SEPANG: The King Salman Centre for International Peace is scheduled to be launched within 90 days.

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, in a joint statement today, said the centre’s establishment will involve collaboration between various agencies.

“The centre will be established in collaboration with the Intellectual Warfare Centre, Ministry of Defence, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Security and Defence Centre, Ministry of Defence of Malaysia; the Islamic Science University of Malaysia; and the Muslim World League,” said the statement.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced on Monday that the two governments had agreed to establish the centre in Malaysia, which will focus on combating extreme narratives.

The joint statement by both nations was issued following the conclusion of King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s four-day state visit to Malaysia, today.

Those agencies concerned, it added, would coordinate to complete the necessary arrangements to launch the centre within the 90-day deadline.

The statement said issues concerning Islamic nations were at the forefront of discussions between the two countries.

“Both sides completely agreed on the need to intensify and concert the Islamic world’s efforts to confront the extremism, reject sectarianism and to move the Islamic world towards a better future in line of objectives and purposes of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to achieve the international peace and security.

“The two sides agreed that the terrorism phenomenon should not be linked to any race, colour or religion.

“This was most the important issue that was discussed and the two sides agreed on the need to intensify the joint efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever its origin,” it added.

As part of the constructive spirit of the meetings that took place between the two sides, the political issues in the Middle East were reviewed, particularly the Palestinian issue.

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia stressed on the importance and necessity of reaching a lasting, comprehensive and just solution to resolve this issue according to the contents of the Arab Peace Initiative and the related legitimate resolutions.

“The two sides also stressed the necessity on finding a solution to the Syrian crisis based on the Geneva 1 statement and UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The two sides stressed the importance of providing humanitarian aid and relief works for Syrian refugees inside and outside Syria.

“The two sides also stressed the importance of maintaining Yemen’s unity, independence and sovereignty, and the importance of the political solution to the crisis of Yemen based on the Gulf Initiative and the outputs of the national dialogue, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216,” it added.

The two countries affirmed their support for the legitimate authority in Yemen and the efforts taken in this regard, and to facilitate humanitarian access to all areas of Yemen.

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia also expressed serious concerns over the Iranian interference in the internal affairs of countries in the region, and stressed the need for Iran’s commitment to the principle of good neighbourliness and the need to respect the sovereignty of States.

The joint statement also said King Salman and Najib had constructive and fruitful discussions between them.

They exchanged views on the prospects and ways to develop bilateral relations and to intensify cooperation in political, economic, cultural, military and security areas; the talks discussed the regional and international issues of the common interest.

The two sides agreed that exchange of visits between the two countries at all levels will contribute to the development of bilateral relations, and agreed to intensify communication and cooperation between government officials and the private sector in both countries to deepen and expand bilateral relations.

Both sides stressed on the importance and the need to stre

ngthen and enhance trade relations and the cooperation in investment between the two countries, and to explore opportunities in light of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030.

The countries agreed to strengthen the military cooperation between the two countries by developing areas of joint training and exercise, and exchange of military experiences.

They welcomed the participation of Saudi Aramco in the Petronas Malaysia project to develop and own a giant refining and petrochemical integrated complex in Johor, which will contribute significantly in supporting the economic partnership between the two countries for long term, and to promote the cooperation between the two countries in field of energy.