Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that the Kingdom is “the biggest success story of the 21st century.”
In an interview with Bret Baier, chief political anchor of Fox News, at NEOM, Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed that Saudi Arabia was the fastest growing country in all sectors, and had achieved the fastest growth in gross domestic product (GDP) among the G20 countries for two consecutive years.
The Saudi Crown Prince also said that the Kingdom tried to join the G7, “but some countries wanted to dictate their conditions.”
He noted that investment in tourism has raised the sector’s contribution to the GDP from 3 percent to 7 percent, adding that tourism in Saudi Arabia attracted 40 million visits and aims to target 100 million to 150 million in 2030.
Touching on political issues, the Saudi Crown Prince said that his country was discussing with the Americans the means to reach good results that will alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians.
In this context, he stressed the importance of resolving the Palestinian issue, considering it essential in any normalization of relations with Israel.
Bin Salman also rejected reports that Saudi Arabia had paused negotiations, which he stressed was “not true.”
“Every day we get closer... We get to see how it goes,” he said.
He insisted his country could work with Israel, no matter who is in charge, calling the deal “the biggest historical deal since the end of the Cold War.”
The Saudi Crown Prince noted that the upcoming agreements with the United States are beneficial to the two countries and to the security of the region and the world.
He added that relations with Iran have seen some progress, expressing his hope that they will continue in this direction for the benefit of the security and stability of the region.
He stressed, however, that any nuclear arms race in the region would not only threaten its security, but also the security of the world.
Should Iran ever obtain such a weapon, Saudi Arabia would “have to get one, for security reasons, for balancing power,” bin Salman remarked.
He also said that China had chosen to “mediate between us and the Iranians.”
In his first interview with a major US news network since 2019, the Saudi Crown Prince said that the decisions to reduce oil production were aimed at stabilizing the market and not helping Russia in its war.
Regarding the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, he said that relations were good with Russia and Ukraine, and the Kingdom prefers the path of dialogue, and does not support one party at the expense of another.
The Saudi Crown Prince spoke about relations with the United States, pointing to important security ties with Washington.
He added that he enjoyed “a special relationship with President [Joe] Biden,” noting that Saudi Arabia wanted American and foreign companies to invest in a safe environment in the Middle East.
“We are one of the five largest buyers of American weapons, and our move to buy weapons from countries other than the United States is not in their interest,” he stated.
