Unite and be strong, Saud tells OIC states

KHARTOUM, 27 June — Saudi Arabia yesterday called upon Islamic countries to set aside their differences and stand united in order to defend common causes, especially the Palestinian issue.

"We should gain strength through unity to ensure that our Muslim nation will not be reduced to the sidelines of history, thus leaving the helm of affairs in the hands of other nations," Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal told an OIC conference here.

He condemned the move by certain quarters to exploit the Sept.11 attacks against the United States to link Islam and Muslims with terrorism. Ismail Shouri, deputy foreign minister for political affairs, delivered Prince Saud’s speech on his behalf.

In his keynote address, Prince Saud urged the 56-nation group’s member states to implement the OIC Anti-Terror Accord "to tell the world that we are serious and sincere in our efforts to combat all forms of terrorism".

Prince Saud denounced the ongoing Israeli military campaign against unarmed Palestinian civilians. "The Israeli practices will not shake the determination of Arab and Islamic countries to continue their efforts for peace in the region," he said.

"We have to make every effort using every available means to promote the Arab peace plan and mobilize international support to implement it," he said about the Saudi-inspired peace initiative which was endorsed by the Arab summit held in Beirut last March.

He described the Palestinian cause as the first and foremost issue of Muslims and called upon OIC members to work for its success.

"Conferences and statements will not serve the purpose. We should provide all support to the Palestinians to keep up with their resistance to Israeli occupation forces," he added.

Prince Saud called upon the international community to take quick steps to stop the Israeli aggression, protect the Palestinian people and impose sanctions on the Jewish state.

On the significance of Islamic unity, the prince said: "If we achieve it, we’ll pave the way for our nation to restore its prestige and glory."

He called for serious efforts to settle differences and end conflicts among Muslim countries. "Islamic solidarity is not a high-sounding slogan or a political call, but it is an eternal principle of Islam," he stated.

"Saudi Arabia considers Islamic solidarity as one of the central factors of its policy," Prince Saud said.

He underscored the positive developments that took place in Iraq-Kuwait ties during the last Arab summit when Baghdad gave assurances that it would respect Kuwait’s independence and sovereignty.

"Iraq must implement all Security Council resolutions in order to get the sanctions lifted and end the plight of its people," he added.

Prince Saud called upon India and Pakistan to settle their conflict through negotiations on the basis of UN resolutions, which affirm the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

In his wide-ranging speech, Prince Saud pledged the Kingdom’s support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan and welcomed the new government to the OIC. Riyadh has offered to pay $220 million for rebuilding the war-ravaged country.

He reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the peace treaty signed between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996 and hoped that Manila would fulfill its commitments toward the treaty.

He also affirmed the right of Muslim minorities to live in peace in their respective countries, enjoying equal rights and responsibilities.

He called on the OIC states to make the best of globalization and take effective steps to expand their infrastructure, strengthen banking systems and expedite privatization.

He disclosed that Saudi Arabia had given foreign aid worth SR285 billion to developing countries, with a big chunk of it going to African states.