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In a signal recognition of India’s emergence as a leading and growing customer for Saudi crude, the Saudi Oil Minister, H.E. Mr. Ali Al Naimi, hosted a dinner in the Schwarzenberg Palace in Vienna in honour of the Indian Petroleum Minister, Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, and his delegation.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz bin Salman graced the occasion.
The President of Saudi Aramco, Mr Abdallah S. Jum'ah, led the galaxy of Saudi oil officials present.
Discussions over the three-hour long dinner ranged across India being listed as the first non-western country eligible to participate in exploration and production blocks in Saudi Arabia; joint ventures in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning natural gas sector; R&D; and joint participation in downstream projects in third countries. The vexed question of the ‘Asian Premium’ was also briefly touched upon.
The Saudi Oil Minister has agreed to participate in the proposed round table discussion being convened by India in association with the International Energy Forum in New Delhi early next year between the principal Asian suppliers and buyers of crude.
The Indian Petroleum Minister has accepted the pressing invitation from his Saudi counterpart to pay a visit to the Kingdom in the second half of March 2005.
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