The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will attend the economic summit of Group 20 to be held in Washington in November 2008, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the foreign minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced here today. In a joint press conference with visiting Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany Dr. Frank Steinmeier, Prince Saud Al-Faisal said the monarch welcomes the economic summit and has accepted an invitation to take part in the meeting scheduled to discuss the international financial crisis and its repercussions and the requirements of joint efforts to restore confidence of the global economy and avoid entering into a recession. He said the talks between the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the German Minister dealt with bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of strengthening them in all areas, and discussed the international financial crisis. He pointed out that the King expressed during the meeting confidence in the strength of the Saudi economy and that of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, as well s its continued growth and stable banking system enabling it to cope with the possible effects of the global financial crisis. He said that the view points of the two sides were identical as regards international and regional political issues, and peace process in the Middle East. They underscored the importance of exerting double efforts and endeavors to overcome these obstacles and push the peace process towards its agreed frameworks based on international legitimacy resolutions and the commitments of Annapolis conference and the Arab peace initiative. Prince Saud Al-Faisal said "The Kingdom stresses that one of the most important uncertainties casting shadow over the peace process is the continuation of Israel to renege its commitments and to take unilateral policies, including the expansion of settlements, which would change the geographic and legal status of the occupied territories and derail the establishment of an integral, independent and viable Palestinian state. He underlined the importance of taking this matter seriously, including all issues of major conflict on Al-Quds, borders, refugees, water and other issues which together constitute the foundations of a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement to the conflict in the Middle East. --More
