Saudi Arabia rejects US request to use its territory for attacks on Afghanistan
( 2001-09-24 10:29 ) (7 )

The Saudi base Washington chose as its command and control center has been declared off limits for action linked to America's anti-terrorism offensive, a Saudi official said on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia is apparently concerned about possible strikes on a fellow Arab state as America readies to retaliate for the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

The Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the kingdom would not allow the United States to use the Prince Sultan Air Base, south of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for US retaliatory attacks. Last week, the commander of the US Central Command's air operations, Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Wald, shifted his operations from South Carolina to the base.

The two sides were still negotiating on the Saudi participation in the campaign.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on ABC's "This Week" that "they (Saudis) have responded to all the requests we have asked them to respond to, and I'm sure there'll be more requests coming in the future."

Powell said that Washington was "working through with the Saudis on a very, very satisfactory basis."

The US State Department called the Saudi military cooperation with Washington "excellent."

However, the Saudi official said from Riyadh his country "will not accept any infringement on its national sovereignty, but it fully backs action aimed at eradicating terrorism and its causes."

On Thursday, a Saudi Foreign Ministry official said the kingdom, a key US ally in the region, would "not agree, under any conditions, to strikes against brotherly states, like Syria, or groups that resist the Israeli occupation, like Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah." All of those groups are on a US list of terrorist organizations.

Gulf foreign ministers holding an extraordinary meeting in the Saudi Red Sea port of Jiddah on Sunday also expressed a similar concern.

"Member states confirm today that they are willing to participate in any operation within a joint framework with specific targets and an internationally backed coalition to fight terrorism," a statement from the meeting said.

Washington blames a pan-Arab network of Islamic militants led by exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden for the attacks on New York and Washington that left more than 6,000 people missing or dead. Officials indicate a strike on Afghanistan, where bin Laden has found a haven, could come at any time.

The Prince Sultan Air Base, a vast compound in a remote stretch of desert 80 kilometers (49 miles) south of Riyadh, hosts 4,500 US military personnel and an undisclosed number of warplanes.

The location of the base gives it the necessary security and privacy that Washington needs to direct strikes against suspected terrorists.

In addition, it would be ideal for heavy aircraft, such as B-52 bombers, which cannot be launched from aircraft carriers. It already accommodates F-15 and F-16 fighter jets engaged in daily patrols of a "no-fly" zone over southern Iraq.

If Washington and Riyadh fail to reach an agreement, the United States can turn to Bahrain, where the US Navy's 5th Fleet is based, or two Kuwaiti air bases that have been used by US aircraft since the 1991 Gulf War.

On Sunday, Yemen said it will allow US warships to refuel in the southern port of Aden, the site of last year's attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 US sailors.

A Yemeni Foreign Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the joint Yemeni-American security improvements at the port in the months since the attack make it safe for US ships.

US officials in San`a, Yemen's capital, could not immediately be reached for comment.

A diplomat in Riyadh, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Saudis were negotiating with the United States over the anti-terrorism campaign. The concern appeared to be the possibility other Arab states would be targeted.

In the past, Washington has accused Yemen, Sudan and Iraq of harboring terrorists. People in those countries now fear a US attack.

The Saudis were pushing for a multilateral campaign that would allow them some influence over the targets of American retaliation, the diplomat said.

Saudi Arabia has condemned the attacks on New York and Washington, but said the United States should not be motivated by anger and revenge, and instead seek justice.

Another diplomat, who also refused to be identified, said that during Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal's recent visit to Washington, he informed the Americans that the ideal way to eradicate terrorism was to force Israel to cease attacks against the Palestinians and implement the peace accords.

The diplomat also said al-Faisal called on Washington to stop arming Israel.

In Jiddah, the Gulf Cooperation Council was discussing a suggestion presented by the United Arab Emirates to form an international alliance, parallel to the anti-terrorism coalition, to pressure Israel into implementing peace accords and withdrawing from the occupied Arab land.