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Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin holds talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who arrived in Jeddah on Friday.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, who arrived in Jeddah Friday night, will hold important talks with high-ranking Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, on Syria and Iraq.

Lavrov held talks Friday night with Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin.

Earlier, he was received at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah.

Prince Saud and his Russian counterpart plan to discuss the crises in Syria and Iraq, Gulf security, ways and means to boost bilateral relations, as well as cooperation in trade and commerce, said a report carried by a Russian news agency.

The Jeddah talks follow the meeting of Prince Saud with Russian President Valdimir Putin and Lavrov on June 3 in Russia.

Lavrov and Prince Saud had a telephonic conversation on June 9. The two foreign ministers discussed efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria.

The joint move signals growing proximity between Riyadh and Moscow which can eventually lead to restoration of peace and security in the region. Saudi Arabia and Russia also approved a draft agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

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