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U.S. rejects Saudi students, but bilateral defense ties maintained

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, August 26, 2002

ABU DHABI Ñ Western diplomatic sources said U.S. authorities refused entry to 60 Saudi students who were accepted in universities in the United States under a program by Saudi Aramco.

The Kuwaiti Al Rai Al Aam daily reported on Monday that Aramco, responsible for the marketing of Saudi oil, is expected to seek alternatives to U.S. universities. They could include the American University in Cairo or the American University in Beirut.

The newspaper said the U.S. rejection of the Saudi students would be raised by Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar Bin Sultan in Washington. Bandar is scheduled to meet President George Bush on Tuesday in an attempt to improve bilateral relations.

Despite these and other tensions which have been increasing, Saudi Arabia intends to maintain defense relations with the United States, Middle East Newsline reported.

Gulf defense sources said the Saudi Defense Ministry has decided to maintain a schedule of military visits and training programs scheduled with the United States during 2002. The sources said Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz has also approved talks to complete a cooperation program for 2003.

"The Saudis don't want to highlight defense relations with the United States," a Gulf defense source who monitors the kingdom said. "But they don't want to sever defense ties or do anything that rules out their improvement after any U.S. war against Iraq."

Last week, Prince Sultan received a U.S. military delegation and discussed plans for U.S. training and exercises during 2003. The delegation was led by Maj. Gen. Michael Faraj, who represents the the U.S. military training mission in the kingdom.

Over the weekend, another U.S. military delegation from the Central Command met with Saudi Chief of Staff Gen. Saleh Bin Ali Al Muhaya. A Saudi government statement said the two sides discussed improving relations and other issues.

On Tuesday, President George Bush is scheduled to meet Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar Bin Sultan at Bush's ranch in Texas in a discussion that is expected to be dominated by Iraq and bilateral relations. Bandar is expected to deliver a message from Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz.

"This is an important meeting and will bring Saudi-U.S. relations back to normal," the Riyad daily Okaz, quoting a senior U.S. administration source, said. "They will discuss four major topics: bilateral relations, war on Iraq, the Palestine issue and the fight against terrorism."

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that leading Saudi military officials have agreed to visit Washington this fall to begin a series of high-level talks. The talks were to have taken place over the summer but Riyad cancelled at the last minute.

The newspaper said the Saudi military is a hollow shell and badly in need of help.

Saudi officials as well as the government-controlled press have acknowledged increasing tensions with the United States. They confirmed a report that Saudi Arabia has withdrawn $200 billions of deposits from the United States over the last few months, but cite financial rather than political motives.

A high-ranking official of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency confirmed that $200 billion have been withdrawn by Saudi businessmen from the United States. But he denied that the money has been deposited in Saudi banks.

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