RIYADH, 16 January 2008 — French Interior and Overseas Territories Minister Michele Alliot-Marie wrapped up a 36-hour visit to the Saudi capital yesterday saying that misunderstanding religion was the reason that many Muslim youths embrace extremist ideologies.
Alliot-Marie, who is responsible for overseeing the administrative organization of religions in France in her capacity as Interior Minister, made this statement during a meeting with Sheikh Saleh Al-Asheikh, minister of religious affairs, endowments, call and guidance. She stressed that terrorism cannot exist among true followers of Islam anywhere.
Pointing out that a French minister of interior was visiting the Kingdom after an interval of 14 years, Alliot-Marie said that when she was officiating as defense minister, she had visited the Kingdom four times.
"When I was defense minister, I appointed Muslims as senior officers in the French army and those officers have justified the confidence reposed in them by way of their impeccable services, " she stressed.
Regarding the four Frenchmen who were killed last year in the Kingdom, she said that France does not have any intention to call for an extradition of suspects since her country is confident that the men responsible for committing the crime would be served justice in the Kingdom.
"I am confident that those accused would get the proper judgment for their act of terrorism on innocent people," she said.
Speaking about the agreement signed Sunday between the Kingdom and France, she said it covers a wide area for an indefinite period. The areas incorporated in the agreement included internal security, civil defense, combating terrorism, money laundering, drug and human trafficking. The two countries have had a technical cooperation agreement since 1980 and the new accord aims to reinforce the bilateral commitment, she added.
She said that her Saudi counterpart Prince Naif agreed that the two countries hold identical views on fighting terrorism.
