I cannot hide our shock and strong denunciation of the recent bombings in Iraq which resulted in large number of victims and destruction especially after we rejoiced at the security improvement in Iraq. We hope that the Iraqi government's efforts will succeed in pursuing the perpetrators of these terrorist acts and achieving security and stability in Iraq. On the Afghani issue, the kingdom followed the new strategy approved by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in its recent meeting in Strasburg including the expansion of its tasks to include the civil efforts which the kingdom stresses its importance in achieving social development for the Afghani people and helping support efforts for restoring security and stability in Afghanistan. We also welcome the strategy's work for supporting stability in neighboring Pakistan. We also discussed the Iranian nuclear file and we welcome the US government's positive approach of wanting to deal with the crisis diplomatically through dialogue. We sincerely hope that the Iranian government will respond to these efforts to solve the crisis in a way that will distance the region of the Arab Gulf and the Middle East away from the dangers of nuclear proliferation and secure the right of all countries in the region in the peaceful usage of nuclear energy according to the standards and measures of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The kingdom believes that the only solution lays in the adoption of the policy of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council aiming at making the region of the Arab Gulf and the Middle East including Israel free of weapons of mass destruction. In the talks, we were unanimous in stressing the importance of Lebanon's stability, security and territorial integrity. From this perspective, we call on all Lebanese factions to leave the language of tension and escalation and prepare the appropriate atmosphere for the next parliamentary elections in a peaceful way according to the rules of the Lebanese constitution and the Taif Agreement away from the practice of any pressure and intimidation. More
