Joint Statement Following Discussions With King Saud of Saudi Arabia.

HIS MAJESTY Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz Al-Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, and President Eisenhower today concluded the series of discussions which they have held during King Saud's state visit. His Majesty and the President met previously on January 30 and February 1. Their discussions have been supplemented during the past week by further meetings between His Majesty and his advisers with the Secretary of State and other American officials.

These meetings provided the opportunity to reaffirm the close friendship which has so long existed between Saudi Arabia and the United States. In an atmosphere of cordiality, the King and the President exchanged views on how the two nations might work together to strengthen the peace of the Middle East.

The two Heads of State reached full agreement on the following:

1. Saudi Arabia, by virtue of its spiritual, geographical, and economic position, is of vital importance in the Middle East. It is in the interests of world peace that this Kingdom be strengthened for the maintenance of its own stability and the safeguarding and progressive development of its institutions.

2. The two Governments will exert efforts to settle justly problems of the Middle East area by peaceful and legitimate means within the framework of the United Nations Charter. They assert their firm opposition to the use of force from any source as a means of settling international disputes.

3. The aim of the peoples of the area is to maintain their full independence, live in peace, and enjoy economic freedom and prosperity. Any aggression against the political independence or territorial integrity of these nations and the intervention from any source in the affairs of the states of the area would be considered endangering peace and stability. Such actions should be opposed in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

4. His Majesty indicated his purpose to continue close cooperation with the United States and carried the expressed wishes of other Arab leaders to improve their relations with the United States. President Eisenhower explained the purposes of his proposals to Congress in relation to the Middle East, pointing out that they were designed to supplement the universal non-aggression principles expressed in the Charter of the United Nations and to promote the independence and proper aspirations of the Arab peoples. King Saud received with satisfaction this exposition and assured President Eisenhower that he welcomed every step that promotes the United Nations principles respecting independence and sovereignty of states and self-determination of peoples.

5. With respect to the military defense of Saudi Arabia, including the Dhahran Airfield, President Eisenhower assured His Majesty King Saud of the willingness of the United States to provide assistance for the strengthening of the Saudi Arabian armed forces within the constitutional processes of the United States. To this end, plans are being made by representatives of both countries for the supply of military equipment, services and training, for the purposes of defense and the maintenance of internal security in the Kingdom. In the same spirit, His Majesty King Saud assured President Eisenhower of His Majesty's intention that the United States continue for another five years to use the facilities accorded to it at the Dhahran Airfield under conditions provided for in the Agreement concluded between the two countries on June 18, 1951. The United States agreed to consider the provision of economic facilities that would serve to augment the combined aims and interests of the two countries.

6. The two Chiefs of State exchanged views on a number of other matters of common interest.