Saudi Arabia supports nuclear energy use in region

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Monday said that all world countries including the Middle East states are entitled to use nuclear energy and called for resolving Iran's nuclear dispute through negotiations.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 19th General Conference of Arab Countries' Foreign Ministers, he noted that Saudi Arabia calls for the Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) without any exemption.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he referred to the 2002 Accord of Arab head of states in Beirut, saying that it was the best and most reasonable agreement to settle disputes between Israel and the Arab states.

According to the agreement, establishing peaceful relations between the two sides depends on Israeli withdrawal from all territories of Palestine it occupied in 1967.

Another section of the agreement refers to the formation of an independent Palestinian government as well as the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland.

Pointing to the Mecca Agreement, he noted that the accord between Hamas and Fatah is considered a proper opportunity for the Arab world to preserve the Arab peace diplomacy.

The minister said that the study of political and security situation in Iraq and the Lebanese crisis was the other

major issues of the current conference.

20 foreign ministers of Arab countries are taking part the two-day conference in in Riyadh.