RIYADH, March 11: US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld is expected to arrive here within a couple of days to hold talks with Saudi officials on issues of mutual concern, the Saudi Al-Riyadh daily reported here.

During his short stay here, Mr Rumsfeld is expected to tell Saudi officials that Washington plans to open a new southern front from Saudi Arabia in case of war against Iraq, US sources here were quoted as saying.

Mr Rumsfeld’s visit to Saudi Arabia will come amid reports that American forces are present at the Saudi air bases of Arar and Tabuk for ‘defensive and humanitarian’ purposes.

The US official will meet Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz and second deputy prime minister, minister of defence and aviation and Inspector-General Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, the report said.

The visit will also take Mr Rumsfeld to Kuwait and Qatar.