The Council of Ministers, under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, today made the following statement on terrorism:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has previously condemned and deplored the two explosions at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania as terrorist acts which violate all religious values and ethical principles as well as causing the deaths of innocent people, spreading destruction and enlarging the circle of violence.  The cabinet noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in this context, insists on the importance of taking all international legal measures to combat violence and confront entities which provide terrorists with shelter.  The Kingdom believes that the only way to combat terrorism effectively is through international actions within the framework of the United Nations;  only this can bring about the elimination of terrorism and achieve security and stability for all, as well as secure the sovereignty of states and reaffirm the resolution on combating terrorism adopted by the Eighth Islamic Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The Kingdom understands the objectives behind the measures aimed at striking bases that train and develop terrorists, but wishes to express its concern over the potential consequences of this action.  Saudi Arabia, therefore, reiterates the necessity of dealing with such situations within the mechanisms of the United Nations.  The government of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns all provocative statements and irresponsible acts whose intentions are to destabilize the security of states and terrorize people.  The Kingdom also reaffirms that such actions are far removed from the principles of Islam and its noble values and that these actions do not represent the values of Muslims.  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirms its stand which condemns terrorism in all its forms.