British Secretary of Defence Ben Wallace received Tuesday Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the Royal Cavalry Guard Square in the British capital, London.

An official reception ceremony was held in honor of the Saudi Minister of Defence during which the Saudi royal anthem was played, and the guard of honor was reviewed, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Prince Khalid held a meeting at the headquarters of the British Ministry of Defence with the British Secretary of Defense, during which they reviewed the strategic and historical relations between the two friendly countries and discussed aspects of bilateral cooperation in the military and defence field. A number of issues of common interest, and the latest developments at the regional and international levels, were also discussed.

Furthermore, the Saudi Minister of Defence and the British Secretary of Defence signed a Defence Cooperation Plan which will enhance bilateral defence and security cooperation to address shared security challenges, including through regular dialogue and consultation, education and training, and capability-building. It reaffirms the UK’s enduring commitment to working with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on promoting regional security and stability, the UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “It is a pleasure to sign this Plan for Defence Cooperation, bringing us even closer to one of our most important partners. It is a key milestone between our two nations, as we look to enhance our defence partnership further in support of mutual and regional security,” the statement added.

The meeting and signing of the Defence Cooperation Plan was attended by Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, From the British side, they were attended by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, the Chief of Air Staff of the British Air Force; the British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Neil Crompton; the British Military Attaché to the Kingdom, Brigadier F.A.J. Piggott, and a number of officials. (SPA; UK Ministry of Defence; Photo © SPA)