29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 28: Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it would host an international Conference on terrorism in Riyadh in February next year.

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Nizar Obaid Madani, the Saudi foreign secretary, said that the "the purpose is to exchange information and experience in the field of combating terrorism and to see how we can cooperate with other countries in the fight toward this universal threat, he said.

He said such a conference, which would include international organizations, could also review techniques for money laundering, drug smuggling and gun-running.

Mr Madani made clear Israel would not be invited and accused the Jewish state of drawing its own boundaries, conducting aerial bombardments and assassinations of Palestinians.

"The setback in the peace process and the mounting wave of violence and extremism in the region are largely attributable to the pursuit by the Israeli government of policies that are totally incompatible with the fundamental principles of the peace process," he said.

As regards the situation in Iraq, Mr Madani recalled his country had made some proposals for the deployment of Muslim troops under the supervision of the United Nations. This force would replace but not supplement the current US-led troops. "These ideas, however, have not materialized, albeit their premises and bases deserve consideration and follow up," Mr Madani said.