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Saudi crown prince to visit Bush at Crawford ranch next week

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Thursday, April 18, 2002

WASHINGTON -- Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz is scheduled to meet President George Bush on April 25 at the presidential ranch in Texas. The leaders will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq and bilateral relations, Middle East Newsline reported.

"Among other things, the two leaders are expected to discuss the Saudi peace proposal presented by the crown prince at the March 27th and March 28th Arab summit in Beirut," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Tuesday. "As well, they will discuss U.S.-Saudi bilateral relationships, the next phase in the war against terrorism, and the general situation in the Middle East. The president looks forward to having a full-fledged range of conversation with Saudi leaders, and will do so."

Fleischer said U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia remain strong although he acknowledged "complications and differing views" regarding the Middle East. The White House spokesman said Riyad has cooperated with Washington in stopping the financing of terrorist groups.

"And those complications are going to be discussed," Fleischer said. "The United States and Saudi Arabia have differing views as friends and as allies."

U.S. officials said Abdullah and Bush plan to use their meeting to revive Saudi-U.S. relations. The U.S. military has been preparing alternatives to its presence in the kingdom amid rising anti-American sentiment and Saudi opposition to an attack on Baghdad. Already, combat aircraft and systems have been relocated to such countries as Oman and Qatar.

Earlier, Abdullah's visit was said to have been postponed amid Saudi concern over rising sentiment against his kingdom in the United States. But U.S. officials said issues of scheduling as well as agreement on an agenda for talks had delayed the setting of a firm date.

On Tuesday, the United States approved the continued operation of the PLO. The approval was for six months and comes as Israel relayed Palestinian Authority documents that detail the funding of Palestinian suicide bombings by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Arab diplomatic sources said Bush will press Israel to withdraw from several Palestinian cities by the time Abdullah arrives in the United States. On Monday, the Saudi Cabinet warned that U.S. interests in the Arab world are being threatened by the Israeli military offensive in the West Bank.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met Arafat for more than two hours in Ramallah. Powell was said to have submitted a ceasefire plan that would call for a Palestinian condemnation of terrorism along with an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities.

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