The Foreign Minister, Prince Saudi Al-Faisal, today held talks with his Russian Counterpart, Igor Ivanov, as part of the current visit of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, to Russia.
Addressing a press conference after the talks, Prince Saud Al-Faisal said that he has invited Ivanov to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prince Saud described Saudi-Russian talks as “important, open and trust-worthy”.
“A joint task force has been formed to implement measures to counter international terrorism, and to study ways to boost initiatives in that regard,” Prince Saud Al-Faisal said.
On the situation in Palestinian occupied territories, the Foreign Minister said that the proposal to send international disengagement forces into the zone of Israeli-Palestinian conflict “remains the sole option to resolve the current dilemma”. He urged the international community to press Israel to accept the presence of international forces to bring about an end to the current cycle of violence in the region.
On the Iraqi issue, Prince Saud called for a collective stance to preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq. He expressed his hope that the transitional Iraqi Governing Council will succeed in forming an Iraqi government that represents all Iraqi people, on the basis of equality that overrides religious and ethnic loyalties.
For his part, Ivanov expressed his country’s satisfaction with the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Crown Prince Abdullah, and said that the talks led to the signing of agreements that foster further cooperation, and enhanced relations, between the two countries.
He said that Russia is keen to boost cooperation with the Kingdom in the international arena, particularly to confront the threats and challenges posed by terrorism. He said that the Russian and Saudi sides had agreed to form a joint cooperation group to promote efforts to counter international terrorism.
The Russian Foreign Minister described the proposal to send international disengagement forces into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone as worthy of consideration. He said that Russia would evaluate the proposal on the approval of the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
He called for implementation of the ‘Road Map’, which will benefit Palestinian and Israeli citizens by bringing about peace and ensuring a resolution of the current crisis from which the region is suffering constant damage.
Ivanov stressed the shared position of the two countries on the Iraq issue, reiterating the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, and to establish legitimate, elected institutions to govern and administer the country. The Russian Minister called upon the international community to provide aid and assistance to the Iraqi people.
Source: SPA
