Italian PM visits Saudi Arabia to discuss Mideast

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi visited Saudi Arabia on Saturday for talks with the Saudi king and other officials on the troubled Middle East. Center-left Premier Prodi was first received in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, by three princes, including Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The Italian premier is expected to discuss bilateral relations and international issues with King Abdullah, as well as issues such as the war in Iraq, the crisis in Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iranian nuclear standoff.