(MENAFN - Arab News) Eduardo Martinetti, the first ambassador of Peru posted in Riyadh, inaugurated yesterday his country's embassy in the capital, marking the official establishment of bilateral relations between Peru and Saudi Arabia.
On Dec. 10, 2010, Peru and Saudi Arabia signed a protocol in New York City to open embassies in their respective capitals.
"We and Saudi Arabia still face a huge task in building our relations, but we will try to take all avenues of improving and strengthening fields of cooperation," Ambassador Martinetti said in his inaugural speech.
He said that during his diplomatic tenure he would strive to develop friendly relations and a fruitful cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
"Our diplomatic relations are long standing and we have now formally established our embassies. Over the past three decades our mutual political interest has allowed us to be close to Arab friends so as to address the issues in the Middle East."
Peru has actively addressed regional issues in the Middle East. With regard to Syria, Peru has condemned the Syrian government's indiscriminate use of force. "We support the efforts of the United Nations and all resolutions of Human Rights Councils, especially the efforts of the Arab League," he said.
As a member of the "Special Commission of the United Nations on Palestine," Peru has since 1947 maintained a consistent and clear position on the issue of Palestine, in accordance with the norms and principles of international law. In January 2011 Peru fully recognized the Palestinian state as a sovereign and independent state and, more recently, endorsed it as a member of UNESCO.
Extending thanks on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani said, "I convey Prince Saud's congratulations on this important occasion.
"I believe the opening of your embassy today is marking the start of a new page in the important bilateral relations between our two countries, which are based on very strong foundations."
The bilateral relations will cover political, economic and cultural fields as well as tourism.
"I had the honor of representing my country in Lima to attend the ASPA Summit III (South American-Arab Countries) that was held in October 2012. I would say that I immediately I recognized the warmth and the generosity of the people and the important political role of Peru in the region," he said.
Noting that Riyadh will host the next ASPA summit, he said it indicates that Saudi Arabia is looking forward to developing the important relations between these two groups. South America and Arab countries share mutual interests in political, cultural or economic fields, he said.
The opening ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Nizar Obaid Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alauddin Alaskari, Deputy Foreign Minister for Protocol Affairs and a number of diplomats.
