French relations. 'The identical views of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and French President Jacques Chirac as regards the developments of the situation in the region have provided a clear evidence for the keenness of the two countries on bringing about a just and comprehensive peace', he said. Prince Sultan said the Kingdom has been effectively and sincerely working to enhance the pillars of global security and stability. He added that the efforts of the Kingdom in this respect were culminated by the peace initiative announced by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and approved by the Arab Summit held in Beirut in 2002. Prince Sultan made it clear that the Kingdom believes in the importance of dialogue and negotiations for the settlement of disputes which threaten the security of the region and the world too. He noted that the policy of intransigence and military confrontation will only lead to more destruction, antagonism and extremism. Prince Sultan said the painful violence in the region was a result of the policy of intransigence and resort to force. 'We do condemn the operations of destruction and mass killing, and destruction of the infrastructure projects as the result of the Israeli aggressions against Palestine and Lebanon', he said noting that operations run counter to the international norms and conventions. He urged the international community to take the appropriate measures for ending the vicious aggression, and to work for the preservation of the global security and stability. Prince Sultan underlined the importance of intensifying efforts to ensure the safety and unity of the Iraqi territories. 'The keenness of the Saudi and French leaderships on further enhancing bilateral relations is stemmed from the common feeling of the significant role that could be played by the two countries at the international arena, and existence of opportunities of cooperation', he elaborated. Prince Sultan said the visit of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to France last year and the visit of Chirac to the Kingdom four months ago would have an effective role in enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries. He underscored the importance of coordination between the two countries at the popular and official levels. The function was attended by Prince Sultan's accompanying delegation, a number of princes and senior French officials.
