In his weekly press conference held here today, Prince Saud Al-Faisal reiterated the Kingdom’s concern that all efforts be exerted to find a peaceful resolution of the Iraq crisis, whilst he emphasised the imperative that Iraq comply with requirements laid out in the report by Hans Blix and El-Baradei.
Prince Saud Al-Faisal said that he regrets the division among members of the United Nations Security Council on the Iraq issue, and hopes that this will not be a cause of war in the region.
He explained the Kingdom’s endeavours to take the necessary precautions to safeguard against a possible war. He added that if the Security Council issued a second resolution authorizing military action, the Kingdom would base its position on principle and national interests.
In response to a question regarding the provision of aid to Iraqi refugees in the event of war, the Foreign Minister stated that Saudi forces and civilians would not enter Iraq unless they have been granted permission by Iraq. The Kingdom has accounted for the provision of food and financial assistance, but will not enter Iraq unless requested by Iraq to do so.
On differences between members of the United Nations Security Council over the Iraqi crisis, Prince Saud said that these differences would eventually result in the launch, not the averting, of war. The Security Council has a great responsibility in this regard. It is responsible for international peace and security, and for the protection of the independence and sovereignty of United Nations member states, including Iraq. It is the Council’s responsibility, right and duty to implement its resolutions by force.
Replying to a question on U.S. president George W. Bush’s declining to receive an Arab League delegation, Prince Saud said that the delegation had gone to meet the Foreign Ministers of United Nations Security Council member states, the UN Secretary General, Hans Blix and El-Baradei, and that those meetings took place. “I had no idea that the delegation requested an appointment with President Bush,” he said.
In response to a question as to whether the acceptance of the United Arab Emirates initiative was the only chance to avoid war, he said that the message carried by the Arab League Committee was that without dramatic action by Iraq to comply with Blix and El-Baradei the matter will be very difficult.
As regards the White House’s intention to launch war unilaterally, and the Kingdom’s position, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom has been seeking to avert war. The war can be avoided if the Security Council takes a clear, unified stance, and Iraq decides fully to comply with the reports of Blix and Al-Baradei. But, at present, neither of the above two factors have materialised. He stressed that the Kingdom has done all it can to avoid war.
In response to a question on how Arab endeavours could be pursued if war was decided upon, Prince Saud said the assumption that Arab countries would be given a chance to use their offices to avert war if a decision was taken by the Security Council should now be dismissed.
The Minister said that following a short verbal exchange between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Libya at the summit meeting matters have returned to normal. “Libya’s Ali Al-Tiraiki and myself met to consult without mediation, and we settled everything between ourselves,” Saud Al-Faisal told reporters.
Asked about guarantees that no U.S. troops based in the Kingdom would take part in an attack against Iraq, Prince Saud said that it is a Saudi decision that they should not. When asked whether Saudi Arabia would be willing to deal with a post-Saddam U.S. military regime in Iraq, he questioned how the U.S. could impose a political system of its own in an independent country. He said, however, that if Iraqis ruled the country after the fall of Saddam’s regime, the Kingdom would certainly embark upon relations with it, by matter of course. He confirmed that no consultation has taken place between the Kingdom and the Iraqi opposition since the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, stating that Saudi Arabia never interferes in the internal affairs of others.
Asked to comment on reports that the U.S. is planning to alter some political regimes in the region, not only the government in Baghdad, he said: “Let us see what will happen in Iraq.”
He denied that the Kingdom has refused to take part in an ad hoc committee assigned by the Sharam Al-Sheikh Arab Summit to conduct dialogue with various parties on the Iraq issue.
In response to a question, he said that if a resolution was issued within a framework of international legitimacy, Saudi Arabia would make up its mind on whether to take part in the war in view of its vital national interests, and according to whether the Kingdom is threatened. He rejected the idea of foreign powers and neighbours of Iraq planning to divide the “Iraqi cake”, saying that the Iraqi cake would be for Iraqis in all cases.
Regarding the promise made by U.S. President George W. Bush in a message to Crown Prince Abdullah to achieve a just peace in the Middle East following the war in Iraq, Prince Saud Al-Faisal confirmed there is a signed pledge to resolve the problem.
Replying to a question on the nature of the activities of U.S. troops in Tabuk and Hafr Al-Baten, Prince Saud said that Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz pointed out that their presence is related to anticipated humanitarian problems resulting from war. “We must protect the Kingdom from this catastrophe. We expect the influx of refugees from Iraq. The Kingdom seeks to avoid this. We are cooperating with the United Nations to provide facilities and buildings. We shall not enter Iraq, but we will help Iraqis near or within their territories. We have changed the civilian airport to a military airport in order to protect and help refugees.
He said that resort to war without a UN Security Council decision will give the impression that the world is divided and that UN resolutions are ineffective; the consequences of this would be very detrimental.
Prince Saud stressed that war will result in extremely negative repercussions for the region, and the partition of Iraq. He reaffirmed that the Kingdom will not participate in a war against Iraq.
He noted that the presence of U.S. troops at Prince Sultan Air Base serves the function of monitoring the no-fly zone in southern Iraq in accordance with the Safwan Agreement.
Source: SPA
