ISLAMABAD, Oct 25 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, arrived in Islamabad Wednesday for discussions with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the current crisis in Afghanistan, news agencies reported Thursday.
"The Prince is carrying a special message from King Fahd and Crown prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz for the president and will leave Pakistan after a few hours stay here [Pakistan]," a government spokesman told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Saudi foreign minister was received at the Islamabad airport by his Pakistani counterpart, Abdul Sattar.
After meeting with Musharraf, Prince Saud praised the Pakistani president's "bold and courageous decision" to join the coalition against terrorism during talks here Thursday, the Pakistan foreign ministry said, AFP reported.
Officials said the talks focused on the U.S.-led military strikes against the Afghan Taliban and the alleged terrorist network of Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.
Also discussed were various scenarios that could take place if the Taliban are ousted from power in Afghanistan. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia initially supported the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, who have attempted to impose their version of Islamic law.
President Musharraf and Prince Saud agreed that any new government should represent of all the country's disparate ethnic groups.
"He [Prince Saud] also extended the full support of the government of Saudi Arabia to the formation of a broad-based and multi-ethnic government in Afghanistan which would serve as a
stabilizing factor for peace and stability in the region," the ministry said.
