Foreign minister welcomes US president's statements

Riyadh, January 27, SPA -- In response to a question by Alarabiya
Channel on statements by President of United States of America Barack
Obama aired by the channel, Prince Saud Alfaisal, the Foreign
Minister, expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's welcome of the
positive approach shown by the president in his statements, his
serious desire to build strong and constructive relations with the
Islamic world and his keenness to solve the crises of the region.

Prince Saud said, "We believe the problem of the Middle East
continues to be the core of the crises in the region and one of the
reasons of instability. Intensifying international efforts to solve
this crisis will automatically contribute to solving the rest of the
region's crises which have resulted from it."

On remarks by the president on some of the elements of the Arab Peace
Initiative, Prince Saud said, "We have no doubt that the Arab
countries - which decide on this matter - will have no reservations
on conducting a purposeful and constructive dialogue and answering
any inquiries by the US administration on the initiative."