UPDATE - Ukraine eyes improved trade ties with Saudi Arabia

UPDATES WITH MEETING WITH SAUDI KING

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Wednesday that his country hoped to attract more investment from Saudi Arabia.

“We welcome the participation of Saudi public and private capital in the implementation of attractive and mutually beneficial projects on the territory of Ukraine,” Poroshenko said, according to a statement released by his office.

Poroshenko made the remarks on the second day of a two-day state visit to Riyadh, where he has already met with the head of Saudi Arabia’s influential Public Investment Fund.

Speaking Wednesday, the Ukrainian president said Kiev had recently adopted measures aimed at improving the country’s business climate and attracting foreign investment.

Poroshenko also invited Saudi companies to take part in Ukraine’s ongoing privatization process.

The Ukrainian president met earlier with Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (of which Saudi Arabia is a leading member), urging the six-nation council to play a more active role in protecting the rights of Crimean Tatars.

On Wednesday afternoon, Poroshenko met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, with whom he discussed Saudi-Ukraine relations.

The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude to the Saudi monarch for the latter’s support for international initiatives aimed at protecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to Poroshenko’s office.

The two leaders also agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, military-industrial, energy and investment arenas.

King Salman, for his part, emphasized the "friendly" nature of relations between the two countries, saying Poroshenko's visit would lead to “new opportunities” for the enhancement of bilateral ties.

The two leaders also agreed to step up joint efforts to ensure regional peace and security and support the ongoing fight against international terrorism.