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CNN Live At Daybreak

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Delivers Stern Warning to President Bush About Risks U.S. Faces

Aired April 26, 2002 - 05:05   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning from the priesthood to the prince and the president. Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah delivered a stern warning to President Bush about the risks the United States faces if it continues with a Middle East policy widely perceived in the Arab world as biased towards Israel. The two men met for nearly five hours yesterday at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Later, Mr. Bush tried to put a positive spin on the talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The crown prince and I had a very cordial meeting that confirmed the strong relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America. Our partnership is important to both our nations and it is important to the cause of peace and stability in the Middle East and the world. We discussed the critical importance of the war on terror. Much of our discussion centered on the Middle East and how to defuse the current situation so we can get back on the path to peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: President Bush also says Prince Abdullah assured him Saudi Arabia would not use oil as a diplomatic weapon.

Want to know more on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Washington?

Well, our national security correspondent David Ensor has much more for you now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Whether it is to fight terrorism, to confront Iraq or to keep the oil flowing, Saudi Arabia is a crucial U.S. ally. But can it be counted on?

First and foremost, the Saudis are angry about the way Israeli forces have conducted their offensive against Palestinians and Yasser Arafat in the West Bank, and what they and many Arabs see as a weak, unbalanced response from President Bush.

BUSH: I do believe Ariel Sharon is a man of peace. PRINCE SAUD, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER: To Ariel Sharon a man of peace, I don't think even Ariel Sharon believes that.

GEOFFREY KEMP, NIXON CENTER: I'm certain the Saudi message is going to be Mr. President, you are the leader of the most powerful country the world has ever seen. Israel is totally dependent upon you. When are you going to show some political skills and use, you know, what you have and put pressure on Mr. Sharon to essentially end this conflict?

ENSOR: The U.S. has real problems with Saudi Arabia, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can take part in jihad by either donating money or self-sacrifice.

ENSOR: A recent Saudi telethon raised money for Palestinian "martyrs." The Saudis say the funds are not supporting suicide bombers. The U.S. wants Riyadh to make clear suicide bombers are not martyrs, but murderers, and to do more to help fight terrorism. After all, Osama bin Laden came from Saudi Arabia. So did 15 of the 19 suicide hijackers of September 11. U.S. officials want access to investigate al Qaeda inside the kingdom.

And President Bush wants Saudi help against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq for military action, if it comes to that. Yet Crown Prince Abdullah in March offered a kiss of greeting to an Iraqi representative at a summit for the first time since the Gulf War.

ANTHONY CORDESMAN, CSIS: Today the Saudis basically feel they can contain Saddam.

ENSOR: Some Saudi officials have suggested Riyadh may be so angry about the U.S. not reigning in Israel that it might use its one great weapon -- withholding the production of the world's number one oil producer. President Bush said he was promised that won't happen.

KEMP: Remember, you know, Saudi Arabia has a burgeoning population. It has huge domestic bills to pay. They need revenue from oil sales.

ENSOR (on camera): Saudi and U.S. officials emphasize in public what they do agree upon, the need for stability, for fighting terrorism. But on the specifics of the Middle East, of Iraq, of searching for bin Laden's supporters, are the Saudis with the United States? The answer, say analysts, is yes -- and no.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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