RIYADH, 6 March 2006 — In the first address by a foreign head of state to the Shoura Council, French President Jacques Chirac told the 150-member body yesterday that his country was seeking to develop its partnership with the Kingdom in every way as long as its identity, culture and the beliefs of its people were respected.
The best way to describe relations between our countries are exceptional and strong, Chirac said, noting that the warm feelings shown to him by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the Saudi people were a sign of admiration for the historic relations between the two countries.
Chirac said “regional issues” were among the important topics he discussed with King Abdullah. He said France’s presence in what became Saudi Arabia goes back to 1841 when a French consulate was opened in Jeddah. The consulate became an embassy in 1932 when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established.
Chirac also said that King Abdullah’s visit to France last year in response to his personal invitation “was a clear sign of friendship and strategic partnership that was begun in 1996 by the late King Fahd.” He added: “The essence of that partnership is what has inspired my visit today.”
Chirac lauded King Abdullah’s efforts for the development of the country. “I would also like to express France’s support for the agendas King Abdullah has drawn for his country. He has been able to cement the element of trust in the people, supported by various plans of general investments and adding dynamism to the private sector... all of this in the context of a turbulent region.”
He said King Abdullah was dedicated to fighting the threat of terrorism and had called for the international community to combat it. “France announces its joint resolve with the Kingdom to combat this problem. We will win this battle if we unite our efforts and respect the law and our values,” he continued.
The president also said France was seeking to cooperate with the Kingdom in the fields of science and technology in order to help the government implement its Saudization plan and give the Kingdom’s youth a chance to excel in the future. The French leader also said his country and the world had been watching the developments in the Kingdom over the past few years.
“France and the world have watched such developments as the implementation of democratic municipality elections and the attainment by women of high positions in the chamber of commerce.”
He said that since the Kingdom had joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Saudi economy had become even more attractive to investors. He hoped the agreement signed between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU) would further facilitate trade between Europe and the Gulf states.
On regional issues, Chirac said the majority which had won the Palestinian elections (Hamas) should realize that recognizing Israel and abandoning violence, in addition to respecting international agreements, would alone ensure the establishment of a Palestinian country which is the dream of its people. “By doing so, they would also be following the Arab world’s initiative which was first enunciated by the then Crown Prince Abdullah in Beirut in 2002,” he said.
Referring to the situation in Lebanon, the French president said the entire Lebanese nation was waiting for the results of the international investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as well as for the assassins and all involved to be punished.
“Truth and justice are necessary in order for trust to be rebuilt in Lebanon. Syria, which has a strategic location in the region and seeks to maintain its security interests, should also take into account the wishes of the Lebanese people as well as the developments in the Middle East and the world.”
The president stressed that Syria should change its course, especially toward Lebanon, adding that “Syria should cooperate fully with the investigation.”
On Iran’s nuclear program, Chirac said that Tehran had refused to respond to “rational calls” from France, the United Kingdom and Germany, despite being promised help in developing nuclear energy for civilian use. “Our hand is still extended to Iran. It’s up to them to take our initiative or not regarding its sensitive activities,” he added.
The president of the Shoura Council, Saleh Bin-Humaid, told Chirac the Council had played an essential role in approving various regulations, overseeing the performance of government bodies, studying annual reports and discussing a variety of topics of concern to the Kingdom.
“The Council has also presented various initiatives for reforms and development and for combating such dangerous elements as extremism and terrorism,” Bin-Humaid said. He quoted King Abdullah as denouncing “cultural clashes” and the negative impact they had in promoting hatred, tension, and hostility between nations in the international community.
“What has happened recently — insulting the dignity of the Prophet (pbuh) and the violent reactions that followed — is not in the interest of humanity. The interest of both humanity and the international community calls for avoiding anything that leads to a clash of civilizations. We must work to develop a unified international stance that respects the sanctity of religious values, their prophets and messengers.”
Bin-Humaid lauded France’s foreign policy, especially its stance on the issues of Iraq and Palestine.
“Your stance is known for its diplomatic endeavors which have proven to be the most effective method of resolving regional disputes,” he said. “The president’s visit is a historic one. Furthermore, the speech by the French president reinforces the strong relations between our two countries.”
Commenting on the issues he discussed with President Chirac in their private meeting, the Shoura president said: “We spoke of cultural exchange possibilities as well as scholarships to France for Saudi students.”
