The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attached great importance to the statement of U.S. President George W. Bush that Washington is planning to resume the Middle East peace process with a ‘road-map plan’ when the Palestinian Premier assumes power, an official source said today.
In a recent statement, President Bush underlined the importance of ending expansion of settlements in occupied Arab territories for achieving progress towards peace, as part of the commitment of the United States to implement the road-map plan prepared by a four-member committee, which stipulates the gradual establishment of a Palestinian state by the year 2005.
The official source pointed out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also attaches great importance to the statement of British Prime Minister Tony Blair which expressed the commitment of the United Kingdom to achieving a settlement for the Palestinian-Israeli dispute by 2005, and that the road map includes the Arab peace plan.
“Whilst it welcomes these developments, the Kingdom reiterates the necessity of immediate implementation of the road-map plan and the principles mentioned in the Arab peace initiative. It calls for an end to Israeli aggression against the unarmed Palestinian people, provision of the required protection for the Palestinian people, an end to the expansion of settlement activity in occupied Arab territories, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” the official source elaborated.
Source: SPA
