RIYADH, 7 October 2003 — German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder pledged to work with “key countries” of the Middle East to find a political solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
“We share your concern about the situation in the Middle East,” Schroeder told a press conference here yesterday at the close of a two-day visit to the Kingdom. “However, the conflict can’t be settled militarily but only through political means.”
He praised Riyadh’s initiative which offered Israel full ties with the Arab world in exchange for a full withdrawal from territory occupied since 1967, adding that the road map offered an appropriate framework to work out the Israel-Palestinian conflict. “We have great hope in the road map... and both sides to the conflict must immediately respect its clauses in full,” Schroeder said.
The German chancellor earlier met with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and witnessed the signing of four major joint business agreements at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry which will attract a cumulative investment of over SR2.5 billion.
Schroeder said the Kingdom and Germany shared similar views on security and terrorism and added the interior ministers of Germany and Saudi Arabia will be meeting soon to find “a way of cooperating in the fight against terrorism.”
He said there were no travel restrictions imposed on Saudis visiting Germany. The visa policy of Germany and EU countries might be affecting some countries, he admitted, but offered to look into “this impediment,” which could hamper trade and investment.
On German participation in the reconstruction of Iraq, he said, “Germany will be involved in the training of Iraqi security and police personnel,” but the details were to be worked out. Asked about the draft US-proposed resolution to the UN Security Council, which looks to share out the military and financial burden of the reconstruction of Iraq but sets no date for the end of the US occupation, the chancellor reiterated the resolution “needs improvement.”
“We need a realistic calendar for a progressive transfer of political responsibilities to competent Iraqi parties,” he said. “Only the UN can guarantee the necessary legitimacy for rapid reconstruction in Iraq under an independent government that represents all Iraqis.”
