Saudi Arabia wishes to improve its relations with Russia via bilateral trade and investments, but is reluctant to let Moscow act as a mediator for Riyadh and Tehran.


"With regards to�our relationship with�Russia, we believe that the extent of�trade we have with�Russia is not in�line with�the size of�our respective economies. We are both members of�the G20 but�we have very little trade, very little investment and so we wanted to�change that," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said during�an interview with�CNBC.
"Russia is a great power, Russia has 20 million Muslims living in�it, Russia can play a positive role and we wanted to�engage with�Russia, we wanted to�improve our relationship with�Russia not at�the expense of�our relationship with�any other country but�for the sake of�having better ties with�Russia," the minister added.


According to�al-Jubeir, "a process of�encouraging trade, encouraging scientific exchanges, encouraging investment" has already been initiated.

Last weekend, protesters stormed the Saudi Arabian embassy in�Iran after�Riyadh executed top Iranian Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr on�January 2, along�with dozens of�other people convicted of "terrorism." Nimr al-Nimr had demanded more rights for�Shiites, who are a minority in�Saudi Arabia, where most citizens are Sunni Muslims.

Shortly after�the unrest, Saudi Arabia quickly severed diplomatic ties with�Iran.

Russia offered to�mediate the situation, but�al-Jubeir remarked that such assistance is not necessary.
"When it comes to�mediation, we don't need mediation. We know where Iran is, Iran knows where Saudi Arabia is, they know what our issues with�them are and what they have to�do is show us that they are serious," al-Jubeir said.


By Sputnik