Arab News Staff Writer

JEDDAH, 9 October 2003 — Saudi Arabia yesterday urged the UN Security Council to take firm steps to stop Israel’s provocative acts in the region.

“This has become a real test for the council to prove its credibility,” said Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

Addressing a press conference in Riyadh, he urged the Quartet countries, which includes the United States, to take practical measures to implement the road map including deployment of international peacekeeping forces in occupied Palestinian territories.

Prince Saud condemned the Israeli attack on Syria and reiterated the Kingdom’s solidarity with the Arab country. He urged the international community to rein in Israel.

He said Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, would lead the Kingdom’s delegation to the OIC summit scheduled to be held in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur this month.

Prince Saud said the Saudi leadership hoped that the summit would take a united stand against terrorists, who have tarnished the image of Islam, and succeed in restoring the reputation of Islamic countries at international level.

The summit conference of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Conference will be held at the new Putrajaya Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur from Oct. 16 to 18. The summit will begin with senior officials meeting on Oct. 11 and followed by the ministerial preparatory meeting on Oct. 13-14. The official theme for the 10th Islamic Summit is “Knowledge and Morality for the Progress of Ummah.”

Prince Saud said the Kingdom will participate in the conference of donors for Iraq. He denied press reports that Riyadh had written off Iraq’s debts.