SAUDI ARABIA: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh
Record ID:
189124
SAUDI ARABIA: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh
- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh
- Date: 4th March 2013
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (MARCH 4 ,2013) (REUTERS) SAUDI AND U.S. FLAGS OUTSIDE SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTRY SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER, PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, AND U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, ENTERING ROOM FAISAL AND KERRY SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "The foreign minister and I also discussed our shared determination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. And we both prefer - and this is important for Iranians to hear and understand - we both prefer diplomacy as the first choice, as the preferred choice. But the window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot, by definition, remain open indefinitely." AL-FAISAL AND KERRY SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER, PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAYING: "We can't be like the philosophers who keep talking about how many angels a pinhead can hold. We have to talk seriously, we have to talk honestly and we have to put our commitment clearly on the table." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "There is no guarantee that one weapon or another might not at some point in time fall into the wrong hands. But I will tell you this, that there is a very clear ability now in the Syrian opposition to make certain that what goes to the moderate, legitimate opposition, is in fact getting to them. And the indication is that they are increasing their pressure as a result of that." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER, PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAYING: "As to providing enough aid and security for the Syrians, Saudi Arabia will do everything within its capabilities to help in this. We do believe that what is happening in Syria is a slaughter, a slaughter of innocent people and we just cannot bring ourselves to remain quiet in front of this carnage." AMERICAN AMBASSADOR IN SAUDI ARABIA, JAMES, SMITH, SEATED DELEGATES AND SECURITY KERRY THANKING REPORTERS AND LEAVING CONFERENCE WITH AL-FAISAL
- Embargoed: 19th March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA4Q9OJ91T77J6Q9DBDD6N5JKXI
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday (March 4) there was finite time for talks between Iran and world powers on its disputed nuclear programme to bear fruit, but gave no hint how long Washington may be willing to negotiate.
Israel, Iran's arch-enemy and convinced Tehran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons, has grown impatient with the protracted talks and has threatened pre-emptive war against Tehran if it deems diplomacy ultimately futile.
"We both prefer - and this is important for Iranians to hear and understand - we both prefer diplomacy as the first choice, as the preferred choice. But the window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot, by definition, remain open indefinitely," Kerry told a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in Riyadh. Kerry is on his first overseas trip as the top U.S. diplomat.
Kerry's sentiment was largely echoed by al-Faisal, who said that the negotiations cannot go on forever..
"We can't be like the philosophers who keep talking about how many angels a pinhead can hold. We have to talk seriously, we have to talk honestly and we have to put our commitment clearly on the table," he said.
Iran was positive last week after talks with the six world powers in Kazakhstan ended with an agreement to meet again. But Western officials said it had yet to do anything concrete to allay their concerns about its nuclear aspirations.
The United States, China, France, Russia, Britain and Germany offered modest relief from economic sanctions in return for Iran reining in its most sensitive nuclear activity but made clear that no breakthrough was in the offing quickly.
The United States and many of its allies suspect Iran may be using its civil nuclear programme as a cover to develop atomic weapons, a possibility that Israel, which is regarded as the Middle East's only nuclear power, sees as a mortal threat.
Iran says its programme is solely for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and making medical isotopes.
On Syria, Kerry said he believed aid to rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad will not fall into the wrong hands. The U.S. has pledged non-lethal assistance to Syrian opposition.
"There is no guarantee that one weapon or another might not at some point in time fall into the wrong hands. But I will tell you this, that there is a very clear ability now in the Syrian opposition to make certain that what goes to the moderate, legitimate opposition, is in fact getting to them," he said.
Al-Faisal said his country would do everything it could to provide aid and security to the Syrian people.
"We do believe that what is happening in Syria is a slaughter, a slaughter of innocent people and we just cannot bring ourselves to remain quiet in front of this carnage, " he said.
The conflict in Syria has descended into a civil war in which around 70,000 people have been killed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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