Saudi Arabia accepts its role between India and Pakistan

Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister Adel al-Zubair has admitted that Saudi Arabia is trying to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan.

In an interview with Arab News, Zubair said that Saudi Arabia wants peace in the whole region and tries for it at many levels.

Adel al-Zubair said, "We constantly strive for peace and stability in the area. Whether it is peace between Israel and the Palestinians or in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Even we are trying to reduce the tension between India and Pakistan. Whether to bring stability in Sudan or to end the war in Libya. We have played a positive role everywhere.

Earlier it was also said that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin-Salman had a role in the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan. Immediately after the Pulwama attack, Saudi Crown Prince Salman visited Pakistan first and then India.

India's foreign affairs pundits noted that while Salman praised the sacrifice he had made in Pakistan's fight against terrorism due to diplomatic 'tightrope, he had no problem in agreeing with Prime Minister Modi in India It has not happened that terrorism cannot be justified in any way.

Not only this, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister Adel al-Zubair spoke to the then Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj during the conference of Islamic countries. Why might Saudi Arabia be interested in resolving this deadlock?

Talmiz Ahmed, who was India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told BBC correspondent Rehan Fazal in February last year that 'Saudi Arabia wants to keep Pakistan with it in its anti-Iran alliances. At the same time, he is also working on a strategy to take India away from Iran.

Change of power in America will not affect the relationship

Adel al-Zubair told Arab News that Saudi and US bilateral relations will not be affected by the change of power in America. He said that the relations between the two countries are strong and multi-faceted.

"The Biden administration has made it clear that it is committed to protecting Saudi Arabia," Zubair said in his interview. America is still standing with us on external threats. In such a situation, I do not see that our relationship will be affected by the arrival of Biden. ''

Zubair said, "The relationship between America and Saudi Arabia is 80 years old. This relationship is important for global security and stability. Our relationship with America is strategic. Our economic interests are mutual. Together we are fighting terrorism and extremism. ''

The Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister also said that in recent weeks there have been attacks on Saudi Arabia, they are directly related to Iran. Zubair said, "The weapons used in the attack are made in Iran or supplied from there. All missiles and drones are made by Iran or have been provided to extremists from there.

In recent weeks, there have been reports of several attacks on Saudi Arabian oil bases. Saudi Arabia blames Sakria Houthi rebels in Yemen for these attacks and Iran is accused of supporting Houthi rebels. America has expressed concern about these attacks.

Yemen's political solution

Al-Zubair said that the presence of Iran-backed separatists does not mean that peace in Yemen is impossible.

He said, "We believe that there is a political solution to this. We are trying to reach that political solution and have been trying to do so since the beginning of deterioration many years ago."

"We have supported every effort and every initiative of the UN special envoys. We have worked to unite the Yemeni government, to join the South Transition Council with the North. We have raised over 17 billion dollars for humanitarian aid. We have made it clear that the only solution in Yemen is to find a political solution under the GCC initiative. The GCC initiative was formed as a result of the Yemeni National Dialogue and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. "

Al-Zubair defended Saudi's record of human rights, which he has targeted in some parts of the world.

He said, "We think Saudi Arabia has made a lot of progress in human rights. Fifty years ago, we had no school for women; today 55 percent of college students are women. 70 years ago, our literacy rate Maybe 90 percent, today everyone can read and write and go to school. "

"70 or 80 years ago, the infant mortality rate was very high. Probably two out of three children died before the age of two. Today this rate is equal to Europe and America. The life expectancy rate within a generation is almost double It is done. That is why we take care of our people by giving them security, health, education, and opportunities. "

He also said, "We have made a lot of progress in the human rights that the critics of Saudi Arabia are talking about, in the matter of giving freedom to women, in the matter of empowerment of youth, in terms of reforms in the judicial system, in society Progress has been made in bringing openness and enabling young people to understand their hopes, their dreams, and their aspirations. These are human rights. This is an important part of it. "

What did you say about Israel?

Al-Zubair insisted that Saudi Arabia's situation would not change, despite the relationship between some Arab countries and Israel being "normal".

He said, "We want a two-state solution based on Arab peace initiatives and relevant UN resolutions, where there is a Palestinian state and can live together with peace and security. That is what our stand remains."

"We believe that we are trying to help the Arab world get away from the" three na "- an announcement made in 1967 in Khartoum, which states, 'No dialogue, no recognition, and no peace ". We are trying to help by putting forward the eight-point plan of the late Sultan Fahd at the Arab Conference in Fez during the 80s."

"The Arab world had adopted it and originally demanded a two-state solution. Then later at the (Arab League) summit in Beirut in 2002, we pushed forward the Arab peace initiative that it demanded, Which I told about: two states, recognition, normalization of relationships, and everything that is necessary for good neighbors relationships. It was adopted by the global community and it is our stand even now. "