1 November 2001
Prime Minister
First of all, can I express my gratitude to Saudi Arabia for their invitation here today. We have had some very interesting talks already, and we will obviously continue those talks, most particularly with Crown Prince Abdullah, later this evening.
I thank Saudi Arabia for their forthright and immediate condemnation of the terrorist attacks on 11 September in the United States. I thank them for the fact that they have responded positively to all the requests that have been made to them for assistance. They are very much part of the international coalition against terrorism.
I also have had a discussion about the need to make sure that in the reconstruction of Afghanistan we have as broad-based a government as possible and we have agreed that we should work together closely in order to make sure that in the future for Afghanistan there is a government that is as broad based as possible, that includes all the main groupings, and that allows Afghanistan some chance of a more stable, indeed more prosperous, future.
Also of course there is the Middle East Peace Process and the issues surrounding that where there is clear agreement that we need to get that process back and under way.
And I would like finally to say to the Saudi people how strong the historical ties are between Britain and Saudi Arabia. How much we welcome the many thousands of Saudi Arabian students who are in the United Kingdom, and how strong that relationship is, not just on a trade and commercial level, but at a political level as well. And I have no doubt at all that in the future those ties and that relationship will become even stronger still.
So in conclusion once again I thank the Saudi Arabian government for their kind invitation here. We have had very good discussions so far, and those will continue later this evening.
Question
You heard in Syria, from the President there, a serious condemnation of the civilian casualties, and I am sure you are hearing similar messages here. What do you say to them?
Prime Minister
Well obviously it is for the Saudi Government to make any comments they wish to make on the situation in Afghanistan. My response is very clear. We undertook the action against the Al-Qu’eda network and the Taliban regime that shelters them. After several weeks in which we had given the Taliban every opportunity to deliver up those responsible for the atrocity on 11 September and the action that we take is targeted. We do the maximum we possibly can to minimise civilian casualties, but it is necessary that we make sure that those that committed these terrible acts in the United States of America are brought to justice. And I believe, incidentally, that there is a very, very broad understanding of that right round the world.
Question
Prime Minister, are you disappointed by your apparent rebuff by the Syrian President and clearly in many ways you are not getting the best of this argument.
Prime Minister
Well, I think we have to understand that there are different perspectives that people will bring to this situation, but you can either stay out of the dialogue or get into it and try and build a bridge of understanding for the future. Now in the end, in respect of the Middle East Peace Process, this is only going to work if people negotiate and discuss, rather than use violence to get their way. And in respect of international terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan, I think most people accept that when an act so terrible as that of 11 September occurs, and literally thousands of innocent people lose their lives, that it is important that we act and I think there is a far greater understanding than there may appear of that case.
Question
Can I ask about the kind of help that Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries can give to the coalition. They have spoken verbally of their support, but this was a country which was heavily involved in the Gulf War some time ago. Do you think there is any prospect of getting something more concrete in terms of the help that the Saudi Arabian Government can give in the coalition against terrorism.
Prime Minister
I should point out to you that not merely did the Saudi Government condemn what happened on 11 September, but they have responded positively to all requests made to them. However, I think it is for the Saudi Government to comment themselves on the situation.
Question
Would you welcome, Prime Minister, some more military co-operation from the Saudis, and is that a subject of your discussions to be held later this evening?
Prime Minister
As I say, when the Saudis have been asked specifically for help, they have given it and we are grateful for that and we count Saudi Arabia as a good friend in the international coalition against terrorism, but as for their position on Afghanistan or any of these other issues, I think that is a matter for them.
Question
Prime Minister, are you concerned about the fate of the Britons in prison here in Saudi Arabia who have confessed publicly on television to taking part in the bombings.
Prime Minister
This is an issue of course that can be touched upon but I do not think it is sensible to go into it in public.
Question
Prime Minister, are you gathering intelligence about the brutes who did this.
Prime Minister
I don’t want to be coy about this, Eleanor, but we never discuss intelligence issues.
Question
Have you discussed with the Saudis about any proposals to solve … or any proposals about the Middle East and about the situation in the Palestinian Territories?
Prime Minister
We have obviously touched on this issue already and I am sure that we will have detailed discussions about it later. What I am saying here, is what I am saying right round this region, which is that it is vital that we restart the Middle East Peace Process and that should be on the basis that there is security for Israel, and justice and equality of treatment for Palestinians and the Palestinian State, and I think those two fixed points are the basis for proper negotiation.
Question
You have said that Saudi Arabia has responded very well to any requests for support, but there is a suspicion that you are not actually asking them for anything more militarily because they wouldn’t be able to give it. There would be such strong internal opposition here it could be undermining to the Saudi Arabian Government.
Prime Minister
Well, as I say those are issues that you put to the Saudi Arabian Government. All we can say is that they have condemned the 11th of September very strongly. Any requests we have made they have responded to positively.
Question
Do you notice that they are worried here, the Saudis, about the timing of the air attacks in Afghanistan?
Prime Minister
I think people understand why, when so many thousands of people are slaughtered in cold blood in the way that they were, that we have to bring to account those responsible. I also think however that people want us to do everything we can to minimise civilian casualties in the action that we take, and we do. And people should not, incidentally, believe a lot of the stories put about by the Taliban regime. But I think more than that, one of the most interesting aspects of the discussions I have had so far has been the consensus that we need to work together in order to ensure that after the conflict there is a government in Afghanistan that is broad-based, that is able to include all the different elements that need to be included so that the Afghan people themselves get some hope of a more stable and prosperous future. And that is something specifically, from my conversations with the Saudi Ministers, that we agreed to work on together.
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