High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Angel Moratinos hailed Saudi Arabia’s key role in promoting peace and shunning violence, as he received on Friday the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Abdallah al-Mouallimi.
Mouallimi handed him a check of one million dollars, dedicated to supporting the plan of action, activities and programs of the UN Office for the Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
He added that the Kingdom appreciates the role of the alliance and its efforts in spreading a culture of peace and tolerance, strengthening the role of diplomacy and protecting religious sites.
He said the world is in urgent need to consolidate the values of coexistence and build bridges of peace in light of escalating violence, spread of hate speech, interference in the internal affairs of countries and spread of sectarian ideology, Mouallimi continued.
The support that the Kingdom provided to UNAOC is part of USD3 million that Saudi Arabia pledged to provide to back its plan of action, activities and programs over the next three years.
In another meeting, Mouallimi received in New York Deputy Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria, Khawla Matar.
They reviewed UN efforts to end the conflict in Syria. Mouallimi highlighted Saudi support for efforts aimed at reaching a political solution and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s solidarity with the Syrian people.
Further, he denied to Al Arabiya television a report in Syria’s al-Watan newspaper that he had invited Syria's regime Ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, to his house where he was hosting a dinner.
He explained that he had hosted a dinner in honor of Saudi Minister of State Dr. Fahad al-Mubarak and that Jaafari was not among the guests, who included dozens of UN envoys.
