Prince Turki al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz said that the Saudi-US relations have faced many challenges and crises in the past 70 years, but they have survived and continued. He stressed that those relations would not be affected by the repercussions of the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Speaking at the Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference at the National Council on US-Arab Relations on Wednesday, the former Saudi ambassador to the United States and Britain said that Saudi Arabia and the US have worked together, over the past years, on many issues and concerns that served the two countries; adding that bilateral ties would not have survived without the determination of the leaders of the two countries: 6 Saudi kings, and 13 US presidents.
He added that the 1973 oil crisis and the events of September 11, 2001, have changed the priorities that the two countries focused on in their relationship.
The case of Khashoggi is "tragic and unjustified." Prince Turki reiterated that the Kingdom was committed to bringing to justice those responsible for Khashoggi’s death “and whoever else failed to uphold the law.”
A former head of Saudi intelligence, he said: “From this platform, I have stressed several times that Saudi Arabia’s relationship with America is too great to fall and will survive this current crisis.”
He underlined that Saudi Arabia and the US have worked for decades to achieve peace, fight terrorism, and tackle extremism locally and globally. He noted that throughout the past years, Saudi Arabia has paid a heavy price for its image and reputation, in order to maintain a harmonious relationship with the US in line with its policies.
The Saudi prince pointed to his country’s humanitarian assistance, which amounts to 4 percent of its revenues and funds, to develop and help poor countries, highlighting the Kingdom’s recent decision to exempt some poor countries from debts worth $6 billion.
He emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s war against “darkness, extremism and terrorism continues, as it stands against the Iranian ambitions of hegemony and is working with America in this matter.”
The National Council for US-Arab Relations holds an annual conference on the most prominent issues facing the Arab world, and how the US could participate in them, from the perspective of Arab and US leaders, politicians and researcher. Prince Turki Al-Faisal has been one of the most prominent figures of the conference for many years.
