‘Growing PAK-US equation is an extremely positive development that will contribute immensely towards regional stability. Saudi Arabia views the development as a source of strength to its own relations with the two countries,’ says Saudi envoy Ali Awadh Asseri
THE Saudi government sees the growing Pakistan-US relationship “as a source of strength” for its relations with both the countries. Pointing to the existing high-level of military cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadh Asseri maintains that as a consequence of 9/11, bilateral cooperation had improved significantly, particularly in terms of combating terrorism. However, he regrets that the enormous scope for economic cooperation between the two countries has remained untapped.
Ambassador Asseri, a brigadier-turned-diplomat, who previously served in the Interior Security Force and was, before coming to Pakistan in early 2001, responsible for the security of the Saudi Missions worldwide, is of the opinion that there is no reason not to believe that the 9/11 attacks were the handiwork of Al-Qaeda.
In a recent interview with Dawn Magazine, the articulate and forthright ambassador shared his views on a number of key regional and international issues, including the Kashmir issue, Saudi-US relations, the question of extending recognition to Israel, and, of course, the understanding between Riyadh and Islamabad that ensured a safe passage to the Sharif family. The following are the excerpts:
Q. Has 9/11 impacted Pak-Saudi relations in any particular way?
A. It was a tragedy of mammoth proportions and the whole world has suffered. Taking steps to combat any recurrence of such dastardly acts has been a cornerstone of the Saudi policies. It is in this context that there has been an increased level of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. There has been a continual sharing of information and strategies to combat terrorism.
Q. Is there still something wanting in our bilateral relations?
A. I have repeatedly stressed the need to further improve the existing economic relations between our two countries. I strongly feel there is enormous scope that needs to be exploited by the entrepreneurs on both sides. To facilitate it, there should be a frequent exchange of trade delegations. Holding single-country exhibitions should also be encouraged together with exploring other avenues to encourage bilateral trade. I, as the Saudi Ambassador in Pakistan, am willing to do anything to encourage a rapid expansion of our economic relationship.
Q. Has the Saudi leadership made any request for Pakistani troops following the withdrawal of US troops from the Kingdom?
A. There is a high-level military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. If the regional and the international situation so demand, efforts can be initiated to further expand it.
Q. Does the Saudi government think the current situation demands heightened military cooperation?
A. At this point, no.
Q. Are there any Pakistani troops and military personnel currently present in Saudi Arabia?
A. As I said, there is continuing collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in all sectors, including the military sphere. I know there are Pakistani military personnel present in Saudi Arabia, but I am not aware of their exact number or where they may be stationed and for how long.
Q. What prompted the withdrawal of US troops from Saudi Arabia?
A. They had been stationed there as a consequence of the Gulf War to meet the threat that was posed by Saddam Hussein and his regime to the region. Since the threat does not exist any longer, there is no need for such troops.
Q. Where do the Saudi-US relations stand after the pullout?
A. The two governments have always enjoyed good relations in all fields, including the military field. So, there has been no adverse impact on the relations. In fact, there is now a greater level of trust and cooperation between us to combat terrorism.
Q. What about US media reports and allegations from certain quarters in Washington about Saudi Arabia being the breeding ground of Al-Qaeda?
A. I can only talk about relations with the US government. I cannot talk about irresponsible media and individuals whether in Congress or elsewhere.
Q. Coming to ties with Pakistan, does the Saudi leadership consider Kashmir as the core issue between India and Pakistan?
A. Saudi Arabia has always supported UN resolutions regarding Kashmir. It is a major outstanding issue between the two neighbouring countries and every effort should be made for its peaceful resolution without any further loss of time.
Q. On the Kashmir dispute, what do you think is the best way forward?
A. There are relevant UN resolutions, and the best way forward will be to adhere to them, and give the Kashmiri people the right to decide their own fate.
Q. Did Nawaz Sharif’s exile come about as an arrangement between the two states, or was it an arrangement between the Saudi royal family and General Musharraf?
A. This incident occurred before I took over the ambassadorial responsibilities in Pakistan. Therefore, I am not aware of the circumstances leading up to the exile, or the modalities that were followed. Mian Nawaz Sharif is our guest in Saudi Arabia, and he is welcome to live there as long as he wishes to.
Q. And is he also welcome to leave whenever he wishes to?
A. (Smiles) I am not sure if he can or he cannot. It has to be related to a verbal arrangement, and, therefore, I cannot comment on it.
Q. How would you describe the arrangement — formal or informal?
A. As I said, I am not aware of the nature of this arrangement.
Q. Did any member of the royal family hold out any kind of assurances to Pakistan?
A. Like I said, I am not aware of any terms of the arrangement under which he left Pakistan.
Q. But you would at least know who actually initiated the move.
A. No, I don’t.
Q. Being the ambassador, you would have some idea about it.
A. The Saudi agreements were never written. This is the honest answer. I had nothing to do with it. I know he is a guest. I know he is very well treated, and he is in good health.
Q. Moving on, how do you view the growing Pak-US relationship?
A. This is an extremely positive development that will contribute immensely towards bringing stability to the region. We have extremely close relations with Pakistan and the US. Therefore, we view the growing relations between them as a source of strength to our own relations with these two countries.
Q. Is Pakistan’s stance towards US policies any different from the Arab position, particularly the Saudi position?
A. Pakistan has a close collaboration with the entire Arab world, and I don’t see there is any difference of perception of the world situation. In fact, there is total unanimity of views on all matters that concern these countries.
Q. To many eyes, there exists a division between the Arabs and the non-Arab Muslims. What do you think of it?
A. I don’t think there is any truth in this perception. It is totally false. On the contrary, the Arab states have made enormous contribution to the development of the rest of the Muslim world. This contribution has been most significant in the economic sector.
Q. Will it be right to read the recent thaw in Saudi-Russian relationship as an indication of the Kingdom making strategic adjustments in its foreign policy?
A. In modern times, the international situation is undergoing change at a very rapid pace. All the countries have to keep themselves abreast of that, and Saudi Arabia is no exception to this. The Russian Federation is an important country that exercises great influence regionally as well as internationally, and, for a long time, it had been felt that there was a need for establishing closer links with it. Let’s not forget that the erstwhile USSR was the first country to extend recognition to Saudi Arabia, and it had sent a Muslim ambassador to Riyadh.
Crown Prince Abdullah’s visit to Russia is reflective of an effort to establish close relations with an important country of the world as we look forward to further consolidating these relations in the times to come.
Q. Will Saudi Arabia be receptive to Russia’s request for OIC membership or at least an observer status?
A. I am not aware whether the Russian President discussed the issue with the Crown Prince. But it is a matter that has to be discussed at the OIC by all its members. It is not a matter that can be decided by Saudi Arabia alone.
Q. But surely Saudi Arabia must also have its own position?
A. I will stick to my answer: it has to be studied and the decision has to be with consensus.
Q. How can OIC be revitalized and made into a dynamic and meaningful body?
A. President Pervez Musharraf has been persistent regarding the need for initiating fruitful changes for the revival of the OIC. There is unanimity of opinion that the OIC requires structural changes to become a dynamic organization that could provide leadership to the Muslims. I am really optimistic and I think it will be a good OIC Summit next month.
Q. Will the Kingdom support President Musharraf’s proposal to appoint Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad as the OIC’s roving ambassador?
A. I am not aware of any such proposal. But Prime Minister Mahathir is a respected name. Apparently, there is nothing wrong in the proposal as, through his dynamism and leadership qualities, he could contribute to revitalizing the organization. He could also help remodel the world perception of Islam in a major way. I feel this should be discussed together with other proposals that may come up for the purpose.
Q. Do you support the idea of sending troops to Iraq under the OIC cover?
A. I am not in a position to answer for OIC, but if such an idea is proposed, it will have to be looked into at great length.
Q. Will Riyadh support UN-authorized multinational force under the US command in Iraq?
A. The Saudi stance has been quite clear and consistent on the subject. Being a member of UN, it will abide by all UNSC resolutions on the subject.
Q. Will Riyadh welcome the deployment of Pakistani troops in Iraq?
A. Saudi Arabia does not interfere in bilateral arrangements.
Q. Why have Islamic countries failed to cobble up a joint response on the Iraq issue?
A. The reason can be traced back to the time when Saddam Hussein attacked Kuwait and the Muslims were not able to persuade him to withdraw his forces from another Muslim country. This not only divided the Muslim world, but also created deep-rooted doubts about the intentions of Saddam Hussein. I don’t think the Muslim world was able to come to terms with that. Saddam remained a problem and no one was willing to trust him. Under these unfortunate circumstances, cobbling together a joint response to the Iraq issue became very difficult. In spite of that, I must state that the Muslim countries always remained firmly committed to the welfare of the Iraqi people.
Q. What about the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council? Is it truly representative of the Iraqi people, and will your government extend it full recognition?
A. Saudi Arabia has always maintained that the affairs of Iraq should be left to the Iraqi people and that there should be no interference from outside. Formulation of the Iraqi Governing Council is only a transitory phase. We feel that we should extend cooperation to the Council in order to facilitate the holding of fair elections in Iraq so that the Iraqi people should be able to manage their own affairs. That is why the Arab League has accorded temporary membership to the Council.
Q. How can peace be restored in Iraq?
A. Peace will come to Iraq when the Iraqi people are fully in control of their country, all foreign forces have left their territory, and full and irrevocable sovereignty is restored to Iraq. It is our effort that the process is expedited and conditions created so that the Iraqi people could take decisions for their welfare and the welfare of their country.
Q. What about the US intention to deploy troops from Islamic countries in Iraq?
A. As I said, our government has consistently maintained that the affairs of Iraq should be left to the Iraqi people.
Q. How do you view the ongoing debate in Pakistan on the question of extending recognition to Israel? What is the Saudi position on it?
A. Extending recognition to Israel is an internal matter of the government and the people of Pakistan. But I must say that Pakistan has been one of the foremost and most consistent supporters of the rights of the Palestinian people and has extended extensive moral and material support in this regard at regional and international levels. The Palestinian cause has been one of the cornerstones of the Pakistani foreign policy, and I am sure that whatever decision Islamabad takes will fully reflect the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Q. If Pakistan were to recognize Israel, will it affect Pak-Saudi ties?
A. Saudi Arabia’s relations with Pakistan are deep-rooted and time-tested. These relations, developed over more than half-a-century, are characterized by frequent consultations on all issues of common concern.
Q. Saudis have long been saying that there can be no peace without a dialogue. Does it not hold true for Israel as well, that the Muslims should engage the Israelis?
A. Yes, initiation of a dialogue has been a consistent stand of the Government of Saudi Arabia. But a dialogue is a two-way traffic. It requires sincerity on the part of both the parties.
Q. Do you see the Mideast roadmap as the only way to peace and, do you think that the Arab leaders are doing enough to implement it?
A. The US-sponsored roadmap is a way forward for restoring peace in the region only if Israel accepts it in letter and in spirit, and takes the necessary steps to restore the confidence of the parties to the conflict.
Q. Yasser Arafat recently said that the roadmap was dead. Is it?
A. What I can say is that we have been witnessing the Palestinian Authority doing everything it can to achieve peace and to stop the suffering of the people, but to no avail. So far, the roadmap has encountered numerous difficulties and little progress has been made.
Q. After 9/11, the Muslim world has been at a crossroads. How can the perception about Muslim countries being the hub of fundamentalism be changed?
A. This negative perception of Islam is a gross travesty of justice and it must not be allowed to linger any further. It remains a challenge of enormous proportions for the vast peace-loving Muslim communities across the world.
It should be the primary responsibility of all Muslim countries to make this their absolute priority because if this downtrend about Islam persists, there is no end in sight. It will require individual as well as collective efforts of the entire Muslim world. We have to make the world understand what Islam is and what terrorism is. Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda cannot be associated with Islam.
It is heartening that some people are already active in this regard. They must be encouraged and it must also be ensured that such efforts continue in the future throughout the world.
Q. What do you think is the biggest challenge the Muslims face today, and how can it be met successfully?
A. There are many challenges that the Muslims are facing today. The challenge to change the misleading perception of Islam is a major task at hand. Initiating a process of reform for the greater good of the Muslims is another aspect of this challenge. The most important pre-requisite to making it all happen is for the Muslim nations to show a unity of purpose. With their resources, they should be able to start a movement to attain this core objective. Given a high level of commitment and dedication, I don’t think it is beyond the realm of possibility to attain the desired objective. The important thing is to begin, and begin now!
Q. And how do we begin?
A. We should begin by making the OIC more pragmatic. We should address the issue of extremism because it is a phenomenon. Even the Friday sermons have to deal with social issues. You have to go beyond what is just halal and haraam. Education with religion has to be promoted.
Q. What role does the Kingdom see for itself in this regard?
A. Indeed, these are times of deep contemplation for the Muslims. It is time for introspection, for looking inwards to see where did we go wrong. Let’s face it: the Muslim world is at the crossroads. We have to be cautious in taking every step that we contemplate because on that may hinge our very survival. We can’t afford to go wrong. We have to take steps to eliminate all forms of alienation, and motivate people to get involved in an effort to work for the elevation of the Muslim world.
For us in Saudi Arabia, there could be no time better than now to re-dedicate ourselves to the cause of eliminating all forms of inequities and injustices from the world. This is the guiding principle of our religion and the enshrining cornerstone of all policies of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
To meet this challenge, the Saudi leadership has initiated a process of reform. Through a series of dialogues, we are trying to evolve a consensus regarding a strategy to tackle the problem that the Muslim world is confronting. At the same time, reforms are also being introduced in educational and the social sectors. These initiatives will have a salutary effect in transforming the Saudi society into a dynamic and progressive society that will make a significant contribution to the progress of the entire Muslim world.
As an ambassador of the Kingdom, it will remain my priority concern to bring all important aspects of this initiative across to the attention of the entire world.
Q. Is the Saudi leadership convinced that the 9/11 attacks were the handiwork of Al-Qaeda?
A. There is no reason not to believe that. All fingers point in that direction. There has not even been a denial of the same from the Al-Qaeda leadership. On the contrary, owning up the attacks, the Al-Qaeda leadership has proclaimed to do everything to damage US interests throughout the world.
Q. How many Al-Qaeda suspects have the Saudi security agencies captured since 9/11? Have any of those apprehended been handed over to the US authorities?
A. I am not sure of the exact number of terror suspects who have been arrested, but the number is considerable. Let me assure you that the Saudi authorities are fully committed to completely eliminating terrorism from the Kingdom, and we’ll not spare any effort in this regard.
There is close collaboration between the Saudi and US governments to combat terrorism, including exchange of information. But I don’t think any suspects have been handed over to the US for interrogation.
Q. A new book in the US, Why America Slept?, claims that Osama had direct links with three Saudi princes all of whom died within a week of this information having been communicated to the Saudi government by the US authorities. Any comments?
A. I would not like to comment on something that is purely fictional. It’s a figment of the author’s imagination. There is absolutely no truth in this irresponsible allegation.
‘Growing PAK-US equation is an extremely positive development that will contribute immensely towards regional stability. Saudi Arabia views the development as a source of strength to its own relations with the two countries,’ says Saudi envoy Ali Awadh Asseri 
