Bush to Meet With Saudi Ambassador
President Bush will meet Tuesday with Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, to discuss “a variety of regional issues--and many other topics,” the White House announced Friday.
The meeting, to be held at Bush’s ranch near Crawford, Texas, highlights the rising tensions between Washington and Riyadh in the wake of the September terrorist attacks, in part because 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia.
Relations have been further strained as Bush in recent months has spoken repeatedly of his intention to effect a “regime change” in Iraq because he believes that President Saddam Hussein may acquire weapons of mass destruction--and use them or make them available to terrorists.
In appearances in Northern and Southern California on Friday, the president again talked of the threat posed by such leaders as Hussein, although Bush did not mention Iraq or its president by name.
Bush’s invitation to Bandar was announced by White House spokesman Ari Fleischer aboard Air Force One on Friday morning.
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Times wire services contributed to this report.
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