Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament visits Riyadh

Vice President Akhtar Chaudry, who is a member of the Socialist Left party, has held several public positions both domestically and internationally, inter alia a number of elected positions with the municipality of the capital city Oslo and since 2009 he has been the 4^th Vice President of the Storting (Parliament). Born in Pakistan, he is the first Muslim Vice President of the Storting.

The visit included meetings with the Majlis Al-Shoura council, the Saudi Human Rights Commission and the Center of Mohammad Bin Nayef for Advice, Counseling and Care at the Ministry of Interior. He also met with human rights advocacy groups and individuals.

Speaking with members of the Saudi - Norwegian Friendship Committee of the Majlis Al-Shoura council on Tuesday 6^th Mr. Chaudry and the council laid out ideas for the promotion of further cooperation, especially in the field of education. An increase in student exchange would also foster the exchange of ideas, technology and mutual understanding.

On the 7^th Mr. Chaudry visited the Saudi Human Rights Commission for talks on issues ranging from religious tolerance, capital punishment, popular political trends in Europe and the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. He emphasized especially Norway’s long standing and continued efforts to promote peace in the region and its position on ethnic and religious tolerance. The visit was concluded with an update on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to counter religious extremism and intolerance in the country at the Center of Mohammad Bin Nayef. The center has been in the forefront of countering the ideas of religious extremism and rehabilitating former extremists and Guantanamo prisoners in a professional and academic fashion.