COMMENTS BY CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH OF SAUDI ARABIA

Berlin, Germany

11 June 2001

Replying to another question on the U.S. imposition of smart sanctions on Iraq as a way to solve the issue, Crown Prince Abdullah said that the kingdom has taken an initiative more than three years ago to end the sufferings of the Iraqi people while keeping in place international supervision of the possibility of manufacturing mass destruction weapons or threatening its neighbors.

He added that Iraqi leadership should shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding confidence, proving its well intention and complying with the agreements and it also should shoulder the responsibility of what had happened before obliterating this tragic issue from the collective memory of this nation.

In reply to a question that American and British aircrafts have taken off from Saudi territory and Kuwait to raid Iraq, he said this allegation is hollow and untrue in part and parcel. "The Kingdom's territories are not used in such raids and the Iraqi regime knows the location from where the aircrafts have taken off," he said.