Saudi crown prince explainsnormalization idea, will tell Cheney the mistake of attacking Iraq

The Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has announced he will propose his peace initiative which include the questions of Jerusalem and the refugees and full normalization of Arab- Israeli relations after the pullout to 1967 border during the next Arab summit in Beirut but he said that the US did not officially support the initiative in full, noting that the details of "the negotiations on the refugees are left for the Israelis and the Palestinians."

The Saudi crown prince added in an interview broadcast on Friday evening by the US news network ABC that what he meant by full normalization is "ordinary relations like those linking us to other countries" including the exchange of ambassadors, trade and complete diplomatic recognition.

The Saudi crown prince said that most Arab states, including Syria, have approved the initiative which was declared few weeks ago in a close door meeting with the Journalist Thomas Freedman who wrote on this matter in the US daily New York Times.

On whether issues like the right of the return of the refugees and Jerusalem are open for negotiations, the Saudi crown prince said "Issues on Jerusalem and the refugees are governed in the initiative. Which are central and fundamental issues," noting that details on solving the question of the refugees should be left for the Palestinians and Israel. Abdullah described the relations between Washington and Riyadh as "very positive," and are built on long history goes back to more than 60 years but he expressed his regret because the incidents of September 11 "created doubts among some of our friends in the US." He added that the American criticism against Saudi Arabia in the beginning of the crisis "surprised us."

The Saudi crown prince said that the interest of the US and that of the region does not necessitate directing a military strike to Iraq. He added: "I do not think that such strike will attain its set objective and the same thing is applicable on Iran."

In a similar statement to the US CNN the Saudi crown prince added he will warn the US vice President Dick Cheney when he will be meeting with him today of the grave mistake of striking Iraq, noting the importance of preserving Iraq's unity as well as his rejection to dismembering Iraq. He sees that if Washington wants to topple Saddam Hussein it has to deploy an army on the territory of Iraq. He expressed his doubts that this will lead to an American victory.