Monday, 11 March, 2002
Saudis
Offer Israel 'Complete Peace' for Territories Pullout
VOA
News
10
Mar 2002

Saudi Arabia has
again offered Israel peace with Arab countries in exchange for an
Israeli withdrawal from Arab land captured in the 1967 war.
Speaking in Cairo
Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Israel would get
what he called "complete peace" with the Arab world if it
accepts Riyadh's proposal.
Mr. Faisal, who met
earlier with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, gave reporters the most
detailed comments yet on the Saudi peace plan put forward last month.
The Saudi initiative
has been a major topic at a two-day meeting of Arab foreign ministers
in Cairo, held against the backdrop of continuing violence between
Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr. Faisal said Arab
countries are ready to realize a lasting and comprehensive peace with
Israel but that Israel must show its good faith by withdrawing from
captured Arab territory and by recognizing what he called legitimate
Palestinian rights, including the creation of an independent state
with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Saudi peace plan,
which has attracted widespread interest, is to be formally presented
to the Arab Summit in Beirut at the end of the month.
The Saudi initiative
has already won support from three major Arab countries - Egypt, Syria
and Jordan. Libya and Iraq have rejected the Saudi plan, calling
instead for stepped-up Arab support for the Palestinian uprising.
Some information
for this report provided by AP and AFP.
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