Terrorism is a threat to all faiths, says Saudi Crown Prince

Apr 16, 2006, 15:22 GMT

Islamabad - Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud Sunday underscored the need to bridge the 'perilous divide' between Islam and the West.

'The importance of promoting inter-faith harmony and inter- civilizational understanding in these times cannot be over- emphasized,' he said at a lunch hosted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Al-Saud said Islam condemned terrorism and nourished the values of justice, moderation, tolerance, equity and embracing others. That was what all Muslims must strive for.

Aziz said the two countries share similar views on a broad range of regional and international issues, including those on terrorism being equated with Islam.

'We are allies against the spectre of global terrorism and have achieved major successes,' Aziz said in reference to Pakistan's role in the current anti-terror war.

Since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, Pakistan has arrested over 700, al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents, and killed more than 1500, particularly in the tribal regions of Waziristan.

Al-Saud had arrived in Islamabad Saturday for talks on closer cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, security and defence.

Aziz and President General Pervez Musharraf identified energy, refinery, infrastructure and food processing as some of the most potential areas for Saudi investment in Pakistan, an official statement said.

Trade currently stands at 2.83 billion dollars, the bulk of it being oil from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia supplied oil to Pakistan at highly subsidized rates for over five years to ward off the impact of sanctions imposed by the US, Japan and Western countries to discipline the country for its nuclear detonations in May 1998.

Both countries have also been discussing defence cooperation, the statment added, without disclosing what kind of future cooperation would be forged.

Local media reports, however, had speculated on the possible signing of a defence deal soon.

The English-language Daily Times newspaper said that under it, Pakistani and Saudi armed forces would hold joint exercises and Islamabad would also transfer military technology to Riyadh.

Pakistan-manufactured al-Khalid tanks are currently undergoing trials in Saudi Arabia after the latter recently showed interest in buying them.

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is also a regular buyer of lightweight Super Mushshak or Cessna aircraft manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz visited Pakistan in February and five agreements were signed on cooperation in the areas of economy, investment, science, technology and education.