Foriegn Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said in London, on Friday, the issue of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories should be solved in accordance with the UN resolutions. He was addressing the meeting of Arab foreign ministers with the representatives of the International Quartet Committee on Middle East on the sidelines of the periodic meeting of the Quartet, in London. The meeting discussed the outcome of the periodic meeting of Quartet Committee and aspects and potentials of Mideast peace process. In his address, Prince Saud described the Middle East issue as risky and depressing. Even after 60 years, instead of simplifying the issue and drawing its map according to the UN resolution No. 181, which states the legal establishment of a homeland for the Palestinian people side by side the State of Israel, many unnecessary aspects were wedged into the dispute, particularly after 1967 war, Prince Saud said. He said the point of dispute focuses on the interpretation of the UN resolution No. 242, namely whether the withdrawal from all the Palestinian territories or withdrawal from the lands occupied in 1967 war. Prince Saud pointed out that the Arab countries have spared no effort to encourage others toward entering into a real peace process, signaling the Arab Beirut summit adoption of the Arab Peace Initiative, offering Israel the complete security it was seeking. This will take place through naturalization based on a peace treaty that will be signed by Israel and all Arab countries in addition to Islamic countries who have also endorsed the Arab Peace Initiative, he said. “In this regard, we have to consider the proposals to be presented by the members of the Quartet to break the current impasse”, Prince Saud said, adding that “the serious and impartial endeavor to activate Annapolis pledges on the ground will enable us to eliminate most of the current obstacles and complications of the status quo”. He emphasized that there is dare need for dramatic change in the approach of the International Quartet Committee, calling for constructive proposals that help to proceed with the settlement process instead of remain content of speaking about the details of the dispute and putting impossible conditions. He suggested that those proposals should be based on the legitimacy and the international law and never be detracted of their mainstream. The achievement of peace and security is threatened with failure if it could not follow the fair application of the international law without any bias, he said. Prince Saud stressed on the importance of striving the Quartet's decisions for the principles of neutrality, justice, elimination of settlements and barriers and stoppage of dividing of the Palestinian territories, and of putting the decisions reached under continuous follow-up and monitoring until the required progress is achieved. “The best way for guaranteeing security for Israel is, in our view, to set up a viable Palestinian state side by side of Israel according to the vision of President George W. Bush,” Prince Saud said. The Palestinian united government, which came out of Makkah agreement, has transferred to a missed opportunity. However, if the opportunity looms again, let us hope not to miss it, he said. On the Arab side, Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Alghait of Egypt, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan and Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Aldeen Albasheer and representatives of the foreign ministers of Kuwait and Tunis attended the meeting. Also taking part in the meeting were US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Russian Foreign Minister Sergi Lavrov; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Special Envoy of the Quartet Toni Blair; European Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel, who is also EU's rotating President, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero. The meeting was also attended by Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf Bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Ambassador to United Kingdom and Ireland.
