Stephen Smith visits Saudi Arabia

Stephen Smith has become the first Australian foreign minister to visit Saudi Arabia
since 2003.
Mr Smith met with King Abdullah, Second Deputy Prime Minister Prince Naif and his
Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Saud Al-Faisal.
The delegations from Australia and Saudi Arabia discussed trade, education links and
counter-terrorism.
Mr Smith said he would meet with Saudi Arabia's Commerce Minister Zainal Alireza on
Tuesday to discuss negotiations towards a free-trade agreement between Australia and
the Gulf Cooperation Council, made up of six Persian Gulf nations.
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf are major customers of Australian-made cars,
buying almost 40 per cent of vehicle exports in 2008.