The Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation to those countries that have condemned the recent bombings in Riyadh and expressed their solidarity with the Kingdom.
At his weekly press briefing today, Prince Saud stressed that the Kingdom and its people are determined to confront terrorism, its perpetrators, supporters, and sympathisers. “All citizens and officials of the Kingdom are united in confronting those who seek to destabilize this country’s security and to abuse the Kingdom’s Islamic values and principles that call for love, peace and the renunciation of violence and extremism,” he said.
Prince Saud said that the terrorist bombings in Riyadh, Casablanca, and various other countries emphasize the global nature of terrorism. “This phenomenon threatens international security and peace, and makes imperative an intensification of international efforts to cooperate in the fight to eradicate terrorism, and to clamp down on its perpetrators and sympathisers,” he said.
Prince Saud expressed the Kingdom’s support for the lifting of sanctions on Iraq, in accordance with the new Security Council resolution. The resolution reflects the unified stance of UN member states on the Iraq issue, and its increased role in providing assistance for the Iraqi people, reforming their institutions, reconstructing their country, enhancing security and stability, and promoting the appropriate environment that allows Iraq freely to determine its political future.
Regarding the Middle East peace process, Prince Saud said that Israel’s recognition of the ‘Road Map’ is a first, positive step, which he hoped would be followed by effective implementation of all articles of the proposal, in line with the Arab peace initiative endorsed by the Beirut Summit, to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region.
In response to a question, the Foreign Minister said that the Kingdom would not take part in the mini-Arab-Israeli Summit.
He expressed confidence that the culprits of the Riyadh bombings would be apprehended and tried. He noted that the terrorists were aiming to damage the Kingdom’s security and relations with other countries.
In response to a question on the Moroccans recently arrested in Jeddah, and whether other foreigners have been arrested, Prince Saud said that some foreigners were arrested and are being interrogated.
Replying to a question on Iran’s harbouring a number of al-Qa’ida members, and whether this would affect Saudi-Iranian relations, the Foreign Minister noted that the two countries have a security pact, which remains in force. He said that previous experience has proved that Iran does not hesitate to extradite suspects or indicted persons to the Kingdom. “We hope that Iran would cooperate, in accordance with the Saudi-Iranian security agreement, if there are any Saudis in that country,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia would inquire about current detainees and whether they include any Saudi citizens.
Prince Saud refuted any claim by terrorists that their acts would aid the Palestinian cause, and stated that they would, on the contrary, complicate and stultify the issue.
Source: SPA
