JEDDAH, 1 April — Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, yesterday called for the immediate implementation of the UN Security Council resolution that calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities.
“Saudi Arabia fully supports the UN resolution adopted yesterday and calls for its immediate implementation in letter and spirit,” the prince told reporters during a joint press conference with his Belgian counterpart Andre Flahaut.
Prince Sultan said Riyadh was making intense efforts, holding contacts with influential countries, to bring justice for the Palestinians and stop Israel’s disgusting actions.
“Crown Prince Abdullah has made contacts with the United States and other countries in his attempt to put an end to the brutal Israeli attacks, and we hope that the crown prince’s mission will succeed,” Prince Sultan said.
“Israel’s aggression on West Bank cities and its siege of the headquarters of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah are violations of all norms. It’s the greatest crime in the history of humanity,” Prince Sultan said, and called upon the international community to take a firm stand against the Israeli aggression.
Prince Sultan expressed satisfaction over the unanimous support won by the crown prince’s peace initiative.
“It was a clear decision. The whole world has supported it. Only Israel is opposing the peace plan,” he added.
On Prince Abdullah’s meeting with Iraqi Vice President Izzat Ibrahim at the Beirut summit, Prince Sultan reiterated the Kingdom’s good intentions toward Iraq and its people.
He expressed the hope that Baghdad would abide by its pledge to Kuwait that it would never invade it again.
Iraq and Kuwait reached a landmark agreement in Beirut, 11 years after a US-led coalition ended Iraq’s seven-month occupation of the emirate, with Baghdad pledging never again to invade its neighbor.
Ezzat Ibrahim on Friday hailed its historic thaw with Kuwait initiated at the Arab summit, saying Baghdad wanted to forge normal ties with the emirate.
“The outcome of the Beirut summit was historic where Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are concerned. It is beyond description in words,” said Ezzat Ibrahim, who led his country’s delegation to the summit.
That outcome was made possible thanks to “the help of our Arab brethren, primarily Crown Prince Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz,” he told reporters on his return home.
The agreement, which formed part of the final resolutions adopted at the close of the summit, said Iraq’s respect for Kuwait’s sovereignty would prevent a recurrence of the 1990 invasion which sparked the 1991 Gulf War.
Prince Sultan urged Iraq to allow the return of UN weapons inspectors. “This will help Arab countries to take a strong stand against any action that would harm Iraq,” he added.
Prince Sultan wished Prince Abdullah every success during his upcoming visits to the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.
A Saudi source told Al-Jazirah newspaper that Prince Abdullah’s talks during the tour will focus on Middle East peace.
Referring to his talks with Belgian Defense Minister Flahaut, Prince Sultan said that he expected stronger military cooperation with the European country.
Prince Sultan described the talks late Saturday as “fruitful”, while Flahaut hailed Belgium’s “excellent” relations with Saudi Arabia.
Flahaut met with King Fahd shortly after his arrival in Jeddah earlier Saturday on the first leg of a Middle Eastern tour that will also take him to Kuwait, Yemen and Jordan.
