U.N. Envoy Says King Abdullah Shows 'Political Courage'

United Nations, November 11, SPA -- The United Nation’s Middle East
envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said in an interview on Monday with Al Hayat
newspaper that King Abdullah’s interfaith initiative “reflects his
political courage and resolve to reinforce the concepts of
understanding and reconciliation between peoples and cultures of the
world.”

King Abdullah is making his first visit to United Nation’s
headquarters for a two-day high-level meeting on world peace and
religious dialogue. It is the first visit by a Saudi monarch to the
U.N. since 1957.

The high-level meeting gets underway on Wednesday and will be
addressed by the King as well as outgoing U.S. President George W.
Bush, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and several other world
leaders.

King Abdullah received U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon at his New York
residence on Monday and also met with former U.S. president Bill
Clinton.

After the U.N. meeting, the King will travel to Washington D.C. for a
summit of world leaders to address the global financial crisis.
--SPA