The Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, today held a press conference at the Conference Palace in Jeddah to discuss current regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East and Iraq.
At the outset of the meeting, Prince Saud lauded the serious endeavours of the Palestinian leadership to promote the best possible circumstances for implementation of the road map. He praised the readiness of Palestinian factions to cooperate in this regard.
“We are waiting for a similar readiness by Israel to push the peace plan forward,” Prince Saud said. He added that the U.S. should play an effective role in promoting a Middle East settlement which establishes a Palestinian state by the year 2005.
He expressed hope that the forthcoming meeting between President George Bush and the Palestinian Premier, Mahmoud Abbas, would boost hopes of achieving immediate progress in the peace process.
On Iraq, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regards the establishment of an Iraqi interim governing Council as a positive step towards reviving Iraqi civil institutions and paving the way for the return to normalcy of life in the country.
The Kingdom also welcomes the United Nations’ playing a more effective role in improving the situation in Iraq, he said, asserting the Kingdom’s readiness to support efforts to enhance the role of the U.N. and create the appropriate circumstances to enable Iraqis to determine their political future independently.
In response to a question on security cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran, Prince Saud said that the Kingdom expects Iran to extradite any Saudi suspects in Iranian custody, both now and in the future.
In response to a question, Prince Saud denied reports that the U.S. has requested that the Kingdom send a peace keeping force to Iraq, saying that the Kingdom would send such forces unless the request was issued by a legitimate Iraqi government.
Prince Saud said that the opening of a liaison office or a Saudi Embassy in Baghdad would take place only after the establishment of a legitimate Iraqi Administration.
On the visit of Crown Prince Abdullah, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, to Moscow, the Foreign Minister said that cooperation to combat terrorism was the priority on the agenda.
Prince Saud said that he has no idea about any Saudis fighting against the Russian army for the Chechens. The visit would promote the enhancement of bilateral relations in all fields.
Asked if the countries neighbouring Iraq were planning to hold another meeting to continue their Riyadh meeting, held on the eve of the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s government in Baghdad, Prince Saud said that nothing prevents such a meeting. He noted that the common interest of the countries convened at the meeting remains the
preservation of Iraq’s unity, independence and sovereignty, and stated that they would not intervene in the internal affairs of the country.
Prince Saud expressed his hope that more gas companies would accept offers by the Kingdom to explore and develop Saudi gas fields, similar to the offer recently accepted by Royal Dutch Shell and Total.
In response to a question on recent negotiations with the European Union (E.U.) to pave the way for the Kingdom’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Prince Saud expressed his hope that the next meeting between a Saudi delegation and trade representatives of the United States would further boost negotiations. The Foreign Minister did not rule out the possibility that the Kingdom enter the WTO by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
When requested to comment on reports that there is a discrepancy between Saudi and Yemeni requirements at the Saudi-Yemeni Coordination Council, Prince Saud said that the two parties are in complete agreement on all areas of discussion, particularly security and economic aspects. However, results might have fallen short of aspirations of the two parties, he said, adding that both sides continue to aspire to reach their joint objectives.
Source: SPA
