An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued the following statement:

"In view of the articles published in certain local newspapers, particularly Ar-Riyadh, Al-Jazeerah, and Al-Watan, which involved serious criticism of the efforts of United States President Bill Clinton to facilitate a Palestinian-Israeli agreement that would pave the way for a final settlement of the Palestinian issue, and since these articles include implications that do not conform with reality and have reached the point of subjective prejudice, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wishes to affirm that what was published in the above-mentioned newspapers does not in any way reflect the official view of the Government.

"The Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques greatly appreciates the efforts exerted by the U.S. President towards a just and comprehensive solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. If his efforts did not achieve the desired results, this does not minimize the importance of his efforts, the failure of which was caused by Israel's intransigence."