MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud have noted the importance of ensuring the safety of navigation and passage of ships through all international waterways, said the Russian Foreign Ministry after a meeting of the parties on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue Russia - the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.

"The current topics on the international and Middle Eastern agenda, including the situation in the Persian Gulf zone, were discussed. The ministers expressed concern about the tension in the south of the Arabian peninsula and in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Both sides noted the importance of ensuring the safety of navigation and the unhindered passage of ships through all international waterways," it said in a statement.