2007 News Story
 
02/14/2007
Foreign Minister holds regular briefing

  Prince Saud Al-Faisal

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal held his regular press briefing in Riyadh today.

Prince Saud welcomed the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin and underscored the importance of cementing Saudi-Russian relations.

The Foreign Minister said the Kingdom does not see any obstacles to cooperating with Russia to develop a nuclear energy program. He pointed out that at last year’s Jaber Summit in Riyadh, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders approved in principle the use of nuclear energy in line with international non-proliferation protocols.

Prince Saud lauded the Makkah Agreement between Fatah and Hamas, and expressed the hope that the agreement on a Palestinian national unity government would receive the necessary international support.

Turning to Iran, Prince Saud noted that Tehran had expressed anxiety over a division between Shiites and Sunnis in the Muslim world. The Kingdom shares Iran’s concern about such a split and hopes that it will not occur, he said.

On Lebanon, Prince Saud decried yesterday’s bombings on commuter buses outside of Beirut that killed three people. He urged Lebanese leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Prince Saud also condemned Israeli excavations near Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest in Islam.

 

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