Chirac commends Saudi reforms, support Saudi efforts against terrorism
Saudi Arabia-France, Politics, 4/14/2005

The French President Jacques Chirac commended the ambitious programs for transformations in Saudi Arabia and stressed that France will be in support of the Saudis in fighting what he called terrorism.

In a speech at the dinner banquet he held in honor of the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz who is on an official visit to France, Chirac said that the various national dialogue circles and recent developments inside the Saudi Shoura council and the organization of regional municipal elections all constitute initiatives worthy to be commended.

He stressed that in order to be sustainable, reforms should stem from each and every country, from the will of the people, and to be made in the frame of honoring its own identity.

The French president stressed that his country will continue supporting the Saudis in facing what he called terrorism. He stressed that the two countries are determined to work together in the framework of the UN and the bilateral treaties to make everything possible to eliminate terrorism.

Concerning the Lebanese file, Chirac reiterated that the solution of the current Lebanese crisis is through completely democratic elections to be carried out within the set period.

Chirac also noted the almost identical view points with the Saudi crown prince concerning the situation in Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East.

For his part, the Saudi crown prince said he seeks to establish relations with France as to be an example to be followed by others. He called on all those who doubt the possibility of establishing dialogue among civilizations to take into account the Saudi- French friendship relations so as to realize how such a dialogue can be established.

The Saudi crown prince who arrived in Paris on Wednesday in a two day visit is to hold other talks with the French prime minister Jan Pierre Ravaran concentrating on several hot files including the Lebanese situation, the situation in Iraq, and the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear program and fighting international terrorism.

In Washington, the White House said the Saudi crown prince will visit President George W. Bush in his farm in Texas on April 25th in order to discuss the situation in the Middle East and other issues.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi crown prince postpones visit to Paris   (3/16/2005)
  A new telephone call between Chirac, the Saudi crown prince   (2/24/2005)
  Chirac, Saudi crown prince discuss Lebanese developments   (2/21/2005)

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