SAUDI MOI HEAD SAYS IF U.S. LEAVES IRAQ, SAUDI

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 009175

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY PARA 7 ADDED.

SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/I AND NEA/ARP FOR SWALKER/BSHUKAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/25/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PTER KISL IZ SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI MOI HEAD SAYS IF U.S. LEAVES IRAQ, SAUDI
ARABIA WILL STAND WITH SUNNIS

REF: RIYADH 7097

RIYADH 00009175 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).

1.(S) SUMMARY. Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Naif bin
Abdul Aziz told Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fl) on December 16
that the U.S. should not leave Iraq until its sovereignty has
been restored, otherwise it will be vulnerable to the
Iranians. He said the Saudis will not support one Iraqi
group over the others and that the Kingdom is working for a
united Iraq. However, he warned that, if the U.S. leaves
precipitously, the Saudis will stand with the Sunnis. Naif
lauded cooperation with U.S. intelligence agencies, but
complained about anti-Muslim bias on the part of Americans.
END SUMMARY.


2. (S) Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz
told Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fl) on December 16 that he had
just finished meeting with the Iranian ambassador to the
Kingdom, adding that the most important issue discussed was
Iraq and the need for transparency with respect to any
efforts there. Naif insisted that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia
must agree on a policy approach for Iraq, adding that there
is "no justification to leave Iraq as a playground for Iran."
"We must respect its sovereignty," he said.


3. (S) Saudi Arabia does not interfere in Iraq's internal
affairs, claimed Naif, even though the instability there
directly impacts the Kingdom. Iraq is a "training ground"
for terrorists, he said, who then come to Saudi Arabia. He
acknowledged that the U.S. is doing its best to restore
Iraq's sovereignty, saying this will improve the U.S.' public
image in the region. In response to Senator Nelson's
question about what more the Saudis could do to engage Iraq's
Sunni leadership, Naif stated that Saudi Arabia currently
does not have a role to play. He continued that, given a
clear understanding between the USG and the SAG, "we could
establish channels with the Sunnis to get them to engage."
However, any role the SAG decides to undertake would not be
"pro any group." He emphasized Iraq's diversity and said the
Saudis would only facilitate a united Iraq. (NOTE: This
message, as well as that of noninterference in Iraq's
internal affairs, was a consistent theme in all of Senator
Nelson's meetings. Each of his interlocutors emphasized that
the Saudis would not support the Arab Sunnis to the exclusion
of other groups and would not interfere in Iraq's internal
affairs. END NOTE.)


4. (S) Naif told Senator Nelson that Saudi Arabia's position
would be complicated by a precipitous U.S. withdrawal from
Iraq, saying it would be unacceptable for the U.S. to remove
Saddam Hussein and then leave the country "in a mess." Were
that to happen, he claimed, the Saudis would exhaust all
efforts to effect the unity of Iraq, including working with
the Sunnis. He clearly asserted that there is no Saudi
support for sectarian violence. He continued that the SAG
has advised Iraq's Sunni leaders to unite with the government
because Saudi Arabia will "stand with any group supporting a
united Iraq." He also said the Saudis have contacts with
Iran and are pushing the Iranians to leave Iraq. If they do
not, he stated, there will be problems between the Arabs and
Persians. Naif continued that it is the duty of the U.S. to
remain in Iraq until it is united and sovereign. However, if
the U.S. were to withdraw, said Naif, "Saudi Arabia would
stand with the Sunnis -- as would some other countries."


5. (S) Senator Nelson acknowledged the cooperation between
the Ministry of Interior, the CIA, and the FBI on
intelligence matters. Naif said the "painful reality" is
that terrorists are targeting the Kingdom, in part because of
its relationship with the U.S., while there are some in the
U.S. who think that Saudi Arabia is cooperating with the
terrorists. He invited other members of Congress to visit

RIYADH 00009175 002.2 OF 002


the Kingdom, explaining that it is important for the American
people to understand the mutual cooperation and respect that
exists between the two countries. Saudi Arabia itself, he
said, has suffered greatly from terror acts, emphasizing that
cooperation is the only way to achieve stability.


6. (S) Naif closed by alleging that anti-Muslim bias appears
to be pervasive in the U.S. post-9/11. He complained about
the difficulties many Saudis have in obtaining U.S. visas,
questions on the supplemental forms for males that he claimed
are insulting to many, and the difficulties many Saudis
encounter upon entrance to the U.S. He also complained about
the Homaidan Al Turki case (reftel),calling it another
example of anti-Muslim bias. In a comment that surprised his
U.S. interlocutors, Prince Naif asserted that Al Turki could
not have sexually assaulted his Indonesian housemaid "because
she is so ugly." Naif noted that mutual respect is key to
facilitating the bilateral relationship.


7. (U) CODEL Nelson has not reviewed this message.
GFOELLER