Saudi will not
allow use of U.S. bases
Sunday September 30, 09:00 AM
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010930/80/c5ryl.html
JEDDAH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Prince
Sultan has said in published remarks that the kingdom, a key U.S.
ally, will not allow foreign forces to launch attacks from its
territory against Arabs or Muslims.
The Arabic-language Okaz newspaper said on Sunday Prince Sultan
dismissed as "nonsense" reports that the oil-rich kingdom would allow
U.S. forces to launch military action from a U.S. base on its
territory against Afghanistan.
"We do not accept the presence in our country of a single
soldier at war with Muslims or Arabs," it quoted the minister as
saying during a visit to the northern Qassim region.
Prince Sultan's reported remarks were the first made by a
senior Saudi official following conflicting recent reports on whether
the kingdom would allow the United States to use its territory to
launch attacks in reprisal for the September 11 suicide attacks in
New York and Washington.
The United States has warned Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of
reprisals for not handing over Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden,
Washington's top suspect in the attacks.
Prince Sultan said the situation was now different from
1990-1991 when Saudi Arabia was a launching pad for the U.S.-led
military coalition that ended Iraq's occupation of Kuwait.
Okaz quoted Prince Sultan as saying that 40 French, British and
U.S. aircraft were in the kingdom to monitor southern Iraq under a
U.N. Security Council decision following the Gulf War.
The Washington Post has said Riyadh signalled it would allow
U.S. aircraft stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base to launch attacks
on Afghanistan. The Post had previously said the Saudis were
resisting a U.S. request to use a new command centre there.
WASHINGTON AWARE
The Saudi ambassador to Britain Ghazi al-Gosaibi told Reuters
on Wednesday that Washington was aware the kingdom, the birthplace of
Islam, could not be directly involved in strikes on fellow Muslims in
Afghanistan.
But on Friday a source familiar with Saudi foreign policy told
Reuters that the kingdom will allow the U.S. to launch military
action from the Prince Sultan base.
Saudi Arabia has pledged support for an international coalition
U.S. President George W. Bush is building against "terrorism". It has
also severed ties with the Taliban for refusing to hand over bin
Laden.
The Saudi English-language Arab News daily said in an editorial
on Sunday that the Washington Post and foreign news agencies "are
either unaware of the kingdom's policies or attitudes or they are
aiming to embarrass the kingdom by malicious propaganda that suggests
the kingdom is part of military action".
"The kingdom's participation in combating terrorism is and will
be consistent and compatible with its beliefs, policies and best
judgements. Only Saudi air space will be used as our contribution.
but the kingdom's soil will not be used as a base for any military
operations," the newspaper said.
Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited.
Sunday September 30, 09:00 AM
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010930/80/c5ryl.html
JEDDAH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Prince
Sultan has said in published remarks that the kingdom, a key U.S.
ally, will not allow foreign forces to launch attacks from its
territory against Arabs or Muslims.
The Arabic-language Okaz newspaper said on Sunday Prince Sultan
dismissed as "nonsense" reports that the oil-rich kingdom would allow
U.S. forces to launch military action from a U.S. base on its
territory against Afghanistan.
"We do not accept the presence in our country of a single
soldier at war with Muslims or Arabs," it quoted the minister as
saying during a visit to the northern Qassim region.
Prince Sultan's reported remarks were the first made by a
senior Saudi official following conflicting recent reports on whether
the kingdom would allow the United States to use its territory to
launch attacks in reprisal for the September 11 suicide attacks in
New York and Washington.
The United States has warned Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of
reprisals for not handing over Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden,
Washington's top suspect in the attacks.
Prince Sultan said the situation was now different from
1990-1991 when Saudi Arabia was a launching pad for the U.S.-led
military coalition that ended Iraq's occupation of Kuwait.
Okaz quoted Prince Sultan as saying that 40 French, British and
U.S. aircraft were in the kingdom to monitor southern Iraq under a
U.N. Security Council decision following the Gulf War.
The Washington Post has said Riyadh signalled it would allow
U.S. aircraft stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base to launch attacks
on Afghanistan. The Post had previously said the Saudis were
resisting a U.S. request to use a new command centre there.
WASHINGTON AWARE
The Saudi ambassador to Britain Ghazi al-Gosaibi told Reuters
on Wednesday that Washington was aware the kingdom, the birthplace of
Islam, could not be directly involved in strikes on fellow Muslims in
Afghanistan.
But on Friday a source familiar with Saudi foreign policy told
Reuters that the kingdom will allow the U.S. to launch military
action from the Prince Sultan base.
Saudi Arabia has pledged support for an international coalition
U.S. President George W. Bush is building against "terrorism". It has
also severed ties with the Taliban for refusing to hand over bin
Laden.
The Saudi English-language Arab News daily said in an editorial
on Sunday that the Washington Post and foreign news agencies "are
either unaware of the kingdom's policies or attitudes or they are
aiming to embarrass the kingdom by malicious propaganda that suggests
the kingdom is part of military action".
"The kingdom's participation in combating terrorism is and will
be consistent and compatible with its beliefs, policies and best
judgements. Only Saudi air space will be used as our contribution.
but the kingdom's soil will not be used as a base for any military
operations," the newspaper said.
Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited.
