It honours me to deliver the statement of Saudi Arabia
on behalf of Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Foreign Minister of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the outset, it gives me
great pleasure to express to you and your Government
my most sincere congratulations on your election as
President of the sixty-first session of the General
Assembly. I am fully confident that your diplomatic
expertise and thorough knowledge of international
affairs will guarantee the success of this session. I
would like to express my appreciation to your
predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, Foreign Minister of
Sweden, who presided over the previous session with
wisdom and expertise. The constant and diligent efforts
of the Secretary-General were essential for revitalizing
the role of the United Nations and for upholding its
principles, despite the difficult times and crucial
challenges we face. He, therefore, deserves our full
support and deepest gratitude.
The world today faces a host of global problems
that can be successfully addressed only within the
context of multilateral cooperation under the umbrella
of the United Nations. Human suffering caused by
poverty, hunger, malnutrition, the spread of diseases
and epidemics and natural disasters still require the
concerted efforts of the international community in
combating them. These global challenges do not
distinguish among people on the basis of colour,
religion or nationality. Invariably, it is the most
vulnerable who suffer the most from these
humanitarian threats, making it all the more urgent for
the international community to assume its collective
responsibility in addressing these issues.
The Middle East is in the midst of a very
dangerous phase, with the emergence of new crises and
the worsening of old ones, such as the continued Israeli
occupation of Arab lands in Palestine, Syria and
Lebanon; the volatile situation on the Lebanese-Israeli
border; the invasion of Lebanon; the challenges posed
by continued instability and sectarian violence in Iraq;
and the as-yet unresolved issue of Iran’s nuclear
programme. The accumulation of crises and tensions in
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the region can only encourage an environment in which
extremism and terrorism will thrive with undesirable
consequences. It is, therefore, imperative that we warn
specifically against the continued trend towards
stopgap crisis management that has taken the place of
the serious pursuit of a comprehensive and just
solution based on the principles of international law
and resolutions of international legitimacy free from
partiality, double standards or selectivity.
Undoubtedly, the key to resolving these multiple
crises will be to invigorate the peace process with the
aim of achieving a just and durable settlement of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the oldest conflict in
modern times. This conflict is the most enduring
international conflict today, and its continuation
negatively affects the prospects of reaching effective
solutions to other crises.
The ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine
represents a flagrant breach of international law and
the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of
territory by force and blatant disregard for resolutions
of international legitimacy. This issue lies at the core of
the Middle Eastern problem. The international
community should no longer tolerate procrastination or
repeated failures in resolving this situation. The
international community, and especially the major
Powers, must set aside their divisions and face up to
the vital task of reaching, as soon as possible, a
peaceful, just and lasting solution, in accordance with
the principles of international legitimacy.
The resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
must be placed in its appropriate context by reconciling
the rights of the Palestinian and the Israeli people and
establishing two neighbouring States enjoying security,
which is a natural outcome of peace. It is peace that
ensures security, and not the other way around. The
basis for a solution is clear to all of us, as expressed by
the President of the United States in the context of his
two-State vision, which is in harmony with relevant
United Nations resolutions and with the Arab Peace
Initiative, adopted unanimously at the Beirut Summit.
What is urgently needed today is to link that vision
with a clear agenda bound to a specific time-frame.
Regrettably, the problem has been portrayed as
inextricably complicated and not amenable to
customary solutions. Using security considerations as a
pretext, exceptional provisions allowed one of the
parties to the conflict to specify unilaterally the basis
and conditions for negotiations, to choose its
negotiating partner, to violate previously concluded
agreements, to impose unilateral measures and to use
force to impose a status quo. Our purpose here is not to
enter into futile debates, but it is important to
recognize that the peace process has suffered greatly
from these exceptions, which give rise to double
standards and inequitable obligations.
Reviving the peace process will require serious
international cooperation so as to realize the two-State
vision within a reasonable time-frame. Recent events
have once again proved that military solutions only
undermine the interests and the security of all parties.
It is therefore essential that we learn the lessons of our
previous failures in the pursuit of peace. These failures
resulted from an exaggerated emphasis on procedural
and provisional issues. The establishment of interim
security arrangements proved complicated and
exhausting, while procedures for building mutual trust
enabled the enemies of peace to undermine the peace
process in its entirety.
What is required from us today is a fundamental
change in our quest to achieve a just and
comprehensive peace in the area. It is imperative that
we go to the root and heart of the conflict by
establishing an effective mechanism to ensure
immediate and peaceful negotiations addressing all
final status issues, including Jerusalem, borders,
refugees and mutual security arrangements. The
required breakthrough can be achieved only through a
historic and comprehensive deal.
A clear outline of the solution has been apparent
ever since the adoption of resolution 181 (II) in 1947.
That resolution set out the partition of Palestine, which
was then under a British Mandate, into an Arab and an
Israeli State. It also proposed clearly defined borders
for those two States. Since then, the Security Council
and the General Assembly have issued hundreds of
resolutions, including Security Council resolution 242
(1967), which emphasized the principle of refraining
from the acquisition of territory by force, and called on
Israel to withdraw from all territories occupied in
1967. It also reiterated the need to find a just solution
to the issue of the Palestinian refugees. Thirty-nine
years after the adoption of this resolution, the
Palestinian people continue to be deprived of their
inherent right to self-determination and of their
entitlement to live in an independent State with Arab
Jerusalem as its capital.
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Only two months ago Israel launched a brutal act
of aggression against Lebanon, resulting in the
destruction of Lebanon’s infrastructure, the
displacement of one third of its population, and the
wounding and killing of thousands of civilians,
including women, children and the elderly. That
senseless war, of course, did not make Israel any safer.
The only thing achieved by Israel in Lebanon was vast
destruction and devastation, provoking yet deeper
hatred and enmity. We wonder how many tragedies and
victims we and the world will have to have before
everyone understands that military solutions will not
succeed.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirms its full
support for the legitimate Lebanese Government as it
seeks to extend its authority and influence over its
entire territory. The Kingdom also calls on the
brotherly people of Lebanon to stand united so that
their country may once again enjoy security and
prosperity. We reiterate the need for all parties to
remain committed to Security Council resolution 1701
(2006) and call for a rapid Israeli withdrawal from the
Sheba’a Farms area, recognized by Israel as an
occupied territory. We also call for a return to the
Armistice Agreement signed between Lebanon and
Israel in 1949, as this is the only means of
guaranteeing security and stability and avoiding a
return to the status quo ante.
As part of our commitment to reconstruction
efforts in Lebanon, we call on the international
community to hold Israel responsible for providing fair
compensation for the destruction and losses inflicted
upon Lebanon as a result of that aggression. One of the
reasons why Lebanon has been a victim of repeated
Israeli invasions — seven so far — is that we have not
held the aggressor accountable.
We are profoundly concerned and extremely
saddened by the deteriorating security situation in Iraq,
marked by daily confrontation, acts of violence and
bombings. The absence of security and stability in Iraq
continues to hamper the efforts of all countries
committed to assisting Iraq in overcoming its ordeal,
rehabilitating its economy and helping it to rebuild.
The Kingdom has always reaffirmed the importance of
consolidating Iraq’s unity, respecting its independence
and sovereignty, and refraining from interfering in its
internal affairs. We call on the international community
to support the programme adopted by the legitimate
Iraqi Government, led by Mr. Nuri Al-Maliki, to
achieve a comprehensive national reconciliation;
revitalize Government institutions in the security,
military, political and economic areas; and disarm the
militias.
It has long been acknowledged that the
proliferation of nuclear weapons has seriously
undermined the security of all countries. Over time, a
number of international treaties and conventions have
produced bilateral and multilateral obligations, but
such obligations are of no use if they are not fully
observed and fully applied. We cannot ignore the
serious threat to global peace and security that such
weapons continue to pose, regardless of whether they
are used in wars between States or fall into the hands
of terrorist groups.
Effectively preventing the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction will require abandoning
double standards and emphasizing the importance of
making the entire Middle East, including the Arab Gulf
region, a zone free from nuclear weapons. Israel is the
only country in the region that is known to possess
weapons of mass destruction but is not subjected to any
form of monitoring.
While we support the right of all countries to the
peaceful use of nuclear energy — including the
acquisition of know-how and nuclear technology for
peaceful purposes — we call on all parties to support
the path of negotiations and peaceful solutions with
regard to the Iranian nuclear issue. Iran’s repeated
statements that its nuclear programme is restricted to
the peaceful uses of nuclear energy should continue to
serve as a strong basis for negotiations.
The Kingdom and other members of the Gulf
Cooperation Council are eager to maintain and enhance
their relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and
we hope that the Government of Iran will respond
positively to the repeated calls by the United Arab
Emirates for the peaceful resolution of the issue of the
occupied islands belonging to the Emirates.
International terrorism is a threat to us all. The
ongoing atrocities perpetrated by terrorists continue to
test our resolve to combat and counter terrorism. There
is no acceptable justification for any form of terrorism,
but we cannot ignore the fact that it has roots and
causes that enable it to thrive. Achieving a decisive
victory over terrorism will require not only that we
deny all financial support to terrorists, but also that we
address the origins of extremist thought and the
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conditions in which terrorists prosper. If we address the
feelings of despair, anger and frustration experienced
by peoples when they are denied their legitimate rights,
we will deprive extremists of their causes and rallying
cries.
As one of the main targets of terrorism, the
Kingdom has repeatedly denounced terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations and has achieved tangible
success in combating it. The Kingdom has acceded to
most of the international counter-terrorism agreements,
as well as the Arab Convention on the Suppression of
Terrorism and the Convention of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Combating
International Terrorism. The Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz Al Saud,
has proposed the establishment of an international
counter-terrorism centre under United Nations
auspices. The only way to thwart the evil plans of
terrorists is through the exchange of intelligence and
updated information among countries and agencies.
Innovative solutions can be found to adequately
address reservations regarding the sensitivity of such
information and its secret sources.
As we renew our commitment to and
participation in the international campaign against
terrorism, we must at the same time draw attention to
growing worldwide concerns about its flagrant use as a
pretext by extremist forces and by advocates of a clash
between civilizations and cultures.
We must periodically evaluate the effectiveness
and success of our methods of combating terrorism and
extremism. Here, I must reiterate that no true religion
advocates the use of terrorism; all of the world’s great
religions promote noble values. We should not hold the
vast majority of true believers responsible for the
deviant behaviour of a very small minority of
adherents of any religion. Saudi Arabia strongly rejects
the characterization of Islam as a violent religion that
in any way supports terrorism. Saudi Arabia calls on all
those who want to learn more about Islam and its
attitude towards terrorism to consult reliable
authorities or documents such as the 10-year plan of
action adopted unanimously by the members of the
OIC at its recent extraordinary summit held in Saudi
Arabia. The success of the global counter-terrorism
campaign will depend on our strict adherence to the
rules of international law, human rights, norms and
humanitarian values, and respect for all religions.
The continued humanitarian suffering in Darfur is
unacceptable to all of us. We hope that the current
efforts to remedy the situation will be given a chance
to succeed. We hope that this destructive conflict,
which is causing unjustifiable losses on all sides, will
swiftly come to an end. The Sudanese authorities, who
have achieved a historic success by bringing about
reconciliation in the South, are cooperating with efforts
to achieve reconciliation in Darfur, and have welcomed
the deployment of African Union forces. Arab States
have committed themselves to providing those forces
with the support and financial resources that they need.
We are concerned that the deployment of international
troops without the consent of the sovereign
Government of the Sudan will make them part of the
problem, rather than part of the solution.
Saudi Arabia, itself a developing country, plays a
major role in promoting development in other
developing and least developed countries. To help
those countries overcome their problems of poverty
and underdevelopment, Saudi Arabia provides
generous aid through its national institutions, as well as
through international and regional institutions. Over
the past three decades, Saudi Arabia has contributed
approximately 4 per cent of its gross domestic product
in official development assistance (ODA) — the
highest percentage contributed by any country in the
world. Saudi Arabia has also offered debt relief
amounting to more than $6 billion to a number of least
developed countries.
In order to ensure continued global economic
growth, Saudi Arabia has increased its petroleum
production capacity to stabilize petroleum markets, to
ensure the continued flow of sufficient petroleum and
to curb artificially high prices. Saudi Arabia hosts the
secretariat of the International Energy Forum, which it
established as a forum for discussing areas for
cooperation and dialogue between petroleum-
consuming and petroleum-producing countries.
Increased cooperation between those countries will
contribute directly to the stabilization of petroleum
markets. Petroleum, of course, is an essential strategic
commodity for the promotion of sustained global
economic growth.
Our world is experiencing ever-accelerating and
increasingly complex political, economic and social
changes. Now more than ever, it is vital that we
cooperate with one another to address the complex
issues and changes facing us. Balanced and respectful
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relations among countries, based on the principles of
justice, mutual trust and true partnership, are essential
to that end. Promoting healthy relations and
understanding among nations will best equip us to meet
future challenges and to respond to them in a way that
will benefit all of humanity.