French, Saudi leaders discuss bilateral, regional issues

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone Wednesday about regional and international issues and efforts aimed at achieving security and stability.

Macron and bin Salman also reviewed the friendship and cooperation between their countries and “explored opportunities to enhance them in a way that serves mutual interests,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

France could recognize the state of Palestine in June during an international conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia, Macron said earlier in the day.

"We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," he said in an interview broadcast on France 5.

He said the planned conference on the implementation of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is expected to take place in New York, could mark a turning point.

"Our goal is to chair this conference (on Palestine) with Saudi Arabia sometime in June, where we could finalize this movement of mutual recognition by several parties," he added.

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone Wednesday about regional and international issues and efforts aimed at achieving security and stability.

France could recognize the state of Palestine in June during an international conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia, Macron said earlier in the day.

"We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," he said in an interview broadcast on France 5.

He said the planned conference on the implementation of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is expected to take place in New York, could mark a turning point.

"Our goal is to chair this conference (on Palestine) with Saudi Arabia sometime in June, where we could finalize this movement of mutual recognition by several parties," he added.