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U.S. assures Saudis visa requirements won't change

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, October 25, 2001

ABU DHABI Ñ The Bush administration has assured Saudi Arabia that its nationals will not be restricted from entering the United States. Arab diplomatic sources said the U.S. embassy in Riyad has not been issued new restrictions regarding visa requirements for a Saudi national.

The sources said the administration assured the kingdom that Saudi nationals will continue to enjoy access to the United States. This includes the lack of exhaustive interviews or background checks.

On Tuesday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz met U.S. ambassador to Riyad Robert Gordon. The official Saudi news agency said the meeting concerned "issues of mutual interest."

Saudi officials were concerned that the United States would tighten visa requirements amid reports that eight of the 19 suicide hijackers who destroyed parts of New York and Washington on Sept. 11 were Saudi nationals. Last year, more Saudi nationals received U.S. visas than any other citizens from the Arab world.

"The Saudi citizen must be treated with the due respect in any country as is the case with peoples of other nationalities," Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz said. "Even if there were Saudis accused, a whole nation and people must not stand accused."

During fiscal year 2000, more than 60,000 Saudis were issued visas. The next highest figure from an Arab country was Egypt, with nearly 49,000 visas granted.

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