September 18, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 20, 1424

RIYADH, Sept 17: The US Treasury Secretary John Snow, currently on a nine-day tour of the Middle East and South Asia, reached Jeddah on Wednesday morning on a two-day-long visit. The visit is aimed at urging the Saudi government to bolster intelligence sharing, money-laundering laws and regulation of banks and charities.

He was also expected to discuss the possibility of raising money for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, countries cooperating with the US have frozen $137 million in assets tied to alleged extremist groups, according to the US Treasury Department.

Seeking to rebuild momentum, the regional visit by Mr Snow would take him to Israel, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

A joint task US-Saudi task force has been set up here, and for the first time Saudi Arabia has allowed members from the FBI and other US departments be stationed in the country.