Russia thankful to Saudi Arabia for attention to Russian pilgrims, says Lavrov

MOSCOW, October 5. /TASS/. Russia is thankful to Saudi Arabia for the traditional attention to Russian hajjis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday upon the completion of talks between President Vladimir Putin and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. "We’re building up humanitarian ties actively," Lavrov said. "We’re thankful to the Kingdom for its traditional attention to the Russian citizens who visit it during the Hajj." He pointed out the program of cultural exchanges the two countries had just coordinated. "In line with it, the Mariinsky Theater orchestra, the Bolshoi company and other Russian performing collectives will go to Saudi Arabia soon," Lavrov said. "On the whole, President Putin and King Salman instructed the governmental departments, the officials of which attended their talks - in fact, the two governments almost in full force - to take well-specified and precisely targeted steps regarding practical implementation of all the accords that were reached today at the highest level," he said. Read more