Mr. President, Saudi Arabia and the Arab world join in welcoming you on your visit to our region. Your tour of the Middle East is indicative of the new spirit of Annapolis that you have brought about in an effort to finally end the Arab-Israeli conflict.
We may not have seen eye-to-eye on all matters, but we have surely felt the pain of your absence from the region’s most pressing issues over the past seven years, and we wholeheartedly welcome your efforts and hope to support them in every way possible.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have a shared history; they stood together in every major conflict of the 20th century. Side-by-side we confronted Communism and the Soviet Union.
Saudi Arabia’s role in defeating Communism remains largely unacknowledged, as do the one million fallen Arab and Muslim soldiers who drove the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan and contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
At a time when the Arab world was divided on how to deal with the Soviet Union, Saudi Arabia, working with the United States, used its influence to weaken the Communist empire, diminish its influence and ultimately bring it down. It was a true partnership of which we are proud.
In the fight against terror, our cooperation has also been deep and rewarding. Saudi Arabia has been a leading nation in this long fight.
The extent of our cooperation and the results we have achieved are tremendous. It is, of course, a source of deep pain for Saudis that 15 of our nationals participated in the heinous attacks of 9/11.
We have exerted great efforts to examine our own society and have taken many important steps to combat extremism and promote tolerance and understanding in our country. While this is a lengthy process, we are confident that you will see the results of our efforts on your present visit.
The most recent result of the Saudi-American partnership is our joint effort to bring an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Without King Abdullah’s Arab Peace Initiative, there would likely not have been an Annapolis. The Saudi-American partnership was instrumental in creating the proper environment for the conference. If the Arabs appeared hesitant at any point, it was only due to their insistence on gaining the necessary conditions for a meaningful conference.
With America’s new approach to the conflict as an active participant encouraging both sides to make the necessary compromises and overseeing their implementation, those conditions were satisfied.
We applaud you for your steadfastness and determination in achieving the vision of peace that we share with you. Some will say that you are coming late to this endeavor or that your main concern is to build a historic legacy now that you are in your final year of office.
For us it is never too late for peace, and a legacy of peace is one we are all willing and proud to participate in. The Arab world, a contiguous area of some six million square miles inhabited by 300 million people who speak the same language, is ready for peace and the developments that will blossom as a consequence.
Mr. President, when you first campaigned for the office you now hold, you campaigned as a uniter not a divider. Peace also requires unity from those who are making it, whether Palestinians or Israelis. It cannot be achieved otherwise.
Saudi Arabia has tried to bring the Palestinian people together in a united front for peace because we understand that making peace with the Palestinians who are divided will not succeed. We hope that you will exert your influence to bring the Palestinians together as one united people, as we hope you will work to bring unity among Israelis for the sake of peace.
As we work toward peace we will face many obstacles and problems — there is no question about that.
What is important is that we be prepared and not allow unfortunate events to divert us from the path of peace. On the Palestinian side, as on the Israeli side, there are minorities who would rather not see the peace process succeed.
We should expect provocations or violent acts, but we must keep our focus, condemn any and all departures from the principles of Annapolis, and move steadily toward the vision of peace that we have defined.
Our cooperation, Mr. President, is vital to the security and stability of this region and, in fact, that of the whole world. We must remain active on many fronts: Fighting sectarianism in Iraq, delivering peace and a two-state solution to Israel and Palestine, resolving the deadlock in Lebanon, ending the Israeli occupation of the Golan and making the Middle East a WMD-free region.
Whatever differences we have had on certain issues, we welcome dialogue with you and we consider you a partner in bringing peace and stability to our region. In us you will always find a ready and helping partner.
Finally, we would also like to call your attention to the strong personal ties between our countries. Many of Saudi Arabia’s best and brightest attended schools in America and value their link to the country.
These people would also like to see their children benefit from the opportunity of an American college education and the chance to build more ties between our people. For the sake of knowledge and understanding we ask you to make it easier once again for young Saudis to visit your country, pursue their education and create bridges of understanding.
Mr. President, we hope that this latest chapter in the partnership between our countries will be as successful, or more, than past ones.
— Walid Al-Abyad is a Saudi businessman. He is based in Jeddah.
