Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal led the Saudi delegation to the two-day conference in Kuwait of foreign ministers of those countries who are neighbors of Iraq, which concluded today by issuing a communiqué stressing the importance of preserving Iraq's territories and respecting its sovereignty. The communiqué also reiterated the need to avoid interference in Iraq's domestic affairs and commitment to the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own political future; and urged enhancement of the role of the United Nations in facilitating this transitional period and providing Iraq with the technical advice it needs to prepare its constitution, hold elections and hasten the transfer of power in order to enable the Iraqi people to regain their rights. Also represented at the conference were Egypt, and Iraq itself, as well as those countries that share a border with Iraq: Iran, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The communiqué welcomed the UN Secretary-General’s recognition of the role to be played by the countries that neighbor Iraq; his decision to form a consultative group comprising these countries and representatives of the Security Council's permanent members; and the Security Council resolutions pertaining to the Iraqi problem, notably the seventh paragraph of resolution 1,511 which stipulates the importance of formulating a time-line for the transfer of power to the Iraqi people.
The communiqué stressed the importance of supporting the efforts of Iraq’s Governing Council, and the need to form a broad-based government representative of all Iraqis. The communiqué condemned the explosions in Iraq that are targeting not only security forces, but civilians, humanitarian workers, religious institutions, international organizations, and diplomatic missions. It also condemned the killing, by the former Iraqi regime, of prisoners of war, especially those of Kuwaiti nationality, and praised the decision of the Iraqi people to bring to justice their former leaders, notably Saddam Hussein.

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