Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Nayef ended his visit in France after a meeting with French President Francois Hollande on Friday to discuss “anti-terrorism” efforts and ways to boost security cooperation between the two countries.
Along with a number of ministers from the two countries at the Elysee Palace, Nayef and Hollande discussed issues including the Syrian crisis and the war in Yemen.
Following the meeting, the French President granted the Crown Prince the Legion of Honor medal - the highest national award in France - for his efforts in the fight against extremism and terrorism.
The talks come after Nayef, who is also Saudi Arabia Interior Minister, met with French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Odrian on Thursday. During their meeting, aspects of security and military cooperation were discussed, including the fight against terrorism. The fragile truce in Syria was also among the topics discussed, and the intensified military campaign in Yemen.
The French Minister reiterated his country’s support for Saudi Arabia in its operation to restore the internationally recognized government to Yemen, stressing the need for UN Resolution 2216, which imposed an arms embargo on Houthi militias, to be applied.
The two spoke of increasing military drills and cooperation between Saudi and France. Hollande expressed Paris’s support to Saudi efforts to re-instate the Yemeni government.
Photo: French President Francois Hollande (2ndR) and Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (3rdR) meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef of Saudi Arabia (2ndL) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, March 4, 2016.
