RIYADH, DEC. 13, (BNA) HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA PAID TODAY A VISIT TO SAUDI CROWN PRINCE, DEPUTY PREMIER, MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND AVIATION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL PRINCE SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD AT HIS PALACE IN RIYADH.
HIS MAJESTY THE KING CONGRATULATED HIM ON HIS FULL RECOVERY AND SAFE RETURN TO SAUDI ARABIA AFTER A SUCCESSFUL MEDICAL TRIP ABROAD. HE ALSO LAUDED PRINCE SULTAN'S TREMENDOUS EFFORTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF HIS COUNTRY AS WELL AS HIS CONTINUOUS SUPPORT TO FURTHER BOOST BILATERAL RELATIONS. HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD ALSO LAUDED HIS EFFORTS IN BACKING ARAB AND ISLAMIC ISSUES WISHING HIM CONTINUOUS GOOD HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND LONG LIFE. PRESENT AT THE MEETING WERE RIYADH GOVERNOR PRINCE SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AND HIS DEPUTY PRINCE SATAM BIN ABDULAZIZ, ASSISTANT MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND AVIATION FOR MILITARY AFFAIRS PRINCE KHALID BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ, TABOUK GOVERNOR PRINCE FAHAD BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE RULING FAMILY. HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD HEADED IN HIS MOTORCADE THEN TO THE SPORTS HALL IN RIYADH TO ATTEND A CEREMONY HOSTED BY SECOND DEPUTY PREMIER AND INTERIOR MINISTER PRINCE NAYEF BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD IN CELEBRATION OF THE CROWN PRINCE'S SAFE RETURN. HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD AND THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE WERE WELCOMED UPON ARRIVAL BY PRINCE NAYEF, MEMBERS OF THE RULING FAMILY AND MINISTERS. AFTER THE NATIONAL ANTHEMS OF BOTH COUNTRIES WERE PLAYED BY THE MUSIC BAND, PRINCE NAYEF GAVE A SPEECH IN WHICH HE WELCOMED HIS MAJESTY THE KING, THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE AND THE ATTENDEES. HE ALSO THANKED GOD FOR PRINCE SULTAN'S FULL RECOVERY AND SAFE RETURN TO THE COUNTRY. PRINCE NAYEF ALSO REVIEWED THE ROLE OF KING ABDULAZIZ AND THEN HIS SONS IN BUILDING SAUDI ARABIA AND ENSURING ITS UNITY PRAYING GOD TO PROTECT THE KINGDOM AND ITS PEOPLE. AFTER THAT TWO POEMS WERE READ AND SAUDI ARDHA TOOK PLACE TO MARK THE OCCASION. AOQ 14-DEC-2009 00:09