His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Ambassador to the United States, issued the following statement on the meeting of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and President George W. Bush on Thursday, April 25, 2002.

"The meeting was extremely warm and cordial. Both leaders had a frank and detailed exchange of views on many different topics, but spent a substantial time and effort on the issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the situation in the Middle East.

"The Crown Prince 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.

"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.

"There were many points 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."