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American Morning

Saudi Prince, Bush to Meet

Aired August 27, 2002 - 07:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to that meeting in Crawford, Texas, the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. is having lunch today with President Bush at the ranch. Diplomats say that the visit comes at a time of strained relations.
But meanwhile, in Washington, Vice President Dick Cheney had some strong words on Iraq.

Our Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House this morning with more on that.

Suzanne -- good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Daryn.

While some Republican lawmakers and nearly all U.S. allies have been cautioning President Bush about military action in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney made the strongest case yet for using armed forces to oust the Iraqi leader.

It was yesterday at a speech of war -- before war veterans that Cheney said that the international community must act before Saddam obtains nuclear weapons, that Iraq is a threat now, requiring the U.S. to use preemptive action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Many of us are convinced that Saddam Hussein will acquire nuclear weapons fairly soon. Just how soon, we cannot really gauge. Intelligence is an uncertain business, even in the best of circumstances. And this is especially the case when you are dealing with a totalitarian regime that has made a science out of deceiving the international community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, today, President Bush, as well as the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar, will be having lunch at Bush's Crawford ranch.

The White House says that they will talk about Iraq, as well as the war on terror. But there are sources that are close to the talks that say they also expect a number of delicate issues to also be raised, to come up in those talks.

Those sources saying that Saudi officials consider the accusations cited in an American lawsuit that Saudi officials paid al Qaeda $200 million for terrorists not to attack Saudi sites as ridiculous. That a lawsuit filed by September 11 victims against Saudi interests is -- quote -- "culturally offensive and undignified."

And that also, the emphasis of the meeting will be to stress that the leadership, the Saudi leadership does not sponsor terrorism. Also, to make the case that Saudi Arabia cannot and will not support any type of military action against Iraq. And finally, that Saudi officials are concerned about the negative press from the American media, saying they believe that it not only hurts Saudi Arabia, but the United States as well.

The White House says that President Bush is looking forward to Bandar's visit today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thank you.

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