Iraq and Saudi Arabia are preparing to reopen their
joint border which has been closed for 12 years.
The United Nations has approved the reopening of a first border crossing at
Arar, Middle East Newsline reported.
Western diplomats said the reopening of the border would lead to the
revival of the Iraqi-Saudi oil pipeline, also closed since 1990, when Iraq
invaded Kuwait.
Saudi Arabia and Iraq have improved relations over the last
year. Riyad has become a leading exporter to Iraq and the kingdom has
allowed Iraqi pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia by land. Saudi Arabia requested
the opening of the Arar border in 2000.
The diplomats said after years of rejection Baghdad has agreed to allow
UN monitors to supervise Saudi exports to Iraq. The deployment of the
monitors has yet to be agreed upon.
The UN monitors four other Iraqi border points. They are points along
the Jordanian, Syrian and Turkish borders and Umm Kasr in the Persian Gulf.
Saudi government sources also said Riyad is considering signing an
accord with Iraq for a free trade zone. They said the two countries have
discussed the issue, but this must be decided by Crown Prince Abdullah Bin
Abdul Aziz.
Riyad has opposed any U.S. military campaign against Iraq. At the same
time, Saudi officials said they will continue to engage in military
cooperation with the United States.
"Iraq does not represent any threat to the [Saudi] kingdom," Saudi
Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz said over the weekend.
