In response to a story in the LA Times that Saudi Arabia will withhold support to Iraq until the security situation stabilizes, the Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Bandar Bin Sultan stated that “there is no change in the commitments that Saudi Arabia made at the donor's conference in Madrid and any reports of such changes are not correct."
LA Times reported yesterday that that Saudi government has decided to hold back the one billion dollars in assistance it promised to Iraq until a sovereign government takes office in the Arab state.
“Saudi Arabia is committed to supporting the reconstruction of Iraq and firmly believes that the United States should not go it alone,” said the prince in an embassy press release. “We stand with the world community in efforts to bring stability and peace to Iraq and relieve the suffering of the Iraqi people. To that end, we have already provided more than $60 million in aid to the Iraqi people, including food, water, medicine and supplies.”
“We also continue to maintain a field hospital in Baghdad with over 150 medical staff that has conducted thousands of medical operations and has evacuated more intensive cases to Saudi Arabia for special treatment. Saudi Arabia has also provided ten water purification plants to areas where potable water has been in short supply.” — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
