Saudi Arabia has stressed that the principle of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and affirmed the need to protect the lives of civilians who usually constitute the great majority of casualties during conflicts. During the Kingdom's speech delivered Thursday before the United Nations Security Council's special debate on the issue of the protection of civilians during armed conflicts, Saudi Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Khalid Bin Abdulrazaq Al-Nifisi said that members of the United Nations Security Council should take into consideration the views of other countries who are not members of the council while debating resolutions, in order to boost the credibility and effectiveness of the work of the council, increase its openness and transparency and give it respect and admiration. Al-Nifisi said that achieving this requires the council members, especially the five permanent members, to have political will, firm determination and sincere desire, adding that these countries bear the basic responsibility of achieving the aspirations of member countries and all peoples with no exception, preference or bias among countries. Al-Nifisi called for equality in the protection of civilians during armed conflicts without bias regarding different races or nations and ending adoption of double standards in this regard. He said the debate of the issue of the protection of civilians must not be restricted to the security council but should also be carried out by different United Nations' bodies.
