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Bush Administration Pushing Saudi Arabia to Do More to Fight War on Terror

Aired November 27, 2002 - 05:04   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now turning our attention this morning to U.S.-Saudi relations, the Bush administration is pushing Saudi Arabia to do a lot more to fight the war on terror.
Here's CNN's John King with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the White House briefing room, a polite nudge.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president believes that Saudi Arabia is a good partner in the war on terrorism and they are a good partner who can and should do more with us so we can together fight terrorism.

KING: Behind-the-scenes, more pointed criticism. One senior White House official says the administration is looking for ways to "extract more participation from the Saudis in cracking down on terrorist financing." The "Washington Post" was first to report that one idea being debated is an ultimatum to force Saudi Arabia to crack down on terrorist financiers within 90 days or face unilateral U.S. action. Top Bush advisers say such talk is among low level aides, and there is no such recommendation before the president.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: In our desire to protect ourselves, we should not go to the point where we rupture relations with a country that has been a good friend to the United States for many, many years and is a strategic partner.

KING: But administration sources say there is mounting frustration that the Saudis are too reluctant to crack down on Islamic charities and individuals the United States says are supporting terrorism.

MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: The Saudi government has had a real problem coming to terms with the heart of the matter, which is that these people were recruited in Saudi Arabia, a lot of the funding for al Qaeda comes from Saudi Arabia.

KING: Those with a more sympathetic view of the Saudis say much of their cooperation goes unnoticed.

WYCHE FOWLER, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: They like to do things in secret for their own political reasons within the region. They have to live next to the Iraqis and next to the Iranians, and there is a balancing act.

KING: Mr. Bush, seen here with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah in August, is reluctant to have a public fight with an ally whose oil and air bases could prove critical in any military confrontation with Iraq.

FOWLER: If you're going to have the most effective massive chance of success with minimal loss of life, you don't want to be fighting with one hand behind your back and you need, you need Saudi Arabia.

KING: Saudi officials say renewed talk of tension with the White House is exaggerated.

(on camera): Most White House officials say any talk of an ultimatum or sanctions is exaggerated. But they also say the best way to quiet this debate would be for some immediate and public Saudi help in the financial front of the war on terrorism.

John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Meanwhile, a Saudi princess whose donations may have ended up in the hands of two 9/11 terrorists is responding to the accusations that she may have inadvertently helped in the attack. Princess Haifa al-Faisal issued this statement: "I heard U.S. law makers and the American media today say that money that I have donated to a needy Saudi family living in the U.S. was transferred to two Saudi 9/11 terrorists. My father, King Faisal, was killed in a terrorist act in 1975. I find that accusations that I contributed funds to terrorists outrageous and completely irresponsible."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Fight War on Terror>


Aired November 27, 2002 - 05:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And now turning our attention this morning to U.S.-Saudi relations, the Bush administration is pushing Saudi Arabia to do a lot more to fight the war on terror.
Here's CNN's John King with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the White House briefing room, a polite nudge.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president believes that Saudi Arabia is a good partner in the war on terrorism and they are a good partner who can and should do more with us so we can together fight terrorism.

KING: Behind-the-scenes, more pointed criticism. One senior White House official says the administration is looking for ways to "extract more participation from the Saudis in cracking down on terrorist financing." The "Washington Post" was first to report that one idea being debated is an ultimatum to force Saudi Arabia to crack down on terrorist financiers within 90 days or face unilateral U.S. action. Top Bush advisers say such talk is among low level aides, and there is no such recommendation before the president.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: In our desire to protect ourselves, we should not go to the point where we rupture relations with a country that has been a good friend to the United States for many, many years and is a strategic partner.

KING: But administration sources say there is mounting frustration that the Saudis are too reluctant to crack down on Islamic charities and individuals the United States says are supporting terrorism.

MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: The Saudi government has had a real problem coming to terms with the heart of the matter, which is that these people were recruited in Saudi Arabia, a lot of the funding for al Qaeda comes from Saudi Arabia.

KING: Those with a more sympathetic view of the Saudis say much of their cooperation goes unnoticed.

WYCHE FOWLER, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: They like to do things in secret for their own political reasons within the region. They have to live next to the Iraqis and next to the Iranians, and there is a balancing act.

KING: Mr. Bush, seen here with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah in August, is reluctant to have a public fight with an ally whose oil and air bases could prove critical in any military confrontation with Iraq.

FOWLER: If you're going to have the most effective massive chance of success with minimal loss of life, you don't want to be fighting with one hand behind your back and you need, you need Saudi Arabia.

KING: Saudi officials say renewed talk of tension with the White House is exaggerated.

(on camera): Most White House officials say any talk of an ultimatum or sanctions is exaggerated. But they also say the best way to quiet this debate would be for some immediate and public Saudi help in the financial front of the war on terrorism.

John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Meanwhile, a Saudi princess whose donations may have ended up in the hands of two 9/11 terrorists is responding to the accusations that she may have inadvertently helped in the attack. Princess Haifa al-Faisal issued this statement: "I heard U.S. law makers and the American media today say that money that I have donated to a needy Saudi family living in the U.S. was transferred to two Saudi 9/11 terrorists. My father, King Faisal, was killed in a terrorist act in 1975. I find that accusations that I contributed funds to terrorists outrageous and completely irresponsible."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Fight War on Terror>