S. Arabia rejects US request to use its territory for attacks

In Washington early Sunday, the State Department praised Saudi military cooperation and said it looked forward to continued assistance from the kingdom. A diplomat in Riyadh said the two sides were still negotiating.

America is preparing to “retaliate” for the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.

Washington blames a pan-Arab network of Islamic militants led by exiled Saudi dissident Osama Ben Laden for the attacks on New York and Washington that left more than 6,000 people missing or dead. Officials indicate a strike on Afghanistan, where Ben Laden has found a haven, could come at any time.

Saudi officials, though, say the United States cannot use the Prince Sultan Air Base, south of the Saudi capital Riyadh, for US “retaliatory” attacks. Last week the commander of the US Central Command's air operations, Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Wald, shifted his operations from South Carolina to the base.

“Saudi Arabia will not accept any infringement on its national sovereignty, but it fully backs action aimed at eradicating terrorism and its causes,” said the official, who refused to be identified further.

A diplomat in Riyadh, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Saudis were negotiating with the United States over the “anti-terrorism” campaign. The concern appeared to be the possibility other Arab states would be targeted.

In the past, Washington has accused Yemen, Sudan and Iraq of harbouring “terrorists.” People in those countries now fear a US attack.

The Saudis were pushing for a multilateral campaign that would allow them some influence over the targets of American “retaliation,” the diplomat said.

“Saudi military cooperation with our international effort has been excellent,” the US State Department said Sunday, adding the US president and secretary of state have said “there will be many facets to our international effort to bring to justice those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, including efforts in law enforcement, diplomacy and international finance. As we move forward, we will be looking to the Saudis and others for assistance in these efforts ....”

The United States and Saudi Arabia have been close allies for more than half a century. US troops have remained in the kingdom since leading the multinational coalition that ended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1991. Saudi Arabia hosts about 4,500 US military personnel and an undisclosed number of warplanes at Prince Sultan Air Base. US warplanes patrolling a “no-fly zone” over southern Iraq take off from Saudi Arabia.