'Bush apologises for press reports criticising S. Arabia' |
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| RIYADH (AP) — US President George W. Bush has apologised to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah for US press reports that Washington was dissatisfied with Saudi cooperation in the “war on terrorism,” Saudi newspapers reported Monday. The newspapers were quoting comments Abdullah made Sunday evening to a meeting of Saudi education officials. Abdullah, who has managed the daily affairs of the kingdom since his half brother King Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995, said that Bush called him and the first thing he said was that he was sorry. “I said `For what Mr President?' He replied, `For what is carried by the newspapers which are trying to drive a wedge between the kingdom and America,” the English-language Arab News reported. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer had announced Oct. 25 that Bush had spoken with Abdullah and told him news articles citing differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia were “simply incorrect.” Fleischer also said Bush was satisfied with the country's support in the US “war against terrorism,” though administration officials have privately expressed frustration with the Saudis. Abdullah said he told Bush that US newspapers attributed criticism to administration officials. Bush replied, “This I know. I am now looking for them and when I find them things will be straightened out,” Abdullah said. Abdullah said in his comments to the educators that he was providing details of the conversation to “inform you about what happened between your government and the American administration, so that you are aware that your government is alert to the situation,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. With ordinary Saudis expressing admiration for terror suspect Osama Ben Laden and suspicion of US motives, Saudi Arabia has been a reluctant partner in the US-led war on Afghanistan. The kingdom has made no arrests related to the Sept. 11 attack, though at least half the suicide hijackers are believed to be Saudi. As well, Saudi Arabia has refused to allow strikes on Afghanistan, Ben Laden's haven, to be launched from a US base located in the kingdom. |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) The White House suggested on Tuesday that President Bush did not apologize to Saudi Arabia for U.S. media reports implying the Saudi government was not fully cooperating in the war on terrorism.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, the kingdom's effective ruler given the frail health of King Fahd, said in a speech that Bush began a recent conversation with him saying ``he was sorry'' for the reports.
While careful not to contradict Abdullah, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said he had faithfully reported on the Oct. 25 conversation at the time when he said Bush thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts, and the president said ``press articles citing differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia are simply incorrect.''
Pressed on whether Bush offered an apology for the media reports, Fleischer told reporters: ``There is no change in what is said about what the president's message was.
``Certainly anybody is entitled to have their interpretation of a phone call or conversation, but there is no change in what I said,'' the spokesman added. ``I described the president's conversation to you accurately.''
The Washington Post, reporting on a speech Abdullah gave on Sunday, quoted the prince as saying Bush was angered by the media reports, which have said Washington wants greater cooperation in the areas of law enforcement, freezing the assets of ``terrorist'' groups and military support.
``President Bush phoned me. He began the conversation by saying that he was sorry,'' it quoted Abdullah as saying.
The United States has accused Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), a Saudi-born militant who lost his Saudi citizenship in the mid-1990s, of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (news - web sites) in which some 4,800 people died.
Of the 19 hijackers who turned four commercial airplanes into flying missiles, U.S. officials believe 13 were Saudi nationals.
Despite a series of reports suggesting U.S. unhappiness with Saudi efforts to catch those behind the attacks, Bush has repeatedly said in public that he is satisfied.