Saudi Arabia expressed on Monday its rejection of the stance recently made by the US Senate, “which was based on unsubstantiated claims and allegations, and contained blatant interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs.”
While Saudi Arabia reaffirms its commitment to continue to further develop its relations with the US, it also expresses its concern regarding the positions that were expressed by members of an esteemed legislative body of an allied and friendly government, said a Foreign Ministry statement.
The US government is held in high esteem by the Kingdom, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it continued.
The Kingdom also maintains with Washington deep strategic, political, economic, and security ties that were built over several decades to serve the interests of both countries and peoples.
“The Kingdom categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs, any and all accusations, in any manner, that disrespect its leadership, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque and the Crown Prince, and any attempts to undermine its sovereignty or diminish its stature,” declared the ministry.
“The Kingdom also emphasizes that such a position will not affect its leading role in the region, in the Arab and Muslim worlds, and internationally. The Kingdom has and will continue to fulfill its pivotal role in the Arab and Muslim worlds. Such a status has made the Kingdom a pillar of stability in the Middle East and the world and a cornerstone for the efforts to achieve peace and security regionally and globally.
“The Kingdom also enjoys a leading role in supporting the stability of international energy markets through maintaining a balance that serves both producers and consumers.
“The contributions made by the Kingdom to the international efforts to counter terrorism, in the areas of military, security, countering finance and combating terrorist ideology have made a great impact in the demise of terrorist organizations, such as ISIS, Al-Qaida and others, saving many innocent lives around the world.
“These contributions included the formation and leadership of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, and the effective participation in the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
“The Kingdom has also steadfastly stood by the US in confronting Iran’s malign activities, which it spreads through its allies and proxies to destabilize the region,” charged the Foreign Ministry.
Moreover, it said that the Kingdom is maintaining its efforts towards achieving a peaceful resolution to the Yemen crisis through United Nations Security Council resolution 2216, Gulf initiative and national dialogue outcomes. It also supports the efforts of UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths and the latest deal reached at last week’s Sweden peace consultations.
In addition, the Kingdom considers the humanitarian situation in Yemen a priority and it provides, through the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief, significant aid to the Yemeni people in all areas of the country, said the ministry statement. The Kingdom cooperates with relevant international organizations and bodies to deliver aid to people in need.
Furthermore, it stressed: “Kingdom has previously asserted that the murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi is a deplorable crime that does not reflect the Kingdom’s policy nor its institutions. Accordingly, the Kingdom reaffirms its rejection of any attempts to take the case out of the path of justice in Saudi Arabia.”
“The Kingdom is keen on preserving its relations with the US and will continue to work towards improving these ties in all areas,” it declared.
“The Kingdom appreciates the prudent position taken by the US government and its institutions regarding the recent developments, as it realizes that this position by the Senate sends the wrong messages to all those who want to create a rift in Saudi-US relationship.”
“The Kingdom hopes that it is not drawn into domestic political debates in the US in order to avoid any ramifications on the ties between the two countries that could have significant negative impacts on this important strategic relationship.”
