Saudi minister highlights Swiss peace efforts

Prince Saud al-Faisal with Micheline Calmy-Rey in Bern Keystone

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says he believes the Swiss-backed Geneva Accord has an important role to play in the Middle East peace process.

In an interview with swissinfo, Prince Saud al-Faisal explained why the initiative was a significant step towards finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

His comments came during an official visit to Bern this week – the first ever by a Saudi foreign minister.

While in Switzerland, he held talks with his Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Rey.

Bilateral issues and peace efforts in the Middle East topped the agenda when the two ministers met.

swissinfo: You say that the Geneva Accord complements other initiatives to find a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict. What exactly do you mean by that?

Prince Saud al-Faisal: The most important aspect of the Geneva Accord is that it comes from the civil population on both sides of the divide. It is not a government action. It is serving a side of the peace process that has not been tackled before and I think this is very important.

It complements the “road map” and the initiative of the Arab League summit in Beirut – both of which take into consideration the actions of government towards peace. But here is an effort to solidify public opinion in both Israel and Palestine behind the peace process and this is the significance of the Geneva Accord.

swissinfo: How is Switzerland perceived in Saudi Arabia? Is it a looked upon as small country in Europe somehow trying to meddle in the affairs of the Middle East or is it seen in a positive light as doing something that can help?

P.S.: I don’t know how you could consider Switzerland small in world affairs. It’s not a small country – it’s a country that has achieved a moral standing in the international community.

It has been very active in peace issues from the two World Wars until the present time. It has a history of humanitarian works and this [accord] falls in line completely with its perception and its positive actions to bring peace and stability around the world.

swissinfo: Saudi Arabia is Switzerland’s biggest trading partner in the Middle East. While here, you have discussed the formation of a bilateral chamber of commerce. What exactly is that, and at what stage of development is it?

P.S.: We are both countries that are private sector oriented. We cannot think of establishing or expanding our trade relationship without the private sector. They are the ones that are doing the trading.

So we have come up with the idea of establishing an organisation that brings both private sectors together, and to co-ordinate and to see what they need in terms of help and assistance.

It includes the legal framework they need – for instance, the issues of double taxation and protection of investment agreements – and what the governments can do to allow the private sector to do its business in a sound and profitable manner.

swissinfo: Switzerland has issued a travel advisory to tourists travelling to Saudi Arabia, fearing the possibility of another terrorist attack. How damaging is that for Saudi Arabia in terms of its relationship with a country like Switzerland?

P.S.: The exaggeration of the security element is certainly not beneficial.
Saudi Arabia has taken extreme measures to provide security, and for quite a while now no incidents have happened.

Those security measures I think compare with those taken anywhere. Of course, worrying about one’s citizens is the job of every government and all we can say is that there is no threat to Swiss individuals in Saudi Arabia.

If they do come we will do everything we can to protect them as we do in protecting our own citizens. But these are crazy times. Part of that craziness is making even small threats seem earth-shaking in the media.

People get worried and once they are worried their governments have to show that they are just as worried and they are protecting them. So we understand the motives but we question the wisdom of increasing tensions around the world because this works to the benefit of the terrorists.

swissinfo-interview: Jonathan Summerton

Key facts

Prince Saud’s was the first official trip by a Saudi foreign minister to Bern.
He has been foreign minister since 1975.
The Geneva Accord is an unofficial, Swiss-backed peace plan for the Middle East.
It was brokered during two years of secret talks and outlines a plan for the division of Jerusalem and the creation of a Palestinian state.
It also covers the issues of Palestinian refugees and Jewish settlements.