Crown Prince Abdullah's meeting with President Bush warm and positive

President Bush says his meeting with Crown Prince Abdullah 

reaffirmed strong U.S.-Saudi relations

U.S. President George W. Bush said he and Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz established “a strong personal bond” during their meeting on April 25. Speaking to reporters at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, after the meeting, he issued the following statement:

“I was honored to welcome Crown Prince Abdullah to my ranch, a place that is very special for me, and a place where I welcome special guests to our country. The Crown Prince and I had a very cordial meeting that confirmed the strong relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America. Our partnership is important to both our nations, and it is important to the cause of peace and stability in the Middle East and the world.

“We discussed the critical importance of the war on terror. Much of our discussion centered on the Middle East and how to defuse the current situation so we can get back on the path to peace. Our two nations share a vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.  

“I reiterated that all parties have responsibilities to help achieve that vision. The Palestinian Authority must do more to stop terror. Israel must finish its withdrawal, including resolution of the standoffs ... in Ramallah and Bethlehem in a nonviolent way.

“We discussed the need for Arab states to condemn terror, to stop incitement of violence, and as part of a long-term peace, to accept Israel as a nation and a neighbor. We also agreed the world must join in offering humanitarian aid to the many innocent Palestinians who are suffering.

“I told the Crown Prince how much I appreciate his vision for a peaceful and integrated Middle East, and how I appreciated his leadership in helping rally the Arab world toward that vision. The Crown Prince is going to be in America for several more days, and officials ... will be continuing our discussions, with the hope that our efforts can help return us to the path of peace, a lasting peace.”

Saudi Officials Describe Meeting as Warm, Frank and Constructive

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz issued separate statements on the meeting between President George W. Bush and Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. They both described the meeting as warm, cordial and frank.

Prince Saud said that during the meeting and a subsequent telephone conversation on April 28, the “two leaders reaffirmed the historical and rock-solid relationship which reflects the strategic interest of the two countries.”

He added that President Bush and Crown Prince Abdullah “both valued the candor and frankness which characterized the warm discussion at Crawford, Texas. The Crown Prince expressed his deep appreciation for the intense efforts exerted by the President and the Administration to break the impasse in the current Middle East crisis.  Both leaders hoped that this would be the first step toward a political negotiation that would lead to a comprehensive and just peace in the area, and they promised to remain engaged and cooperate in the pursuit of that objective. In the meantime, they both expressed the hope that all sides will renounce the use of violence as a means of resolving political disputes.”

The day after the meeting in Crawford, Prince Bandar described the discussions between President Bush and Crown Prince Abdullah as “extremely warm and cordial.” He added: “Both leaders had a frank and detailed exchange of views on many different topics, but spent substantial time and effort on the issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the situation in the Middle East.“

Prince Bandar said Crown Prince Abdullah “found the President warm, decisive and thoughtful. Both leaders had the same vision on the solution for the Middle East based on Crown Prince Abdullah’s recent peace initiative and on President Bush’s vision, which was articulated in his speech at the United Nations.”

Refuting erroneous reports in the U.S. media, Prince Bandar said: “There were no threats by either side simply because friends don’t threaten each other, and because both leaders are much more interested in facilitating a solution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. They have invested so heavily in reaching such a solution.”

Prince Bandar explained that “many points [were] presented in the meeting, the majority of which were agreed upon, and some required further discussion. Both leaders will exert all possible effort to achieve peace in the region that has been plagued by conflict and atrocities for quite a long period of time.”