Sultan: we did not sever relations with Baghdad

The Saudi defense minister prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz said yesterday that Saudi Arabia has not severed its relations with Iraq. He indicated that " they ( he Iraqis) were the ones who severed relations with us since 1991 following their invasion of Kuwait."

Sultan added in a ceremony held in honor of retired army officers " the Kingdom had not severed the relations ( with Iraq), they are the one who severed relations with us by arms. And if they drop the weapon and do not attack us by weapons we will be brothers." Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz announced in June that Iraq does not constitute a threat to Saudi Arabia, adding that Riyadh does not intend to normalize its relations with Baghdad.

Saudi- Iraqi relations have witnessed a normalization attempt during the recent Arab summit in Beirut in March in a meeting between the Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Deputy Chairman of Revolution Command Council Izzat Ibrahim.