelis and Palestinians formed the basis for peace in the region, Rau's office said in a statement.
The prince, the highest-ranking Saudi official to visit Germany in 20 years, also met with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, said SPA.
Saudi Arabia wants to boost economic ties between the two countries. German companies doubled their investments in Saudi Arabia in 2000 compared to the previous year, reaching $300 million (352 million euros) – Albawaba.com
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