NEW YORK, 1 February — Prince Nawaf ibn Abdul Aziz, director of intelligence and head of the Saudi delegation attending the World Economic Forum, has stated that there will not be any peace in the world if there is no solution to the problems in the Middle East.
Addressing a meeting here on Wednesday, he urged the United States to play a more active role in solving the Palestinian issue in particular. "The United States is active in the world, except when it comes to the Palestinian issue," he said.
The Saudi delegation attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting includes Prince Abdullah ibn Faisal, governor of the General Investment Authority, and Abdullah Zainal, chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The five-day gathering, moved to Manhattan after 31 years in the Swiss ski resort of Davos as a vote of confidence in the city after the Sept. 11 attacks, is being held in the plush Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, just five kilometers from the ruins of the World Trade Center.
"Saudi leaders have sent me to this forum to support you," the intelligence chief told the Saudi delegates before the economic summit was declared open yesterday.
He blasted the anti-Saudi media campaign in the West. "These smear campaigns have come in the wake of the Kingdom’s growing position on the world stage," he pointed out.
Prince Nawaf urged Saudi businessmen to establish good relations with their counterparts in other countries. He said that those who are trying to drive a wedge between the Arab and Western countries are ignorant of the spirit of Islam.
The Saudi official emphasized the need for interaction and dialogue between the various religions.
"I am against the principle of attacking other religions as I believe that it will not help spread the message of Islam," he said. He added that Saudi Arabia had always supported dialogue between Islam and other religions.
