Mohammed Alshoaiby Saudi Gazette RIYADH – The Kingdom and the United States reiterated here on Monday that they would continue to work together, with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal saying “our two friendly countries” are busy dealing jointly with troublesome issues like Syria, Iran and the Mideast peace process. “There is no room for emotion and anger here, but rather for policies of commonsense and level-headedness,” Prince Saud said at a joint press conference with Kerry. “The fact of the matter is that the historic relationship between the two countries has always been based on independence, mutual respect and constructive cooperation,” he said. He said that “the Kingdom's declination of membership in the Security Council in no way shape or form amounts to the withdrawing from the United Nations.” He also lamented the international organization's “failure to make the Middle East a nuclear-free zone.” “This time bomb cannot be defused by only dealing with its ramification or maneuvering around it,” the Saudi foreign minister said. He also expressed his deep frustration with the United Nations because of its inability to achieve progress in Syria or on the Middle East issue. On Syria, Prince Saud said that while he understood the importance of talks, they could not go on indefinitely, and added that the “Geneva 2” peace talks could not happen without the rebels being involved. For his part, Kerry said: “This is a deep relationship and it has endured for 75 years and it will endure well into the future.” “Our relationship is strategic, it is enduring and it covers a wide range” of issues, Kerry told reporters as he wound up a visit, including a two-hour meeting with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
