King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz gives interview to 'Al-Seyassah' 2

Q- Following your appealing speech at the Kuwait Economic and Social
Summit in which you started by criticizing yourself before
criticizing others, to what extent has your address elicited the
desired response of the Arab World regarding what you have asked of
the leaders of the Ummah (nation)?

A- First, let me say to you and to all those who read or hear this
reply of mine that I am pained as one of those in charge of the
affairs of Arabs and Muslims. I was reviewing the events,
preoccupations and issues surrounding us and feared that we will face
trouble due to our division. I consulted myself and there was the
speech in which I began by criticizing myself although we were the
ones who received the blows and even some hardships from those
callous-hearted (God save us). I called for a real Arab
reconciliation where parties know the causes of the problems so as to
begin the process of identifying the ways of remedy... and why not?
Our Arab world has abundant resources and means of political power.
However, what seem lacking are the solidarity of its leaders, the
binding together of the interests of its people, and the creation of
collective cooperation instead of unilateral, bilateral or trilateral
work.

I felt that all at the Kuwait Summit were in agreement with me. I
followed the echoes of this call in the Arab world. God knows, it is
a sincere call, and we seek nothing but the best for all. I followed
what was written about it. It was encouraging and comforting.
Although the call took a course which was not all that we hoped for,
but it was a pleasant course reflecting a great response from the
leaders of our Arab countries. It is true that there has been some
Egyptian disappointment over certain positions of some, yet Egypt and
its president Mohammad Hosni Mubarak has been quick to graciously
bypass those positions and, as it has always done, responded to the
call for reconciliation with great awareness and understanding.
Anyway, the situation is now better. We have overcome the past, and
are now traveling a better course. Hopefully, it will get better and
better.

In fact, whenever I look at the world of the Arab nation, I ask
myself: why are we in such a situation? All potentials of political,
economic and social progress are available to us. We need nothing
more than sincere and honest intentions.