Saudi FM confers with Blair, fears over Iraq's unity
Saudi Arabia-UK, Politics, 5/13/2003

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Monday instability in U.S.-occupied Iraq threatened to break up the country and urged the United Nations to tackle violence and aid shortages. Prince Saud, speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said unrest in Iraq was an issue of "extreme concern" to neighbouring Gulf states.

"In the majority of the country there is instability which threatens the territorial integrity and the unity of Iraq, which is of extreme concern to the countries of the region," he said.

"Iraq is suffering every day from violence, from shortages of humanitarian aid, from instability, and it threatens a breakdown of order altogether," Prince Saud said. "The humanitarian situation is compounded by the violence," he added.

The United States has introduced a resolution at the United Nations Security Council to lift sanctions against Iraq and give Washington and its allies control over oil revenues.

Several countries which opposed the U.S.-led war have questioned the limited U.N. role expressed in the resolution.

Prince Saud said he hoped the 15 council members could unite "to move forward the efforts of the United Nations Security Council to affect positively the situation in Iraq." His view was echoed by a spokesman for European Union aid chief Poul Nielson who said there was a risk of a humanitarian crisis in Iraq if the situation was not normalized quickly.

"The feeling is that the coming weeks will be crucial for Iraq to get back to some sort of 'business as usual'," spokesman Michael Curtis told reporters on Monday, following a visit by Nielson to Iraq last week.

"For this to happen it is essential that security is guaranteed and that the U.N. is able to play a central role."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Quds al-Arabi: Britain and the new Saudi ambassador   (12/3/2002)
  Saud al-Faisal hands message to Blair from Saudi crown prince   (9/7/2002)
  Saudi- British talks   (5/16/2002)

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