British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis said his government has refused to include Saudi Arabia in the list announced by the European Commission on combating money laundering and terrorism financing (AML/CTF), stressing that his country stood with the Kingdom for its commitment to the FATF requirements.
The British ambassador praised efforts deployed by Riyadh to achieve positive steps in the fight against money laundering, noting that Saudi Arabia was implementing the FATF AML/CTF recommendations.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Collis said that his country considered that the list issued by the European Commission was inappropriate, lacking objectivity and not based on a real criterion.
“We have succeeded with other countries in putting an end to this, as the 28 EU states have recently decided not to approve the list,” he stated.
As for the Saudi-British relations, Collis emphasized a “strategy for joint action and strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all fields”, adding that future relations are very promising.
He explained that the two kingdoms were in a transition phase, where Saudi Arabia was engaging in a new transformation through Vision 2030, and Britain was working towards the Brexit.
“This offers opportunities to explore new areas of cooperation such as entertainment, tourism, industry and small and medium enterprises,” Collis noted.
Meanwhile, the British Embassy in Riyadh, in cooperation with the British Council, celebrated on Tuesday Saudi graduates at UK universities who have made outstanding achievements in their fields of study.
In a speech on the occasion, Collis said that Saudi graduates in British universities were a clear example of the impact and value of higher education in Britain and its contribution to their future success.
“Their outstanding achievements and the vital role they play will enhance cultural relations between the two kingdoms,” he added.
