The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, has condemned last night's suicide bomb attacks in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.
At least ten people were killed and up to 160 were injured when a number of cars laden with explosives were driven into four locations in Riyadh
Extending his condolences to those killed and injured, Mr Cowan said the attacks were designed to disrupt efforts to revive the Middle East peace process.
In a statement released this morning, Minister Cowen said: "Ireland condemns all acts of terrorism and strongly supports the initiative of the Quartet [the US, the EU, Russia and the UN] in launching the roadmap which contains all the elements essential to the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East".
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who arrived in Saudi Arabia hours after the attacks, said the attacks bore all the signs of Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.