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June 16, 2006 |
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PRINCE SAUDI AL-FAISAL REVIEWS THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR FILE AND ISSUES OF THE REGION WITH THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT, RAFSANJANI AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER. THE GCC MINISTERIAL COUNCIL HOPES THAT THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR FILE WILL BE SOLVED PEACEFULLY. THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF EGYPT AND OMAN CALL FOR THE REGION TO BE FREE OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND EXPRESS THEIR COUNTRIES' WORRIES ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE. Iran's guide Ali Khamenei received in Tehran Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Saudi Foreign Minister. During the meeting, Prince Saud handed over a message from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to the Iranian Guide Ali Khamenei dealing with the situations in the region and bilateral relations between the two countries. Also Prince Saud Al-Faisal conveyed the greetings of the monarch to Iran's president, government and people. The audience was attended by a number of senior officials. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmad Nijad received Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister. They reviewed the developments of the situation in the region as well as aspects of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials. Iran's Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani received Prince Saud Al-Faisal the Foreign Minister and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting they discussed the situation in the region and ways of enhancing bilateral interests. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had arrived in Tehran on a visit to Iran. At Mehrabad International Airport, the Prince was received by Iran's Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mutaki; Saudi Ambassador to Iran Osama bin Ahmed Al-Sanousi and a number of Iranian officials. Prince Saud al-Faisal, the foreign minister, held talks with his Iranian counterpart Mutaki in the presence of a number of Saudi and Iranian senior officials. At the press conference held after the meeting, Prince Saud said he will convey a message from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to Ali Khameini, the guide of the Iranian Islamic Republic. Prince Saud described the talks as constructive talks, and said Iran is a big and important country in the region. He hoped that cooperation would further be enhanced between Saudi Arabia and Iran either at the bilateral level or at the level of the GCC in a manner that enhances the pillars of stability in the region and keeps it away from all forms of tension and turmoil. Prince Saud said the policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia coincides with the Arab policy which aims at making the Middle East and the Gulf region free from weapons of mass-destruction.. 'Any international effort in this respect should not exclude Israel notably in these circumstances which aim at pushing forwards the peace process in the region in line with the international legitimate basis, principles and initiatives taking into account the fact that peace is the ideal way for realizing security', he said. Prince Saud said he had reviewed the situation in Iraq, and added 'it is not possible to speak about security in the region without taking into account the situation in Iraq, which is a neighbor of Saudi Arabia and Iran. He hoped that the formation of the new government in Iraq would pave the way for security and stability within the framework of the national unity. He hoped that Iraq's neighboring countries would shoulder their responsibility towards Iraq and help it to preserve its independence and the independence of its political decision. Prince Saud hailed the existing keenness to further enhance Saudi-Iranian relations in a manner that enables the two countries to utilize their potentialities and resources in an ideal manner. Prince Saud hailed the existing Saudi-Iranian cooperation within the framework of OPEC which aims at the stability of the oil market in a manner that serves the interests of both producers and consumers. On his part, Mutaki said the Saudi and Iranian leaderships are determined to further enhance bilateral relations in all domains. He pointed out that the two sides had underlined the importance of exchange of visits and political consultations as well as establishment of joint economic commission in the near future. Mutaki said the talks had covered the most important regional and international problems including the situation in Iraq and other related issues. The two sides have reviewed the Palestinian problem and reiterated the importance unity of the Palestinian factions and continuity of support of the Muslim countries to the Palestinian government and people, he noted. Mutaki said Iran and Saudi Arabia are capable of narrowing gaps among the Muslim countries. He pointed out that he had informed Prince Saud with the developments pertaining to the Iranian nuclear issue, and added Prince Saud has announced his support to the right of Iran to acquire nuclear energy in line with the international laws and resolutions and the treaty of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as the settlement of the nuclear issue through diplomatic channels. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal arrived in Tehran, saying he hoped for a speedy resolution to the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. "We hope that this crisis will be solved as soon as possible," he told a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mutaki. Prince Saud said he was "very content" with what Mutaki had told him about the nuclear file. "He told me that Iran has a positive view and is examining the content of the proposals" offered to Iran, he added. Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China last week offered Iran incentives and multilateral talks if it agreed to freeze uranium enrichment, at the center of fears the country could acquire atomic weapons. "We respect the right of the countries to have peaceful nuclear technology, but Saudi Arabia considers the possession of the weapons of mass destruction not to be in the interests of the region," Prince Saud said. He refused to talk about the content of a message he is delivering to Iran's Supreme Leader from King Abdullah. The Saudi foreign minister's visit came on the opening day of the United Nations atomic watchdog session in Vienna, at which the US called on Iran to halt uranium enrichment and grab an "enormous diplomatic opportunity". Suspending uranium enrichment - a process that can produce fuel for nuclear energy or for the explosive core of an atom bomb - is a precondition for talks on benefits being offered by six world powers. Iran says it has a mandate to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because it wants the fuel only for power generation purposes. Before his visit to Tehran Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said he will visit Tehran today to discuss a host of regional and international issues including Iran's nuclear program, issues related to Iraq and the Middle East peace process. "It will be a one-day official visit of Prince Saud to Iran," said Osama Nugali, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry. He said Prince Saud will be accompanied by senior officials of the ministry. Prince Saud's visit will coincide with a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, in Vienna to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue with the world waiting to see Iran's response to a Western offer to wean Tehran from nuclear enrichment. In Tehran, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said the Saudi foreign minister would be carrying a message from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz for the Iranian head of state. "Iran's nuclear case, the developments in Palestine and Iraq besides many other regional issues will be discussed by Prince Saud with Iranian officials," Asefi added. At the joint press conference with Prince Saud on May 18 at the State Department, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States was ready to hold direct talks with Tehran if Iran suspends all uranium enrichment activities. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also called on Iran and Western countries to solve the crisis through dialogue. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said he hoped for a speedy resolution of the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. "We hope this crisis is solved as soon as possible," he told a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mutaki. "I would continue to urge Iran to provide the cooperation needed to resolve these issues," IAEA Director Mohamed El-Baradei told the meeting. "I remain convinced that the way forward lies through dialogue and mutual accommodation." European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who visited Tehran last week to hand over the package of trade, technological and security incentives for Iran to halt nuclear fuel work, said he expected a response soon. Solana, speaking to reporters at an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg, said he hoped for contact with Tehran, at least privately, by the weekend. A US State Department official, who asked not to be identified, said Iran must not be allowed to mull over the offer endlessly while expanding a pilot uranium-enrichment program until it becomes a fait accompli. "We cannot let Iran consider these terms indefinitely, saying they are prepared to enter negotiations but at the same time just continuing their nuclear activities," he told reporters outside the IAEA board session in Vienna. Diplomats said the 35-nation IAEA board would debate Iran but pass no resolutions, to avoid any diplomatic snafu while Tehran considered an answer to the big power initiative. The United States is trying to keep non-aligned states at the IAEA from issuing a statement backing Iran's claims that it has a right to uranium enrichment. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, left Tehran after an official brief visit to Iran. He was seen of by his Iranian counterpart Manuchehr Mutaki, Saudi Ambassador to Iran Osamah Ibn Ahmed Alsanousi and senior officials. On the other hand Iran would not suspend uranium enrichment to facilitate negotiations with the world over the incentives package, a government spokesman said, indicating the country would rebuff U.S. conditions for taking part in talks over its nuclear program. Iran has not responded formally to the incentives that are intended to persuade it to step back from enrichment. But it said Sunday that parts of the package were acceptable, others were not, and the key issue of uranium enrichment -- a process that can make fuel for a nuclear power plant or material for an atomic bomb -- needed clarification. At a news conference, Iranian spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham Elham gave no indication of when Iran would reply to the package presented June 6, but he ruled out any temporary suspension of enrichment. The United States has offered to drop its long-standing opposition to direct negotiations with Iran and join the nuclear talks if the country suspends enrichment. Iran has an "obvious right" to enrich uranium, Elham said when asked if Iran would suspend enrichment for the sake of negotiations. "Our country will not negotiate over its obvious rights." "This is a non-negotiable issue," he added. Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said Sunday that Iran would reject the package outright if Western powers threatened it with sanctions. The United States and Europe have been lobbying other nations to join them in urging Iran to accept the package -- and warning of U.N. Security Council action if it does not -- according to The Associated Press. The package, presented by permanent Security Council members the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain, plus Germany, contains a series of incentives for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment. They include promises that the United States and Europe will provide Iran nuclear technology and that Washington will join direct talks with Tehran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said that Iran would not be rushed into responding to the package. It would take "as long as is necessary" to study it. However, Javier Solana said he expected Iran to respond. He spoke to reporters in Luxembourg where the European Union was holding a foreign ministers meeting. The package includes "points which are acceptable. There are points which are ambiguous. There are points that should be strengthened, and points that we believe should not exist," he said. He did not give specifics. On the other hand the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states' Foreign Ministers arrived in Riyadh to participate in the ministerial meeting. At Riyadh airbase airport, the GCC ministers were received by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and GCC ambassadors accredited to the kingdom. During the meeting, the ministers completed discussion of subjects of the 99th session of the ministerial council of GCC foreign ministers recently held in Riyadh and they reviewed topics at the international arena. Meanwhile President George W. Bush urged Iraq's neighbors to do more to help the country's reconstruction and said would try to get countries to provide aid they had pledged. "Iraq's neighbors ought to do more to help," Bush told reporters after meeting on Iraq's future with his top national security advisors at Camp David, Maryland. He said that the international community has pledged $13 billion for Iraq, and "we expect our friends to honor those commitments." Bush said he and his advisors discussed oil production and how Iraq can best take advantage of high global prices to benefit its people. He expressed hope that the new Iraqi government would use oil to unite the country. In Cairo Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs in the Sultanate of Oman, said the Gulf states are anxious about the Iranian nuclear file. Addressing a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Ghait, at the conclusion of the Omani-Egyptian joint committee session here yesterday, he said: "We notice there are ongoing efforts and we have contacts with the Iranian and European parties who have a desire to avoid any confrontation and to reach a peaceful settlement for this file as this issue relates to positive usage of nuclear energy". Alawi noted that the Gulf countries are anxious, citing their concern as a legitimate matter because the source of water for these countries is the Arabian Gulf which might face pollution. On situation in Iraq, Alawi said: "We have great confidence in the new Iraqi government and the statements of its premier, adding that restoring security and stability in Iraq requires the cooperation of Iraqis, the neighbouring countries and the international community". Commenting on situation in the Horn of Africa and the Sultanate's concern with this region, he said: "We are concerned with this region, particularly Somalia and we hope Somalis would safeguard their interests, achieve security and establish their state". Alawi expressed appreciation of the Arab League's efforts in this issue and said: "If Somalis succeed in achieving security and ceasing killings, we would be able to assist them". On his meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Ahmed Nazif, Alawi said he felt that Nazif is keen on developing bilateral trade and economic relations and welcomed this attitude. Alawi said earlier that members of the Omani-Egyptian Joint Committee discussed a number of topics and they shared common views on all issues and political situation, particularly in the Arab world. He said the two sides work towards supporting joint Arab action and that the economic cooperation, and relations between the two countries are steadily progressing. He added an Egyptian exports centre would be established in Muscat, thanks to the mutual desire of the two governments. The Omani-Egyptian Committee has wrapped up its 11th session, under Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. At the joint press conference, Abul-Gheit said that the committee has regularly convened over the past 20 years, pointing out that there was a full understanding between President Hosni Mubarak and Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed of Oman. At the press conference, Abul-Gheit asserted that the Egyptian-Omani Businessmen Council is to hold its upcoming meetings in Oman in late December in order to help promote bilateral ties in the trade domain. Talking about establishing a permanent centre for Egyptian exports, Abul-Gheit said in order for the centre to materialise, Egyptian Businessmen have to exert efforts in this regard. Shifting to the situation in Iraq, Abul-Gheit said every Arab and Egyptian citizen believes in the importance of maintaining stability in the war-torn country, stressing the necessity of holding the Iraqi National Accord (INA) Conference, slated for Baghdad on June 21-22, in time, a matter, he asserted, that would be decided by the Iraqi government and people. As for Egypt's stance on Iran's nuclear file and Gulf States' concerns over Iranian Bushehr nuclear reactor, the Egyptian Foreign Minister said that the Iranian dossier needed a lot more time to be scrutinized. Abul-Gheit added that EU Chief of Foreign Relations Javier Solana was currently visiting Iran to formally deliver the latest international proposal on the country's controversial nuclear programme, noting that the Iranian side needed time to respond to the incentives package offered by the UNSC's five permanent states plus Germany. As regards rendering the Middle East region free from weapons of mass destruction, Abul Gheit said a Middle East WMD-free zone was an Egyptian and Arab constant request; it was first raised in the UN General Assembly in 1974 by Iran and was supported by Egypt. As for the current situation in the Palestinian territories and the Hamas-Fatah rivalry, Abul-Gheit voiced deep concern over the future of the Palestinian cause, underlining Egypt's mediating efforts on this score. |
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