The success of any peace efforts depends exclusively on Israel as “the Arabs cannot do any more,” Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz said on Wednesday. The Crown Prince is to start an official visit to Spain on Thursday. “The peace march began optimistically at Madrid conference. The Arab countries participated in the conference, hoping that it would be a successful beginning to bring peace in the region on the basis and principles of the international legitimacy and the land-for-peace principle. But, Israeli intransigence was behind missing the peace opportunities,” the Crown Prince told Spain's ABC newspaper. The interview was published on Wednesday. The Crown Prince said the Kingdom was ready to exert all efforts for the restoration of normalcy in Iraq. The presence of foreign troops there is a matter that concerns Iraqi government and its people, he said. “Guaranteeing the stability and security of Iraq as well as preserving its sovereignty, independence, national unity and its Arab entity is a necessity for the security, stability and prosperity of the region,” the Crown Prince said. Crown Prince Sultan lauded the close relations between the Kingdom and Spain. He said both countries are strengthening these relations further through exchanging views and increasing cooperation in all spheres. “The Kingdom looks with great appreciation the significant role Spain is playing in the European Union and its efforts in supporting Mideast's security, stability and peace,” he said. Commenting on his visit to Spain, the Crown Prince said it emphasizes the depth of relations between Riyadh and Madrid. “We consider Spain a friendly country and therefore we always try to consolidate the bonds of this friendship by exchanging opinions and strengthening cooperation in all fields. The Kingdom has special friendship treaty with Spain since 1961. It also signed the first agreement on industrial and agricultural cooperation in 1974. Apart from this, both countries have formed a joint committee for industrial cooperation. We have also set up a $1 billion Saudi and Spanish fund,” he said. On the issue of Iran acquiring nuclear energy, Crown Prince Sultan said every state has a right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. “Saudi Arabia reaffirms the importance that throughout the region, including the Gulf, there are no nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction,” he said. “We have called upon all countries in the region to fully respect international charters that prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons, although it is a right of every country to acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. But this should be according to the measures and procedures of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Also this should be under supervision because acquisition of nuclear weapons by any country in the region constitutes a threat to security and peace of the entire region, the Crown Prince said. Dwelling on King Abdullah's initiative for Mideast peace, which was later adopted at Beirut's Arab summit in 2002, the Crown Prince said it showed the Kingdom's keenness to end the sufferings of the Palestinian people and achieve peace in the region. This initiative, he said, has been getting full support in subsequent gatherings of Arab leaders, the Crown Prince pointed out. On recent peace moves between Israel and Syria, the Crown Prince said responsibility lies with Israel. It should show seriousness of purpose and a determination to enforce peace pacts. Asked to comment on the rising oil prices, the Crown Prince said no one country has the power to set the price of oil as various factors are responsible. “No single country, not even our own despite our production capacity, has the power to set the price of oil,” he said. “Saudi Arabia does not set the price of oil. There are diverse market factors, of supply and demand, or the level of commercial reserves in consumer countries,” as well as “political troubles or the situation on the international market,” said the Crown Prince. He said the Kingdom's oil policy “is based on keeping in mind the interests of both the exporting and the consumer countries,” which is behind “our sincere desire that the price of a barrel of oil stabilizes.” On the reforms process, the Crown Prince said the Kingdom has now entered into a real executive stage of expanding political, socioeconomic and cultural participation. Shoura Council practically depicts national participation and with its expansion in numbers, its powers have also been expanded, the Crown Prince said.
