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CNN Live Today
Saudi Crown Prince Meets with President Bush Today
Aired April 25, 2002 - 11:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We focus back now on this country. The Bush administration bracing for some tough talks with Saudi Arabia over the crisis in the Middle East. Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah has -- is about to arrive at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. We saw him arrive at the Waco Airport last hour live here on CNN.
Our White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joining us with more on the meeting between the president and the prince.
Kelly, good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.
Tough talk likely at this first face-to-face meeting between President Bush and the Crown Prince because Crown Prince Abdullah is expected to tell President Bush that relations between the U.S. and the Arab world could be jeopardized if the U.S. does not put more pressure on Israel to stop it's military offensive.
Daryn, as you said, the Crown Prince arrived in Waco, Texas a little bit earlier. He should be at the president's ranch just about a half hour from now. And there he's expected to tell Mr. Bush that political talks of any kind between the Israelis and the Palestinians will not be possible until Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pulls Israeli troops out of West Bank towns.
Now the Saudi Foreign Minister in an interview with my colleague yesterday, CNN White House correspondent -- senior White House correspondent John King, said there is some frustration in the Arab world that the U.S. is not using its influence over Israel to get Israel to stop its ongoing military operations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: If there is any frustration, it is a frustration when they see that this influence is not being used in their direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: So some frustration from the Arab world.
Well President Bush, seen there in Texas last night, is expected to have a message of his own for the Saudis that the Saudis can play a -- quote -- "constructive role" in finding a solution to the conflict. But he will also say that the Saudis need to do more, that they need to put more pressure on Yasser Arafat to crack down on terror and that they need to condemn and stop any incitement of terror. Some concern that the Saudis are not doing enough, especially since 15 of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks were from Saudi Arabia.
Now a sign of the importance of this meeting, several of the president's top advisers in Texas meeting with Saudi officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. All those advisers there, with the exception of Secretary Rumsfeld, will be in Texas on this day for the meeting between the prince and the president.
Daryn, this meeting very important, the U.S. relies on Saudi Arabia for another -- a number of things, including oil. Saudi's support would be very key for any military action against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. So if the Saudis are not satisfied with what the U.S. is doing when it comes to Israel, a great deal could be at stake for this administration -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Yes, Kelly, there are those threats out there. There's the oil weapon, there's the idea of getting kicked off of military bases in Saudi Arabia, but doesn't that go both ways? Don't -- doesn't Saudi Arabia need the U.S. even more than the U.S. needs Saudi Arabia?
WALLACE: Very good point. Certainly the Saudis do need the support of the United States for a variety of reasons -- for political reasons, economic reasons, obviously for diplomatic reasons, its stakes in the Middle East. So clearly it does work both ways. And it does not appear, U.S. officials I've been talking to say that the Saudis have not made any threats through diplomatic channels to U.S. officials such as holding back oil or pushing the U.S. to get its troops out of bases in Saudi Arabia. This might be some public posturing before this meeting, but clearly the message coming from the Saudis is that the stakes are high so a lot of concern going into this session today, Daryn.
KAGAN: Kelly Wallace at the White House. Kelly, thank you.
WALLACE: Sure.
KAGAN: And we're going to have more on the meeting between President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah tonight. CNN's "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: LIVE FROM THE TEXAS WHITE HOUSE" at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.
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