In press conference held with Dutch FM:

Prince Saud Alfaisal speaks of utilizing Saudi Arabia's reserves in development programs

Prince Saud: Israel has to prove genuine wish for peace, refrain from operations to Judaize Alquds

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Alfaisal stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently carrying out ambitious development programs inside the kingdom, adding that the Kingdom is utilizing most of its reserves in these programs and that these programs attracted the attention of the Summit of Twenty for their expected positive impact on stimulating demand and attracting companies and international institutions to contribute to the existing development.

In a joint press conference held in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday with visiting Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, Prince Saud said it hoped this opportunity will increase the number of Saudi-Dutch joint projects which are now 73 companies working in the sectors of investment, building, construction, transport, communications, industry and other fields.

Prince Saud said that one of the most important fields of Saudi-Dutch cooperation is fighting terrorism since the participation of the Netherlands in the international conference on fighting terrorism hosted by Riyadh in 2005.

Prince Saud stressed the importance of combining security efforts to fight terrorism with work to root out this international phenomenon requiring policies to fight the sources of financing terrorism and fight the thought of fanaticism and incited extremism including the thoughts of hate, exclusion, racism and the tendency to disdain peoples, cultures and religions.

Prince Saud said he discussed with the Dutch Foreign Minister a number of political issues witnessed by the Middle East region including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and said he stressed that solving this conflict will greatly contribute to solving a number of problems suffered by the Middle East region.

Prince Saud stressed the importance of reviving the peace process and Israel's seriousness and truthfulness toward the peace process including ceasing the building of settlements or their expansion, stopping all existing measures to Judaize Alquds (Jerusalem) and change features on the ground and lifting the unjust blockade against the Palestinian people.

Prince Saud appreciated the role of the Netherlands and the European Union in aiding the Palestinian people and lifting their humanitarian suffering.

Then, the Dutch Foreign Minister made a statement highlighting Saudi-Dutch relations and hailed Saudi Arabia's respect of human rights and women's rights.

Prince Saud commented saying that Saudi Arabia considers human rights as part of its beliefs and not for proving good conduct adding that human rights in Islam are a basic element of life.

Then, the two ministers answered reporters' questions highlighting the good economic relations between Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands.

On Yemen, Prince Saud stressed Saudi support for Yemen and its stability and unity.

On Pakistan, Prince Saud also stressed Saudi commitment to the support announced by the recent meeting of the friends of Pakistan.

On reservation by the United Arab Emirates on basing the GCC central bank in Riyadh, Prince Saud said, "The United Arab Emirates announced that it has a reservation. We want to know exactly the areas of this reservation and how we can remove them. We continue discussion and we hope that the joint will to establish this bank will prevail."

On the peace process in the region, Prince Saud said, "We want an Israeli moderate position that respects the resolutions of the International legitimacy."