Saudi Arabia for taking practical steps to achieve ME peace

Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has asserted that peace in the ME is integrated and a delay in achieving it on all peace tracks is against security and stability in the region.

In a statement to the Saudi daily Okaz published on Saturday the crown prince said practical measures should be taken towards achieving peace on all other tracks. This, however can be maintained through "Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon and from the occupied Golan heights" so as to establish peace principles according to international legitimacy resolutions.

Crown prince Abdullah added he asserted to US President Bill Clinton and vice- President as well as the US Secretary of state during his recent visit to the US that the "current setback of the ME peace process is costly for all in the future and that the Arab people and the Islamic people will not accept the Israeli bargains to the end." Prince Abdullah called upon the Israelis, especially Prime Minister Netanyahu to resort to reason and understanding in the need to proceed on the path of peace on the basis of UN resolutions 242, 338 and 425 and according to the land for peace formula.

He added it is not possible to achieve security in the absence of peace and that pressuring the Palestinian side would only result in more deterioration and explosions, consequently peace advocated by Israel is not attainable.

Concerning Saudi-Yemeni relations, the Saudi crown prince praised the "level of bilateral relations which are based on solid historical traditions, common history and geography." On relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, prince Abdullah stressed that relations are proceeding "towards further co- operation and common work for the benefits of the two peoples and countries."