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FLORIDA OFLEGATION
SeRIOR DEMOCRATIC WHIP July 16, 2009
Your Royal Highness King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
King and Prime Minister
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
‘The Royal Court, Riyadh 11111
Saudi Arabia
Dear King Abdullah:
I write to bring to your attention a matter of critical importance. Throughout my tenure as a Member
of Congress, and for years before, I have traveled throughout the Middle East. I have met with countless
Middle Easter leaders, urging them to seek out peaceful solutions to historically violent conflicts. Today, I
reach out to you in hope of your leadership in the effort toward peace in the Middle East.
In his June 4 address to the Muslim world in Cairo, President Barack Obama called on Arab states to
reinvigorate the Arab Peace Initiative with tangible measures to end the long campaign to isolate and
delegitimize Israel. I support this call to action in the Arab world and believe your leadership in the matter
will secure a path to a better future.
In recent years, as you have asserted Saudi diplomacy in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I cannot
think of a more important time for your commendable sentiment to be transformed into action.
Unfortunately, the public reaction of your government to President Obama’s request has been disappointing
thus far. Rather than expressing willingness to break down barriers between Arabs and Israelis, your foreign
minister asserted that Saudi Arabia could not take any step toward normalization before the return of all Arab
land.
Your counsel and strong leadership role has the capacity to lead the Middle East to a new era of
reconciliation by stepping forward with a dramatic gesture toward Israel and peace in the region, Should
‘your peace proposal be revived, talks between Israelis, Palestinians, and Arab countries may follow in suit
and will surely help open the door to a possibility of a peaceful future in the Middle East.
Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to working with you on this and many other
important issues of mutual concer,
Sincerely AL ;
Cot Mastings
Member of Congress
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