PM Narendra Modi lauds Saudi govt's arrangements for Indian Haj pilgrims

Riyadh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed his sincere appreciation for the excellent arrangements made by the authorities of the Saudi Arabia Government for the comfort of the Haj and Umrah pilgrims from India.

In a joint statement issued by Prime Minister Modi and Saudi Arabia`s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud following their bilateral talks, the two leaders noted that India and Saudi Arabia have shared civilizational ties over history that are enriched by the movement of goods, peoples and ideas.

They believed that this common heritage can be drawn upon to strengthen their convergence on approaching contemporary challenges and asserted that a broad approach of humanism and tolerance and a conviction that faith should unite rather than divide can be a positive factor in international relations.

The two leaders also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the security situation in West Asia, Middle East and South Asia, in the light of their common interest in the regional and global peace, security and stability.

Referring to the earlier declarations with regard to the situations in Yemen and Syria, they called for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions (2216, 2254 and 2268), they also expressed grave concern regarding security situation in Libya and Iraq.

In this regard, they reiterated the importance of peaceful resolution of these issues through dialogue and political negotiations.