Crown prince Abdullah warns against not controlling Sharon
Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 4/26/2002

US President George Bush on Thursday called on Israel to "end" its occupation of the Palestinian areas it had reoccupied and to solve the two crises of Ramullah and Bethlehem without violence and also urged the Palestinians to exert more to fight "terrorism."

This statement was made following news that the Saudi crown prince Abdullah warned Bush of grave consequences on the Arab- American relations if Washington will not control the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Bush said on Thursday that he held a good meeting with the Saudi crown prince in his farm in Crawford in Texas. He added "one of the positive things of this meeting is that I and prince Abdullah established a strong personal link." He added that "we spent much of the time alone discussing our views and talking about our families." President Bush added "I am confident that as far as our personal relations are strong relations between our two countries will be stronger."

Bush said after the meeting which lasted for more than 5 hours that he had discussed to the Saudi crown prince that he is still committed to the vision of the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Palestinian areas. He added "I have explained to him ( crown prince Abdullah) I expect an Israeli withdrawal. I expect them ( the Israelis ) to finish that." He said "Israel should complete its withdrawal including solving the two crises in Ramullah and Bethlehem in a non- violent way."

Bush added, that for their turn, the Palestinians "should exert more efforts to stop terrorism." Bush said he is grateful for the confirmation made by the Saudi crown prince that Saudi Arabia condemns terrorism and that it will not support the expansion of oil embargo called on by Iraq. He added " Saudi Arabia has openly explained that it will not use oil as a weapon and I do appreciate that and expected this to be so."

Bush said he had discussed with the Saudi crown prince the coming steps to implementing the Saudi peace initiative which he had described as "a breakthrough moment." He said that two delegations from the two countries will follow up the talks within the few coming days.

The Saudi crown prince was accompanied during his visit by the foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal and the Saudi ambassador in Washington prince Bandar Bin Sultan.

On the other hand, the Saudi News agency said that crown prince Abdullah reviewed during the meeting conditions in the Middle East, foremost being the Palestinian question, the occupied Arab territories and "the acts of killing and destruction hatched against the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli forces and the need of halting the Palestinian blood- shed as well as to establish the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as a capital."

The agency added that crown prince Abdullah conveyed to President Bush a clear image about the deteriorated conditions in the Middle East region and the need for finding out means to establish just and comprehensive peace in the region so as its peoples can enjoy peace and stability.

The Saudi news agency continued that the "two sides reviewed the Arab peace initiative to establish peace in the Middle East region, launched by the Saudi crown prince and adopted by the Arab summit conference recently held in Beirut," stressing "the importance of the role played by the US to achieve world peace and security especially in the Middle East region and in particular the Arab- Israeli conflict, the need of the US support for the Arab initiative, noting the chance to fulfil this initiative in line with UN resolutions issued to this effect, the US to support this initiative due to its great political weight on the international arena and to view fairly the Arab- Israeli conflict and to take into account the Arab rights in this regard, in its being one of the ME peace process cosponsors." On the Saudi side the meeting was attended by Prince al-Faisal and Bandar Bin Sultan while the American side was attended by the US vice President Dick Cheney, the secretary of state Colin Powell and the national security advisor Condoleezza Rice.

Previous Stories:
  A difficult Saudi- American summit today   (4/25/2002)
  On Saudi crown prince's starts visit to Washington   (4/24/2002)
  Saudi crown prince considers postponing visit to USA   (4/19/2002)

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