RIYADH, 15 January 2008 — Saudi Arabia yesterday expressed its reservations about what it termed “provocative” statements by US President George W. Bush on Iran during his current Gulf tour.
“I am talking about Saudi Arabia’s point of view. This is not the time for any provocation in the region,” said Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal while replying to a question about statements made by Bush in various Gulf countries regarding Iran.
Bush, who arrived in the Kingdom yesterday after visiting a number of Gulf countries, described Iran as a global threat. Prince Saud said: “We hope that Iran will comply with the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These are our wishes but things are not in our hands.”
In a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Prince Saud said the political crisis in Lebanon was the center of their discussions. He noted that Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa was expected to hold a meeting with all political parties in Lebanon.
Prince Saud said during the meetings in Cairo, countries which had the most influence on Lebanon, especially Syria, had been asked to seize the opportunity to help solve the problem in the country.
“Syria should convince those who listen to it in Lebanon (to endorse) the Arab League plan, which (Damascus) approved,” Prince Saud said. “There is still hope that the Lebanese sides will accept the Arab League plan,” which provides a “fair solution,” said Prince Saud, calling on Syria to use its influence on its Lebanese allies.
Syria has said it backs Moussa’s efforts to persuade rival Lebanese political factions to agree to the compromise plan allowing the election of a new president in Beirut. The plan calls for the election of army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman as president, a national unity government in which no one party has veto power, and the adoption of a new electoral law.
The French foreign minister said that France fully supported the Arab League peace initiative and added that there were still some factors that needed to be resolved. “We are hopeful that the problem will be solved by our brethren in the Arab League,” he said. “If it is not done by the Arab League, we will go back to the UN,” Kouchner said.
Regarding discussions on the Iranian nuclear crisis, Prince Saud stated that both ministers shared similar points of views. “The solution is not in the hands of Saudi Arabia or France. We hope that Iran responds to the call of international agencies and the regulations set by the IAEA,” he said. “If that happens, we can avoid all problems that might arise.”
Iran, Prince Saud said, should not look at its own interests. “It should look at the interests of the entire region,” he said.
Prince Saud did not confirm or deny that French President Nicolas Sarkozy had brought up the issue of defense deals during his visit to the Kingdom.
“When we talk about France, we do not talk in terms of deals. There is security cooperation between us. There is also arms cooperation with France which is constant and ongoing,” he told Arab News. “These things are moving according to plans and specific requirements.”
Prince Saud said the Kingdom was “confident” about the strong friendship between the two countries as the French were confident of their relations with Saudi Arabia.
