THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ RECEIVED AT HIS PALACE IN JEDDAH TODAY UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AND ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION. AT THE OUTSET OF THE MEETING, THE KING WELCOMED ANNAN IN THE KINGDOM, WISHING HIM AND THE UNITED NATIONS EVERY SUCCESS IN REACHING ITS NOBLE HUMANITARIAN GOALS AND EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD SECURITY AND PEACE FOR ALL PEOPLES. ON HIS PART, ANNAN THANKED THE MONARCH FOR WARM WELCOME AND GENEROUS HOSPITALITY ACCORDED TO HIM AND HIS DELEGATION. HE BRIEFED THE KING ON THE TALKS HE HAD DURING HIS CURRENT TOUR OF A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THE REGION AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE TALKS. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSIONS ON THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION, NOTABLY THE SITUATION IN LEBANON AND THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN IMPLEMENTING THE SECURITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION NO. 1701 AND ATTAINING THE INTEGRITY AND UNITY OF THE TERRITORIES OF LEBANON. ALSO DISCUSSED WERE THE SITUATIONS IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, THE CRIPPLED PEACE PROCESS AND THE RIGHT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO SET UP THEIR INDEPENDENT STATE ON THEIR NATIONAL LAND WITH ALQUDS AS ITS CAPITAL. THEY ALSO TACKLED THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE COUNTRY'S UNITY OF TERRITORY AND ACHIEVEMENT OF PEACE AND SECURITY FOR ITS PEOPLE. THE AUDIENCE WAS ATTENDED BY CROWN PRINCE SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ, DEPUTY PREMIER, MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND AVIATION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL; PRINCE SAUD ALFAISAL , THE FOREIGN MINISTER; AND H.E. ADEL BIN AHMED AL-JUBEIR, ADVISOR AT THE ROYAL COURT.
