The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, signed a cooperation agreement between the European External Action Service and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday 3 October.
The agreement establishes a platform for regular consultations between the two services on political and security issues as well as other ones of mutual interest.
At a press conference in Riyadh, Mr Borrell said the agreement was “another testimony of our joint commitment to reinforce our relationship” and that it represented “the starting point for a new and more profound era in our relationship”. For the Prince, it should contribute to strengthening joint cooperation.
Beyond this agreement, the High Representative said he hoped that, building on the “strong” economic relationship, the scope of interaction between the EU and Saudi Arabia would be widened “to make it more strategic, also on regional issues and global challenges such as the green transition, climate change or the digital revolution”.
He added that the EU supported the ongoing modernisation drive of reforms in the country and hoped that the recently launched Human Rights Dialogue would produce concrete results and contribute to mutual understanding (see EUROPE 12800/26).
Mr Borrell and the minister also discussed the climate, Yemen and the Iran nuclear deal. The High Representative took the opportunity to call on Iran to “quickly” return to negotiations.
Finally, the High Representative announced his intention to convene a joint EU-Gulf Cooperation Council in early 2022. “This Joint Cooperation Council has not been meeting for the last six years and this is something that has to be amended”, he explained, adding that he was ready to resume negotiations on a modern and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)