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