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Saudi Prince Fires Back at Rice on Reforms |
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 22 June 2005 |
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US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
faced harsh "reform" reactions during her visit to Saudi Arabia, the
final stop of her Middle East tour. During a meeting with Crown
Prince Abdullah and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal Tuesday,
Rice was criticized by Saudi diplomats. At a joint press conference,
Prince al-Faisal answered the criticisms Rice made in Egypt.
"The assessment that is important for any country in the
development of its political reform is the judgment of its own people,"
Prince Saud said regarding Rice's demands for "democratic reform" and
the release of three opponents from prison. Saudi Foreign Minister
further noted regarding the three prisoners, in particular: "They have
broken a law; they are in the hands of the court. The government cannot
interfere since the court action is taken in this regard."
Describing Rice's criticisms as a discussion completely in
vain, al-Faisal also criticized Israel as the US's number one ally in
the region." One has to remember in this regard the violence that the
Palestinians have been meeting at the hands of the Israelis," he said
regarding the continued violence that Palestinians face. Rice had said
that three citizens were sentenced to imprisonment because they sent a
petition regarding constitutional reform to the government and that
this should not be defined as a crime in any countries. The three
opponents had been tried for demanding reform in the constitution and
were sentenced to six to nine year's imprisonment in Saudi Arabia last
month. |
