JEDDAH, 27 November 2007 — The Council of Ministers insisted yesterday that the international Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, must deal with core issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to be successful.
“The Cabinet expressed its hope that the conference will deal with core issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict to reach a just and comprehensive peace settlement on all tracks within a timeframe,” said a Cabinet statement after the meeting.
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, also said that the Annapolis conference, called by US President George W. Bush, should lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The Kingdom also stressed that the conference’s deliberations should be based on UN resolutions, the Middle East peace road map and the Arab peace initiative.
King Abdullah briefed ministers on the outcome of his talks with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is the Quartet’s Middle East peace envoy, adding that the talks focused on international efforts to revive the peace process.
Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal is leading the Kingdom’s delegation to the conference. Saudi Arabia agreed to participate in the conference after an Arab League meeting in Cairo. “It is no secret that I was reluctant until today. Had it not been for the Arab consensus at the meeting, Saudi Arabia would not have gone to Annapolis,” Prince Saud said after the Cairo meeting.
He stressed that participation itself was not the final goal, and that the Arabs were seeking an agreement that would safeguard their interests. “We are not going for handshakes or a display of emotions... We are there only to reach a peace which safeguards Arab interests and safeguards the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese lands,” he said.
The peace conference also figured high on the agenda of talks between King Abdullah and Jordan’s King Abdallah on Sunday in Riyadh. The two leaders urged Israel to make serious steps toward the decades-long conflict.
During the Cabinet meeting, the king also spoke about his meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Riyadh, adding that their talks focused on the present situation in Pakistan and ways of strengthening bilateral ties.
The Cabinet spoke highly on the outcome of Crown Prince Sultan’s recent visit to Russia and his meetings with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.
The Saudi Press Agency said that the crown prince’s Moscow talks reflected the growing relations between the two countries and conformity of their views on major regional and international issues.
Referring to Lebanese presidential elections, the Cabinet said all Lebanese groups must comply with constitutional responsibilities in electing the new president to preserve their country’s security and stability.
The Cabinet meeting took a number of other decisions. It endorsed the general agreement for cooperation with Spain, which was signed in Madrid on Feb. 22, 2007. The accord provides freedom for the transfer of money between the two countries, without violating EU Agreements.
Under the accord, both sides shall not take measures that would deny investors, completely or partially, ownership of their wealth or profits and the right to transfer this to their countries. It also guarantees just and quick compensations for damages caused by any violations.
The Cabinet also authorized the minister of higher education or his deputy to sign an executive program in the field of higher education with Egypt.
The Cabinet meeting also heard a report from the Ministry of Economy and Planning on the progress of 108 projects to establish technical and vocational training institutes in various parts of the country. It also appointed Abdul Rauf Al-Sadik Al-Qayedi as assistant undersecretary for employment of Saudis at the Labor Ministry.
