PDA

View Full Version : Saudi Arabia Asks Russia To Intervene Regarding U.S. Strike On Iran



Gold9472
04-11-2006, 05:13 PM
Riyadh seeks Russian help to prevent US strike on Iran

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/April/middleeast_April291.xml&section=middleeast&col=

(Gold9472: Interesting.)

11 April 2006

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia, fearing that US military action against Iran would wreak further havoc in the region, has asked Russia to block any bid by Washington to secure UN cover for an attack, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday.

During a visit to Moscow last week, the head of the Saudi National Security Council “urged Russia to strive to prevent the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution which the United States could use as justification to launch a military assault to knock out Iran’s nuclear facilities,” the diplomat told AFP in Riyadh on condition of anonymity.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former longtime ambassador to the United States who is often tasked with delicate missions, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on April 4.

Saudi officials did not give details about the meeting. The Russian diplomat said the talks focused on the row over Iran’s nuclear program but did not make clear what Moscow’s response was to the call for restraining the United States.

Several recent reports in the US media raised the possibility that the administration of US President George W. Bush was considering US air strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites.

Bush described the reports as “wild speculation” and said Washington wanted to settle the long-running nuclear standoff between Teheran and the West through diplomacy.

The United States believes Iran is secretly trying to build atomic weapons under cover of a nuclear energy program, allegations Iran has consistently denied.

A Gulf diplomat, who also requested anonymity, said Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries were worried about the possibility of US military action against Iran at a time when Iraq is engulfed in what is increasingly turning into civil war.

Gulf Arab states fear the fallout of a US-Iran conflict on the oil-rich region, which has seen three wars since 1980, most recently the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the diplomat said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal said last week that Riyadh believes Teheran’s assertions about its nuclear activities.

“That is why we don’t see a danger in Iran acquiring knowledge about nuclear energy provided it does not lead to (nuclear) proliferation. Of course, we believe proliferation is a threat,” he said.

Saud also played down Iran’s recent war games during which it tested new weapons, saying the exercises did not pose a threat to Teheran’s Gulf neighbours.

He also said he would visit Iran soon but did not give a specific date.

Bandar earlier visited China, another permanent UN Security Council member with veto power, a trip diplomats in Riyadh believe was also linked to the standoff over Iran’s nuclear activities.

On March 29, the UN Security Council called on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment to guarantee its nuclear program is peaceful, and asked International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei to report on compliance after 30 days.

But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Monday he would not back down “one iota”.

PhilosophyGenius
04-11-2006, 05:15 PM
Perhaps the Saudi's feel they're on the chopping block after Iran.

Gold9472
04-11-2006, 05:58 PM
Maybe. I just think it's interesting that the Saudis don't have more influence over U.S. Policy decisions. You would think since they own 7% of our country, that might be the case.

Gold9472
04-11-2006, 06:48 PM
I wonder if 15 of the 19 hijackers "came" from Saudi Arabia because it would be an "ace in the hole" for the Government in the event that they wanted/needed to invade Saudi Arabia.

"You want the truth behind 9/11? It was Saudi Arabia... let's go kick some ass."

beltman713
04-11-2006, 07:07 PM
Exactly.

Gold9472
04-11-2006, 07:08 PM
Exactly.

That would be too briliant on my part, so it can't be true.

PhilosophyGenius
04-11-2006, 11:12 PM
Maybe. I just think it's interesting that the Saudis don't have more influence over U.S. Policy decisions. You would think since they own 7% of our country, that might be the case.

Speculation based on facts: The relationship between the Saudi Royals and the U.S. govnt (Bush Crime Family in particular) is purely buisness. All else is politics as usual. And once the Saudi royals are no longer necessary, they will be elimated. Just like how Saddam Hussein was stabbed in the back by Bush I, Bush II will stab the Saudis in the back.

One possible way is by helping the group 'al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia' create instability in the Kingdom to the point were the royal family falls and the U.S. military will go in and secure it's oil.