The State Department said today that an “initial examination” of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Fahd’s eight-point proposal for a Middle East peace showed there was nothing new.
“On initial examination it appears to be largely a restatement of previously known Saudi government decisions of principles outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and other UN resolutions relating to the Arab-Israeli conflict,” the Department said in a statement read by deputy spokesman Alan Romberg.
Fahd said the Arab states would recognize Israel in return for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
“As to whether the Saudi government intended to indicate any new direction in its own position is best left to the Saudis for comment,” Romberg said. “I would note that we have not received anything official from them as to their thinking in this regard.”
The spokesman added that “we of course welcome any expressions from states in the area of a desire to seek a peaceful resolution of the problems confronting the Middle East. This is important. We will continue to exchange views with the government of Saudi Arabia on questions relating to peace in the area.”
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