Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, availed himself of the chance of addressing an Arab-European meeting in the Greek capital of Athens which witnessed a prosperous past of interaction between the two cultures to ask his listeners to be cautious about what he called critical times in both Arab and European worlds. Instead of listening to loud voices calling for chaos and abrupt change in the Arab world that might lead to threatening its security and stability and derail its development and prosperity, and instead of listening to calls for fanatics, racism and defaming religious figures and beliefs in Europe which might further complicate the continent's economic and financial crises and lead to isolation, both Arab world and Europe should listen to reason and exert more effort to develop and promote the mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation between the Arab world and Europe, Madani said. Speaking before the 3rd meeting of the foreign ministers of the Arab league countries and European Union, Madani said meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Arab peoples to have freedom, dignity and prosperity should not come at the expense of the nation's security and stability, noting that terrorist and extremist groups are trying to reach power in the Arab region through financing, training and arming local militias who spark sedition, and demolish national unity. He cited the congratulatory message of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to newly-elected Egyptian President when he called for cutting the road before terrorist groups, sectarian militias and foreign intruders to tamper the stability and security of the country. We call on our European friends to enhance their partnership with us to bolster security, stability and prosperity for all Arab world peoples through facing the terror, extremism and foreign interference which provide support for it, the Saudi senior foreign ministry added. He recalled the pioneering role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in presenting the Arab Peace Initiative which was adopted by the Arab League, and providing support for all peace initiatives and negotiations aiming to achieve the two-state solution that secures the legitimate rights of the long-under-occupation Palestinian people. Criticizing Israel's hostile, settlement and unilateral practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, Madani said Israel is doing so instead of turning to be a peace partner. We call on our European friends to translate their statements into facts, through welcoming the admission of Palestine to the United nation and a number of international organizations and agreements and imposing all-out boycott to the Israeli settlement products as they are a flagrant violation of the international law and legitimacy. Madani cast light on the daily crimes committed by Al-Assad regime in Syria against his people who face one of history's most barbaric atrocities in which chemical weapons were used against innocent children, women and elderly. Such crimes would have not continued, had the Security Council used its legal liability to stop them, Madani said, stating that the world community has stopped short of providing protection for the Syrian suppressed people who, he said, are facing a tripartite enemy: Assad's tyrannical regime, flagrant foreign interference and criminal terrorist groups. He confirmed that peace could not be reached in Syria unless the balance of forces is changed through providing support for the legal representatives of the Syrian peoplesâ€TM sects, religious factions and ethical societies. In Saudi Arabia, the government believes that it is not suffice to face terrorism but called on the world community to enhance concerted effort to face terrorism in its capacity as an international phenomenon, Madani said. He recalled that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has presented several initiatives to bolster the values of dialogue, cooperation and co-existence, rejection of hatred, the other opinion and instigation, and facing the extremists, citing the establishment of Vienna-based King Abdullah International Center for Dialogue as the best embodying of Arab European cooperation to illuminate the concepts of dialogue, cooperation and tolerance among the real representatives of religions away from political interference.
