UK FM in Saudi to address unrest in region

The British Foreign Secretary is in Saudi Arabia today, to kick off talks aimed at building dialogue between the two countries.   The current talks are set to build on the previous years of The Two Kingdom Dialogue, an annual event focusing on the development of the Saudi-British relationship through the discussion of a broad range of issues. British Foreign Secretary William Hague says that he hopes the talks will demonstrate the value the UK places on improving its relationship with Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia is an important ally and a key player in the Middle East and beyond. Britain’s links with the Kingdom are deep and long-standing and extend from inter-governmental relations to the rich network of links between our people. It is vital that we continue to develop our relations across the board” Hague also addressed address the changes that have occurred in the Arab World, following the revolutions and anti-government sentiments spreading across the region. “At a moment of unprecedented change, this is more important than ever. There is a critical need for us to compare thoughts on current regional developments, including on how we can work together in such a strategically important region where events have shown that governments need to respond to legitimate calls for greater freedom with reform and not repression.” The Two Kingdom Dialogue began in 2005.