U.S. officials have confirmed reports that senior Saudi officials have
discussed the prospect of nuclear weapons cooperation with Pakistan.
A U.S. report published in the State Department's strategic journal cited Saudi interest and stressed that the Saudi kingdom does not
have nuclear weapons, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Saudi Arabia does not have weapons of mass destruction," the report,
authored by former Pentagon official Anthony Cordesman, said. "It did,
however, buy long-range CSS-2 ballistic missiles from China. Very senior
Saudi officials have held conversations with officials involved in the
Pakistani nuclear program, and possibly with similar officials in other
countries."
The report appears in the latest issue of the State Department's "U.S.
Foreign Policy Agenda." The journal was published on the department's web
site and focused on the topic "Weapons of Mass Destruction: The
New Strategic Framework."
U.S. officials said Saudi leaders have also discussed the procurement of
new Pakistani intermediate-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear
warheads. They said Saudi officials were invited to tour Pakistan's nuclear weapons
facilities and that no sale has been concluded.
The report by Cordesman, a senior fellow of the Washington-based Center
for Strategic and International Studies, also supports assertions that Egypt
has been developing an intermediate-range missile based on North Korea's
No-Dong. Congress has been told that Egypt obtained 24 No-Dong missiles over
the last year.
The State Department publication said Egypt has "Scud missiles and is
seeking to create extended-range Scud missiles similar to North Korean
designs. Has sought to develop longer-range missiles in the past."
