President Trump will meet Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz. Saudi Arabian crown prince will visit China. Argentine president Mauricio Macri will make a three-day visit to India, and the EU and Arab League are preparing for their first summit in Sharm El Sheikh.
These are the international events under the spotlight for the week starting Feb 18.
President Trump to meet Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz
Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz speaks during a press conference after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Nak-yeon, in Seoul, South Korea, Feb 14, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]
President Donald Trump will host Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, next week at the White House.
The 32-year-old Kurz is a conservative and the youngest head of government in Europe. He took office in December 2017 in a coalition with the nationalist, anti-immigration Freedom Party. He has made curbing unregulated immigration a priority.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders says Trump and Kurz will discuss global and European conflicts, economic prosperity and strengthening energy security.
Earlier this month, Austria was among the European Union countries that expressed concern about the spread of nuclear weapons, as the US readied to pull out of a key Cold War-era arms control treaty with Russia. The pact bans land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with ranges of 500-5,500 kilometers.
Saudi Arabian crown prince to visit China
Saudi Arabian crown prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a graduation ceremony for the 95th batch of cadets from the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec 23, 2018. [Photo/Agencies]
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit China and co-chair the third meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia high-level joint committee from Feb 21 to 22.
The Saudi crown prince will meet with President Xi Jinping and co-chair the meeting with Vice-Premier Han Zheng, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.
The two sides are expected to sign a number of agreements on bilateral cooperation, Geng said.
Saudi crown prince's China visit is part of an Asian tour that includes Pakistan, Malaysia, India and Indonesia.
Argentine president Mauricio Macri to make a three-day visit to India
Argentine president Mauricio Macri speaks during a meeting with Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasilia, Brazil, Jan 16, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]
Argentine president Mauricio Macri will visit India from Feb 17-19 as part of an ambitious bilateral agenda to expand trade and cooperation in a range of sectors, including renewable and nuclear energy, space and agriculture, aviation, mining, pharmaceuticals and automobiles.
A framework agreement in defense is also included in the package that coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' formal diplomatic relations. India has since become one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
EU-Arab League readies for first summit in Sharm El Sheikh
Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Abul Gheit and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini attend a joint meeting of European Union and League of Arab States foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, Feb 4, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]
The EU-Arab League summit will bring together for the first time heads of state or government from both sides.
European Council President Donald Tusk will co-chair the meeting with Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Tusk will represent the EU along with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Leaders from both sides will seek to strengthen Arab-European ties. They will also address a wide range of issues and common challenges such as multilateralism, trade and investment, immigration, and security.
The meeting is expected to commence the afternoon of Sunday, Feb 24, and end with a press conference the afternoon of Monday, Feb 25. It will take place in the International Congress Centre in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
