Saudi royal calls for diplomacy to resolve Middle East conflicts

A senior Saudi royal has urged diplomatic efforts and international cooperation as the best way to resolve ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, stressing negotiations should take priority over military confrontation.

Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said on Wednesday that the situation in the Middle East was a "very dark scene."

"The conflict there needs cooperation on a worldwide basis to overcome these challenges and reach peace," Prince Turki told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in the Chinese capital.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during this past conflict, has been trying to end the war and convince the Americans that they should end the war with the Iranians and to have negotiations through diplomacy rather than through military means. Unfortunately, the Iranians, while they were attacked by America, they attacked us. And we're in the middle of that murky, very dark scene where we see lives being lost because of the ambitions of either Israel on one side or Iran on the other side," he said.

Prince Turki said settlements in the region should be achieved through negotiations and consultations, a position he noted is shared by China, which brokered a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran three years ago.

"And this is, fortunately for us, this is the position of China. As you know, China was host to the Saudi-Iranian settlement of their differences three years ago," he said.

He expressed his hope for the Chinese People's Liberation Army, which will mark its centenary next year.

"I hope they continue their peaceful intentions to the rest of the world. China has been a staunch supporter of diplomacy over warfare," he said.

Launched in 2006 as a "track-two" think-tank exchange, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has grown into a major international security platform that brings together government officials, military leaders and scholars from around the world.

Nearly 2,000 official representatives, scholars and observers from more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations gathered from Tuesday to Thursday for this year's forum.

Saudi royal calls for diplomacy to resolve Middle East conflicts

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced his resignation on Thursday after preliminary results showed his right-wing bloc lost its parliamentary majority in the general election.

"The Speaker will now lead the next steps toward forming a new government. To allow that process to begin immediately, I hereby request to be relieved of my duties as prime minister," Kristersson said in a letter to the speaker of of parliament which he posted to X .

Preliminary results released earlier Thursday by the Swedish Election Authority showed that the center-left opposition bloc had secured a parliamentary majority, with all 6,626 electoral districts counted.

Together, the four opposition parties received 49.6 percent of the vote and secured 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament. Kristersson's right-wing bloc received 48.8 percent of the vote and won 173 seats.

The focus now shifts to whether the four opposition parties can agree on a governing arrangement. The grouping brings together the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Green Party and the Centre Party. The Social Democrats remained the largest party, receiving 28 percent of the vote and securing 99 seats.

Reaching such an arrangement could prove difficult given the parties' significant policy differences. Swedish Television domestic political commentator Mats Knutson cited taxation, sick-pay deductions and nuclear power as key areas of disagreement, while noting that compromises could be reached on other issues.

Swedish PM resigns after parliamentary elections defeat