Negotiations between the Russian President and the King took place in the Kremlin Saudi Arabia. The leaders discussed all issues - from the economy to the situation in the Middle East. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud invited Vladimir Putin to come on a return visit and the invitation was accepted.
This is the first trip of the head of the kingdom to our country, so the state visit can be called, without exaggeration, historical. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrived in Moscow the day before.
Vladimir Putin met with the Saudi monarch in November 2015 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Antalya; this year the leaders spoke twice by phone. And in 2007, Putin visited the kingdom. King Salman came to power in January 2015, and the Russian president recently spoke with his son - crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in St. Petersburg in May.
After the solemn welcoming ceremony, the leaders talked in various formats, took part in the signing ceremony of documents, after which they were treated to a state dinner in honor of the high-ranking guest.
“Thank you very much for accepting our invitation and coming on a visit. This is the first visit of the King of Saudi Arabia to Russia in the history of our relations, and this in itself landmark event", the Russian leader greeted the guest in the Kremlin. "Our relations are quite big story, he noted. - In 1926, 90 years ago, even more, our country, then Soviet Union, was the first state to recognize the newly formed kingdom."
“We are happy to be in your friendly country. We strive to strengthen bilateral relations in the interests of peace and security, in the interests of developing the world economy,” the king said and remembered that he had already been to Russia, but a very long time ago.
The Russian-Saudi investment forum and days of Saudi culture were timed to coincide with the visit. At Vnukovo airport, the monarch was greeted by posters with his portrait and greetings from the Russian-Saudi Investment Fund in Russian and Arabic. A large delegation from the kingdom arrived: five-star hotels in the Kremlin and Red Square area are occupied in the capital. Moreover, as reported, in many rooms the atmosphere was given oriental character, and for some they even brought their favorite carpets from their homeland.
“We talked about bilateral relations and the situation in the region,” Putin noted at the meeting in expanded format. “It was a very meaningful conversation, very substantive and very confidential,” he assessed.
King Salman thanked for the warm welcome and hospitality. “We appreciate the warm feelings expressed in your speech towards our country,” he said and noted the coincidence of views on many regional and international problems. “Coordination between us continues in everything that contributes to strengthening the security and prosperity of our states, in everything that serves the cause of international peace and security,” he said saudi monarch.
“We are committed to continuing positive cooperation between our countries to achieve stability in global oil markets, which contributes to the growth of the global economy,” King Salman said. "We are fully convinced that there are great opportunities to expand and diversify the base economic cooperation between our countries," he said.
The Saudi monarch called for increased efforts to combat extremism, terrorism and its sources of financing. “The Kingdom called for the creation of an international center to combat terrorism under the auspices of the UN and allocated $110 million to finance this center,” he said. Saudi Arabia has created a military coalition that includes 41 islamic state, initiated the creation of a world center in Riyadh to combat extremist ideas.
The Saudi monarch also called on Iran to refuse to interfere in the internal affairs of the states of the region, to abandon actions to destabilize the situation and emphasized the importance of a political solution to the Yemen crisis.
“With regard to the Syrian crisis, we are called upon to seek its end in accordance with the decisions of Geneva 1 and UN Security Council Resolution 2254, to find a political solution that would guarantee the achievement of security, stability and the preservation of the unity and territorial integrity of Syria,” King Salman said. "We call on the international community to take responsibility when it comes to the problems of the Rohingya Muslims and find a solution that protects them from the violence and abuses they are subjected to and puts an end to their suffering," he also said. “We also emphasize the importance of preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq and uniting the internal front to fight terrorism,” the Saudi monarch concluded. At the end of his speech, he invited Putin to visit the kingdom. “I remember my previous trip to your country and will definitely take advantage of your invitation to visit Saudi Arabia again,” the Russian leader thanked.
After negotiations, in the presence of the leaders, a significant package of documents was signed - 14 agreements: in the field of space, communications, nuclear energy, social protection, culture, agriculture, oil refining, a road map for trade, economic and scientific and technical cooperation. And also - a memorandum on the purchase and localization of production of military products, a contract regarding the organization of licensed production in the kingdom of Kalashnikov assault rifles and cartridges for various purposes. Another important document is the agreement on the creation of an energy investment fund and an investment fund in the field of high technologies with a volume of one billion dollars each. Serious agreements have been reached in the field of military-technical cooperation. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated following the negotiations, the first meeting of the new commission on military-technical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia will be held before the end of the year. “The leaders of our countries welcomed the creation of another commission, a commission on military-technical cooperation, which should hold its first meeting before the end of this year,” Lavrov said. “We are confident that the solid package of documents signed today not only creates the necessary legal framework for further cooperation and its deepening, but also allows us to bring the Russian-Saudi partnership to a new qualitative level,” said the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Moscow and Riyadh agree that the fight against terrorism should be a priority in Syria. “When considering all the problems of this region, a common understanding of the priority of a decisive fight against terrorism has once again emerged,” Lavrov said. According to him, “this is the purpose of the initiative, which Russian Federation, and Saudi Arabia is being promoted at the UN and in the international arena in general."
“Of course, it is clear that the fight against terrorism implies decisive opposition to extremist ideology. We familiarized our Saudi colleagues with the relevant approaches that are currently being considered in the UN Security Council,” the Russian Foreign Minister noted.
Dossier "RG"
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is the King of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and head of the Al Saud dynasty. As reported on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this country, he became king and prime minister on January 23, 2015 after the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. Salman, the son of the first King of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, and the sixth of the Sudairi Seven, was King Fahd's most trusted advisor and closest brother to Crown Prince Sultan. From 1963 to 2011, he served as governor of the province of Riyadh, and then as minister of defense.
The king's personal life is not public, but unofficially, according to media reports, he was married three times, had ten sons (two of whom died) and one daughter. One of his sons, Sultan Ibn Salman, is an astronaut who flew on the space shuttle Discovery in 1985 and became the first Arab, as well as the first person royal blood who have been in outer space. According to the American television channel CNN, at the age of 10 His Majesty memorized the Koran. King Salman was hailed as "Islam's Person of the Year" in 2017 for his services to the Muslim world and "for his efforts to restore peace and security to the planet." It was his reign that became significant in terms of women's rights in Saudi Arabia - they received the right to drive a car, and the country's Foreign Ministry assured on its Twitter account that this was just the beginning. Many places and institutions in Saudi Arabia are named after King Salman - from a stadium in the city of Al-Majma to a park in Riyadh.
King Salman is known for always traveling with a very large retinue. For example, in 2015, he vacationed on the French Riviera in the company of about a thousand relatives and friends, as well as people working for royal family, for which 400 luxury cars were rented. The British BBC reported that a throne was delivered to the king's estate on the coast, and to make it more convenient for him to go down to the sea, before his arrival, an elevator was built from the building directly to the sandy beach. Another example is that in the spring of 2017, the king visited several Asian countries. According to the portal asiaone.com, he was accompanied by one and a half thousand people, including 10 ministers and 25 princes. Such a large delegation traveled on six Boeing aircraft and one Hercules.
One of the topics that should be discussed during the meetings between the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the top leadership of the Russian Federation is called military-technical. If the largest and richest country in the Middle East starts buying Russian weapons, it will be a real breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Russia and Saudi Arabia have already signed a preliminary agreement in the field of military-technical cooperation worth $3.5 billion. The list is currently being agreed upon military equipment, which will be supplied to Riyadh.
Saudis usually do not skimp and pay good price for military items. It is not surprising that for the opportunity to supply Riyadh various weapons and ammunition there is a real struggle. The Americans are in the lead, constantly pushing back their European NATO colleagues.
However, in last years Riyadh actively hinted that fundamental changes could occur in the purchase of weapons with a reorientation towards Russia. Indeed, at all military-technical exhibitions held in Abu Dhabi, representatives of Saudi Arabia very carefully became acquainted with the exhibits presented by Rosoboronexport. In turn, official representatives of Rosoboronexport have been actively working on Saudi Arabia over the past ten years. Five years ago, a $20 billion contract was even discussed. Protocols of intent were signed. And although it never came to firm contracts, the Americans were alarmed. They did not want to lose their monopoly on the richest buyer in the Middle East. Washington made serious financial concessions, accepted many of the conditions put forward by Riyadh, and pushed through the purchase contract American weapons worth $110 billion. It was signed in May of this year.
Nevertheless, in the summer, Riyadh and Moscow entered into a preliminary agreement in the field of military-technical cooperation worth $3.5 billion. And back in 2015, under an intergovernmental agreement, a commission on military-technical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia was formed. However, she never intended to. Now, according to the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev, the commission may well begin its practical work. Its first meeting should take place before the end of the year.
What would Saudi Arabia like to buy from Russia and what are we ready to supply to the armed forces of this country?
In fact, they are interested in almost the entire range of Russian defense products, with the exception of naval ones. First of all this combat helicopters Mi-35M, Mi-28N and Ka-52. There is high interest in armored vehicles - T-90SM and BMP-3 tanks and various systems volley fire. Special attention has always been given anti-aircraft missile systems"Antey-250" and S-400 "Triumph". The head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, stated in one of his interviews that the Saudis constantly ask about the Iskander-E operational-tactical complex. But this complex is still prohibited for export. Nevertheless, it is almost in first place in the requests not only of Saudi Arabia, but also of many other countries.
According to experts, if the military-technical contract with Riyadh begins to be implemented, the most expensive will be the supply of S-400 Triumph. The issue of building a plant to produce small arms Concern "Kalashnikov". Assault rifles of various AK series have long been in service with the kingdom's police services. The supply of Russian armored vehicles is quite likely. The Saudi military has repeatedly expressed its negative attitude towards American tank Abrams and were very interested in our T-90SM.
Of course, 3.5 billion dollars is difficult to compare with 110 billion, but, as they say, the worst is the beginning. The cost of our entry into the Saudi Arabian arms market will ultimately be measured not only and not even so much by money.
Moscow prepared thoroughly for the visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Saudi businessmen hung welcome posters on the way from the airport with the image of the guardian monarch, as his official title indicates, of two Islamic shrines (the Holy Mosque al-Haram in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina). And the Russian president, speaking at the Energy Forum the day before, assured the Saudi authorities that they, like other countries in the Middle East, can count on an honest dialogue and a predictable policy from Moscow. “Our advantage is that we never play a double game with anyone and if there are disagreements, we talk about it directly,” Putin emphasized.
Numerous already from the beginning of the week. The guests brought with them 450 tons of luggage and paid not only for accommodation, but also for a change of scenery. At their request, the hotel rooms received interior items familiar to the East - in particular, low trestle beds instead of regular chairs and chairs.
In total, about a thousand people came with the King of Saudi Arabia - relatives, servants, security, technical personnel, doctors and officials. Saudi businessmen took an active part in the Russian Energy Week, where the prospects for extending the deal to reduce oil production within OPEC+ were discussed. And the household, not burdened with worries, strolled through the boutiques of famous brands.
The monarch himself arrived in Moscow on Wednesday evening and did not leave the hotel before his trip to the Kremlin: in order to prepare for negotiations with Vladimir Putin, the 81-year-old king, who recently suffered a stroke, needed time to acclimatize - from the dry climate of the desert he found himself in the most the height of Moscow's bad weather.
On the Russian side, the welcoming ceremony for Salman in St. Andrew's Hall was attended not only by Russian ministers, but also by governors who maintain active ties with the Saudis - Rustam Minnikhanov (Tatarstan), Yunusbek Evkurov (Ingushetia), Rustem Khamitov (Bashkiria) and Ramzan Kadyrov (Chechnya) - the latter for some reason (perhaps on the occasion of his own birthday) in ceremonial camouflage and with a gilded symbol of Islam on his chest. From the Arab guests came the tart smell of ambergris, which is part of the men's perfume used in Saudi Arabia.
Out of respect for the age of the monarch, the ceremony took place according to a shortened program, but even these few minutes on his feet were difficult for Salman. For a long time he tried to find a foothold with a stick, looked around lostly, and after the anthems were played, he went in the wrong direction: Vladimir Putin had to gently take him by the sleeve. The New York Times recently wrote that there are persistent rumors in the Saudi establishment about the imminent abdication of the king in favor of his son, 31-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
However, the guest felt quite confident at the negotiating table and, judging by the facial expressions of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he amazed the Russian delegation with a long and, most importantly, meaningful speech, which is usually not typical for the public part of such events. Putting gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and checking his pre-written talking points, the king said that Saudi Arabia considers Russia a friendly country and intends to develop cooperation in everything that “serves the cause of peace and prosperity.” One of the key areas is oil production. “We strive to continue positive interaction with Russia to achieve stability in global oil markets,” Salman emphasized.
Relations between the two states, according to his assessment, "are characterized by a coincidence of views on many regional and international problems." The monarch said that on the foreign policy track, the Saudis’ goal is to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, push Iran out of Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries, and also maintain unity and territorial integrity Syria and Iraq. In addition, Salman spoke out in support of the Rohingya Muslims: the international community, he said, must find a solution and protect them from violence.
Even before the start of the negotiations, it was known that the Saudi delegation would focus on discussing several key topics - the situation on the oil market, a settlement in Syria and the expansion of Iran into neighboring countries.
IN Lately The Saudis have changed their rhetoric: they no longer insist on the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad as an indispensable condition for the start of the political process. In their opinion, he can become a compromise figure during the transition period, which will last at least 6 months, and only after that he will have to “go into the shadows.”
Riyadh is now much more concerned about Qatar and Iran. It is possible that during the negotiations the Kremlin was offered investments in the economy and large contracts in the field of military-technical cooperation (in particular, for the purchase of the S-400 air defense system) in exchange for refusal to cooperate with Iran. However, Vladimir Putin has previously stated that he will not agree to such deals. "This is our neighbor, our long-time partner, we value this and respect national interests Iran," the president said at the Energy Forum, answering a question about the prospects for the withdrawal of Iranian armed forces from Syria after the end of the armed phase of the conflict.
As a result, it was not among the signed documents. For now, military-technical cooperation between the two countries will be limited to Kalashnikov assault rifles and cartridges for various purposes, the production of which, according to the document signed following the visit, will be organized on the territory of Saudi Arabia.
In addition to Rosoboronexport, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Industry and Trade exchanged agreements with the Saudis. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has agreed with Saudi investors to create two joint funds worth $2 billion - technology and energy. In addition, Saudi Arabia will invest $100 million in the construction of the northern backup Kutuzovsky Prospekt in Moscow.
MOSCOW, October 14 - RIA Novosti. The Russian President comes to Saudi Arabia again at the invitation of the King. Vladimir Putin's previous official visit to Riyadh took place in February 2007. But it is precisely in recent years, as the Saudi side emphasized, that relations between the countries have reached new horizons. Current negotiations could yield billions of dollars in trade agreements.
Royal welcome
Two years ago, the Kremlin hosted the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Negotiations with the custodian of the two holy sites (the al-Haram mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina) were supposed to dot the i’s on issues related to the oil market and military-technical cooperation.
The delegation, numbering almost a thousand people, rented all the luxury rooms in the most expensive hotels in the Russian capital. The King stayed at the Four Seasons. The hotel chain is partly owned by his nephew, Prince Alwaleed. They even brought an escalator ladder with them so that the 81-year-old monarch could smoothly descend from the plane without stepping foot. Then, however, there was a hitch: halfway up the ladder stopped - and the king still had to get down to the ground on his own.
For Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who ascended the throne in 2015, that visit to Russia was his first as king, but he had already been to Moscow - in 2006. But Vladimir Putin visited Riyadh only once - 12 years ago. The Russian president was greeted with a cannon salute and a cavalry escort. The road in front of him was strewn with rose petals, and the dancers spectacularly presented a dagger. The outfits of Russian journalists added color - they had to wear hijabs. The monarch put the whole palace at the disposal of the guest. The king's visit to the Kremlin was not so bright, but also very beautiful.
Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit Historical center named after King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. February 12, 2007
Following the meeting two years ago, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted: “It was a friendly, detailed conversation, based on the mutual desire of Moscow and Riyadh to consistently increase mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas.” His colleague Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir said further: "The relationship between the two countries is reaching new horizons that we could not even imagine before."
Finally, King Salman bin Abdulaziz invited Vladimir Putin to visit. Russian President promised to visit Saudi Arabia again. But he didn’t specify a time frame. And finally the visit will take place.
King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who arrived in Russia on a state visit, during an official meeting at Vnukovo-2 airport. October 4, 2017
Politics and business in Riyadh
All this time, the president and the king kept in touch by telephone, the Kremlin reported on the eve of the trip. In addition, Putin regularly meets with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, noted Assistant to the Russian President Yuri Ushakov. According to him, in Riyadh the parties will first of all discuss issues of increasing cooperation in the energy sector, agriculture, industry, military-technical sphere.
“Of course, we intend to have a thorough exchange of views on current international issues with an emphasis on the state of affairs in the Middle East and North Africa region. There will be a specific conversation about the situation in Syria, in the Persian Gulf, Yemen and the Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” Ushakov told reporters.
The program in Riyadh will begin with a welcoming ceremony with the king, followed by a state dinner on his behalf in honor of the Russian president. Then negotiations and signing of joint documents - more than thirty of them are being prepared.
Vladimir Putin will take part in the first meeting of the Russian-Saudi Economic Council, which includes representatives big business two countries, two dozen people on each side. "Investment cooperation is increasing. The Saudi Arabian Public Fund has allocated ten billion dollars for investment together with Russian Foundation direct investment (RDIF), there is a co-investment mechanism. A total of $2.5 billion has been disbursed," Ushakov added.
He noted that last year trade turnover between the countries increased by 15 percent and exceeded a billion dollars. It was also reported the day before that Russian and Saudi companies will sign ten agreements on mutual investments in agriculture, fertilizer production, development railways and the petrochemicals sector totaling two billion dollars.
Black gold
Observers agree that the parties will discuss an agreement to limit oil production, since Russia and Saudi Arabia are its main participants. The OPEC+ deal, signed in 2017, was extended twice, and the conditions for production cuts changed. Relations between the countries began to actively develop precisely after this agreement. As Sergei Lavrov pointed out, close coordination on the situation on the global oil market should be added to the common asset of the countries.
The conversation may also touch upon weapons. In September, Saudi oil facilities were attacked by drones, causing the country's oil production to halve. American air defense systems (or their Saudi operators) were unable to repel the attack. Washington and Riyadh blamed Iran for the incident, although Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility.
“It is enough for the political leadership of Saudi Arabia to make a wise state decision, as the leaders of Iran did in their time by purchasing ( Russian systems Air defense) S-300, and as the President (of Turkey Recep Tayyip) Erdogan did, purchasing from Russia the latest complexes Air defense S-400 “Triumph,” Putin said then. He also assured that Moscow is ready to help overcome differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
New level
“I am convinced that the Russian-Saudi summit will give a powerful additional impetus to our multifaceted partnership and will serve to translate it into new level, will strengthen mutual understanding between the two peoples,” Lavrov said in an interview with Arabic-language media.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled that Russia and Saudi Arabia are supporters of a decisive fight against terrorism: “We know first-hand the grief and destruction extremist ideology brings, and therefore we will never dissemble, divide radicals into “us” and “strangers.” ", use them for selfish purposes."
In the opinion of the Russian minister, significant potential for strengthening interaction between the two countries remains not only in energy or agriculture, but also in advanced technologies.
On Tuesday, October 15, Vladimir Putin is planning a state visit to the United United Arab Emirates. “After negotiations in narrow and wide formats, Putin and (UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al) Nahyan will meet with representatives of Russian and Emirati business circles, that is, the program roughly repeats the visit to Saudi Arabia,” Ushakov said. According to him, trade turnover last year increased by 3.6 percent and reached $1.7 billion.
“There is success in investment cooperation - RDIF and the Emirati sovereign fund Mubadala have already completed more than 45 transactions worth $2.3 billion, with plans to expand the investment portfolio to seven billion,” Ushakov added.
The Kremlin spokesman also noted that the Emirates is popular among Russian tourists, with their number increasing by 23 percent last year. In addition, the UAE leads among the Gulf countries in terms of trade volumes with Russia.
On Thursday, October 5, the King of Saudi Arabia was received in the Kremlin. The arrival of Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is significant not only because it is the first visit of the monarch, but also because the negotiations with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina) were supposed to dot the i’s in issues related to the oil market and military-technical cooperation. Among the Kremlin gilding, the Saudis, accustomed to luxury, were deciding the fate of a package of arms contracts worth over three billion dollars. And the head of Chechnya, who was celebrating his birthday, photographed with interest the place for the throne in St. Andrew's Hall.
Kings can do anything
Muscovites could learn about the king's upcoming visit not only from the news. In early October, the Russian-Saudi Investment Fund placed posters on the highway with greetings to “The Custodian of the Two Islamic Shrines, His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia.” The delegation, numbering almost a thousand people, rented all the luxury rooms in the most expensive hotels in the Russian capital. In an effort to please guests accustomed to oriental luxury, the furniture in the rooms was changed, carpets were laid and low trestle beds were placed. The king himself stayed at the Four Seasons. The hotel chain is partly owned by his nephew, Prince Alwaleed.
There are legends about how the king and his retinue travel. The amount of luggage carried is especially impressive - hundreds of tons are counted. Airplanes transport equipment, cars, elevators and even an escalator, the length of which when folded is 15 meters. That's where the trouble started with him. The technical specialists who arrived as part of the delegation independently collected this royal know-how. But something went wrong on Russian soil. The 81-year-old monarch stepped onto the escalator, traveled a third of the way, and the ramp jammed. The elderly king, leaning on a stick, barely climbed several steps on his own.
There were no glitches in the Kremlin. Since a state visit - the highest level possible - involves a magnificent welcoming ceremony, taking into account the age of the monarch, it was nevertheless reduced. According to tradition, the delegations of the two countries lined up along St. Andrew's Hall. In this ceremonial room of the Grand Kremlin Palace, restored in the 90s, a place for the throne is also designated. More precisely, a throne with replicas of the royal chairs. It was in this direction that he led his guest, circling the arches of the hall with his hands and telling something with the help of translators.
Photo: Alexey Nikolsky / RIA Novosti
When the king and president left the hall, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, approached the throne. He stood out against the general background with his paramilitary attire - a dark green service jacket. Left alone for a few moments, Kadyrov took out his phone and photographed the place for the throne. And then he posed for his Instagram with the leaders of Ingushetia and Tatarstan. All three represented the Muslim part of the Russian Federation.
Arab journalists, meanwhile, warned their Russian colleagues against a mistake: the name of their king should have been pronounced in full and only in full. “In short, no way! Only Salman bin Abdulaziz!” - One of the guests spoke in excellent Russian, raising his voice with respect.
We waited ten years
Relations between Moscow and Riyadh have not always been smooth sailing. The first official visit of Saudi Arabian representatives to Moscow after the collapse of the USSR took place in 2003. For the current king, who took the throne in 2015, this is the first visit in a new capacity, but he has already been to Moscow in 2006, as the ruler of Riyadh.
But Vladimir Putin visited this Arab country only once - ten years ago, but remembers that trip with warmth. He was greeted royally, with a cannon salute and a cavalry escort. The monarch put the entire palace at the guest's disposal and generously invited him to change the schedule of the visit at his discretion. The road in front of Putin was strewn with rose petals, and the dancers spectacularly presented a dagger (one can imagine what the president’s personal security went through at that moment). The outfits of Russian journalists added color - they had to wear hijabs.
Photo: Vladimir Rodionov / RIA Novosti
Just a few years before that visit, Russia accused Saudi Arabia of financially supporting Chechen terrorists. Riyadh expressed dissatisfaction with Moscow's attitude towards its country's Muslims. But in the name of the joint fight against terrorism, the parties entered into a dialogue. Then Putin left the kingdom with the kingdom's highest award - the Order of Abdul Aziz. Finally, he invited the then King Abdullah, the half-brother of the current ruler, to make a return visit to Moscow. The visit had to wait ten years - Riyadh preferred to look towards Washington.
Kalashnikov and wheat
Before Salman Bin Abdulaziz's visit, the Foreign Minister noted that the leaders' meeting would be "a turning point in relations and will take cooperation to a new level, ensuring a fruitful contribution to stability in the Middle East and North Africa." Sources working in this area said that Moscow really has high expectations, especially in terms of military-technical cooperation.
According to the publication's interlocutors, the Russian side has prepared a package of arms contracts worth over three billion dollars, including for the supply of several divisions of anti-aircraft guns missile systems S-400 "Triumph". For ten years, Moscow has been trying to enter the Riyadh arms market, but it has never reached contracts.
As a result, only an agreement was signed along the line to organize licensed production of AK-103 assault rifles and cartridges for various purposes in the kingdom. Of the 14 documents certified by the delegations, one can highlight an agreement on research and cooperation in outer space and a program in the field of atomic energy use. Moreover, he agreed on the supply of Russian wheat to Saudi Arabia, although the export of Russian barley already accounts for almost half of the bilateral trade turnover worth more than $200 million.
Perhaps in the political area the negotiations were more successful. The parties touched upon the situation on the oil market (the common goal here is to achieve stability), as well as conflicts in the Middle East. The latter, as Lavrov put it, was discussed “confidentially” by the king and the president.
Salman bin Abdul Al Saud positively assessed Russia's efforts to resolve the situation in Syria. And he did not fail to prick Iran. “We emphasize that the security and stability of the Gulf region and the Middle East will require Iran to renounce interference in the internal affairs of states and renounce activities to destabilize the situation in this region,” the king said slowly, checking the papers covered in large print. Adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, he noted that relations between Moscow and Riyadh, in his assessment, are “characterized by a coincidence of views on many regional and international problems.”
“It was a friendly, detailed conversation, based on the mutual desire of Moscow and Riyadh to consistently increase mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas,” Lavrov said following the negotiations. His colleague used stronger language. In his opinion, “relations between the two countries are reaching new horizons that we could not even imagine before.”
Finally, King Salman bin Abdulaziz invited Vladimir Putin to visit. The Russian president accepted the invitation and promised to visit Saudi Arabia again. But he didn’t specify a time frame.
On October 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin received the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, in the Kremlin. Even before the start of the visit, the Saudi side called it historic. A special correspondent for Kommersant Andrey Kolesnikov also calls it unprecedented: never in modern Russian history due to the arrival of a foreign statesman The Grand Kremlin Palace was not rebuilt.
The day before the start of the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia, the Russia-Saudi Arabia Business Council was held in Moscow. Businessmen shared prospects for interaction with each other. Thus, the Chairman of the Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed al-Raji, spoke and said that there really are prospects. Thus, he said, Saudi Arabia now imports meat worth $20 billion a year from Australia and New Zealand (14 hours by plane). What's the point - if in Voronezh there is meat just as good, but it takes four hours to transport it?
In general, the prospects seemed exciting, perhaps to both sides. But on the other hand, it was obvious that any contracts that could be concluded during this visit would still pale in comparison to the expenses that the Saudis incurred in organizing it.
Not only has everyone read about these expenses, but it seems that everyone has already written about them. They say, for example, the room in which the king lives at the Four Seasons Hotel costs at least a million rubles. True, they do not take into account the discount, but it may take place: as you know, the entire global chain of Four Seasons hotels is owned by the king’s nephew Al-Waleed bin Talal, the richest man in the world, to put it mildly.
Everyone also wrote about some of the misfortunes that plagued the king at the very beginning of his arrival: I mean standing on the ramp, which was clearly not brought from Saudi Arabia for this purpose.
Another story from that night is, of course, the standing of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, and also near this ramp. Surely someone was confused by him appearance. After all, he had come to meet a king, and what a king at that, and from under his coat he could see a sweatshirt with a nickel-plated zipper, although, we are all sure of it, it was not cheap.
And then he walked right next to the king for some time, and this could have cost Russia not just a note of protest from the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry, but a real symphony. Thus, this story became the first test of the strength of relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia. And how great it is that they passed this test.
In general, the visit began to be difficult. But there were also advantages. Stopping the ramp provoked a situation where the king walked most of the way on his feet. And it is known that not only in Saudi Arabia, but throughout the world there are ill-wishers who claim that the king is too weak and is not able to take even a few steps. And this was an unexpected answer to all of them. But the news that the king of Saudi Arabia is bad would instantly cripple all world markets...
Another thing is that the real subjects of the king take care of him and do everything to once again do not subject his health to unnecessary tests. Thus, according to Kommersant’s information, on the eve of the visit to Moscow, one of the main topics of discussion among the organizers was one very delicate one.
The fact is that the Saudis began to insist that the king should move around the Grand Kremlin Palace (GKD), where all official events ultimately took place on October 5, in an electric car, which, naturally, was made on special order in Saudi Arabia. This is a very small black car that looks like the kind that children ride in shopping and entertainment centers and parks.
Moreover, it was said that the king would ride in this electric car with a driver everywhere, except for public events with the participation of television cameras. Such a proposal sounded unprecedented: no one had ever driven a car through the historical corridors and halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Moreover, for the project to take place, some reconstruction of the Grand Kremlin Palace would be required. It was assumed that the king's motorcade would approach the BKD from the Blagoveshchensky entrance. Here the king had to change into an electric car. But how will the car get inside? At what exact location in BKD will the King of Saudi Arabia sit in it? All these were still unanswered questions.
I’ll say right away that when, just before the signing of bilateral agreements in the Malachite foyer, I went down the famous grand staircase leading from the entrance to St. George’s Hall to the street (Vladimir Putin, for example, climbs it during his inaugurations), I knew that The exit from this staircase to the Blagoveshchensky entrance (this exit is not a formal exit, not for leaders, but for members of delegations, staff and journalists) has undergone some redevelopment. The people who told me about this a minute ago in this same foyer deserved respect, their information could be trusted, considering that they generally never deal with journalists. But I had to see everything with my own eyes.
It turned out to be easy. And the redevelopment, even if small, was striking. Handrails appeared on both sides of the stairs near the walls. Of course, they didn't exist before. Why were they needed? And this was actually a sign of respect to the king. No one should or could support him while he climbed these stairs. The subjects understood this all too well. But it was also necessary to provide support, at least moral, in such a situation. The handrails became such support.
And in addition to the handrails, I also saw the king’s motorcade at the exit from the Annunciation entrance. By the way, there weren’t that many cars here - about 20. And among them there weren’t any incredible ones that would boggle the imagination. For some reason this made me happy.
As for the situation for which handrails were needed, then, according to Kommersant’s information, the king’s motorcade on the morning of October 5 stopped at the entrance to the BKD from the Blagoveshchensky entrance. The king went out and climbed the stairs (it was only a few steps) to the electric car, which took him to the elevator. Whether the king used the handrails, history is silent and will always remain silent. But yes, I used an electric car in BKD.
The king, of course, entered the St. Andrew's Hall of the Kremlin for the official ceremony of welcoming himself, and walked, I repeat, not slowly: as if to spite all his enemies.
Journalists appeared in St. Andrew's Hall an hour before the ceremony began. These were almost only photographers: it was a rare case when they were given total preference over the writing press.
Everyone here was minding their own business. Two soldiers from the honor guard company were conducting a dress rehearsal for opening and closing the door through which the king of Saudi Arabia would appear. The door is huge, but it actually opens easily, and the whole point is to do it synchronously and in full accordance with the ritual.
One Arab journalist was worried whether a long way From this door to the middle of the hall, where Vladimir Putin was supposed to wait for the king, the king had to do it.
The employees of the two protocols did not leave each other, certainly nervous: the meeting indeed, especially now, before it began, seemed historic.
Members of the delegations began to enter and take their places. The Arab part walked past me and stood in line right in front of me (albeit with their backs). To be honest, I was amazed at how tall and broad these people were. These, apparently, really were princes of the blood, who, if you did not know this and did not see that they were standing in St. Andrew’s Hall to participate in the ceremony of welcoming their king, could rather be mistaken for his guard.
And after a few seconds, the air around me, it seemed, could be moved apart with my hands: it consisted of the aromas that these people exuded. It wasn't, of course Eau de Toilette. These were Arabic flavored oils, and since each oil, of course, had its own and, I suspect, the author’s, total mixture, of which the air now consisted, turned out to be infinitely complex, and it made my head spin with mind-blowing centrifugal force.
The head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov (center) and the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov (left) rejoiced at meeting each other as if they had met a king
Members of the Russian delegation also walked by and took their places. For them, this hall was more or less familiar, and they felt confident in it. The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, for whom circumstances had arranged an interesting birthday, took a selfie with feeling against the backdrop of the walls of the hall and the line of Saudis. Then the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov asked him to come up and take a photo with him - and this took them a lot of time, especially since Yunus-Bek Yevkurov immediately joined them. Always alone with a mobile phone, even here the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky did not part with it. Above this, that is, enjoying each other, Sergei Lavrov and Dmitry Rogozin stood a little to the side, and from there, as usual, a lot of laughter was heard... The economic bloc, represented primarily by the Minister of Energy Alexander Novak, was also desperately photographed against the background of the walls and each other and with each other another, which, of course, spoke of some uncertainty of these people about the future: as if they believed that the next opportunity might not present itself...
And only the head of Rosneft, Igor Sechin, stood as if the ceremony had already begun, and what did this remind me of? Russian delegation.
But what is it? About ten minutes later, I saw that the Saudis too had lost their nerve: first, one somehow timidly pulled out a mobile phone from where it was not very clear, then another, a third... And they began to do the same as ours. Only very shyly, thinking maybe that they were doing it secretly... And I already saw how one turned on the phone camera only to look at himself and realize that he was completely fine, and slowly turn it off, and I managed to think that this after all, a good skill... And the other, it seems, the youngest prince here, having taken three steps back from the line, was already talking on the phone, turning his back to his colleagues, and loudly, and they seemed to be envious...
I realized that the Saudis are susceptible to other people's rules of the game and can exploit them themselves no worse than those who think they set them.
Suddenly the music started playing and it became clear: the ceremony was beginning. The king entered the hall and, slightly hunching, walked towards Vladimir Putin, who had come out into the center of the hall. Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud's gait was royal. It turns out that Vladimir Putin’s gait should have been considered presidential.
They stood in the center of the hall for a short time: while the anthems were being played. As a matter of fact, at this point the meeting ceremony could be considered exhausted.
They reached the opposite end of the hall and stood there, as if discussing a plan for further action, that is, as if they themselves did not understand what to do next. In fact, they now had to negotiate in a narrow format.
They finally left St. Andrew's Hall, where once - and for a long time - the royal throne stood. Little by little the members of the delegations began to disperse. Everyone here congratulated Ramzan Kadyrov on his birthday, Igor Sechin did not refuse an interview with an Arabic TV channel, and Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky walked past me, thoughtfully and, I would say, with a bright face.
No, what a hall we have!.. - he shared his thoughts with me. - What a hall we have!..
I didn’t understand yet, but in the heat of the moment I thought that he might be talking about some kind of cinema hall...
And what kind of people are there... - I tried to support when I realized. - Have there ever been such people here?..
Yes... - Vladimir Medinsky sighed. - Still, the monarchy is power...
I didn’t bother to specify which monarchy he meant: the one that created this hall, or the one that just left it.
Andrey Kolesnikov