JEDDAH, 14 December 2003 — Prince Bandar ibn Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the US, has highlighted the Kingdom’s role in combating terrorism.
In a speech during a party hosted by the Houston Council for International Affairs and the James Baker Institute for the Public Policy, Prince Bandar hailed the cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia to face down terrorism.
“We will not allow individuals to abuse religion for their own evil ends,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.
The prince said the Kingdom was moving forward with social and political reforms but counseled patience. “If you really are our friends... don’t rush us,” he said.
He stressed the reforms spelled progress while safeguarding Saudi heritage and culture.
Speaking to an audience of some 400 people, Prince Bandar also focused on the Kingdom’s contributions to the rebuilding of Iraq.
According to a report carried by Reuters, Prince Bandar also praised the United States as a good world citizen and advised Americans not to be too hard on themselves.
“Please remember you are a force for good. Don’t be masochists — be proud of what you do, and easy does it; you can’t please everybody,” Prince Bandar told the Houston World Affairs Council.
“The United States is a force for good all over the world, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise,” Bandar said to a standing ovation.
Prince Bandar described the Saudi-US relationship as “strong and deep” and said Saudi Arabia was a staunch ally in the war on terrorism.
“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you against evil,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
The Saudi ambassador praised President George W. Bush for having the “guts” to invade Afghanistan and Iraq.
“We should be grateful for what the United States has done to get rid of these two evils,” he said, referring to the Taleban in Afghanistan and former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
He derided Europe, with the exception of Britain, for failing to step into difficult situations around the world.
One would not want to be “in a dark alley hoping the Europeans will come and help,” Bandar said.
“They probably would never show up,” he added.
