WASHINGTON, Dec 15: The US State Department said on Thursday Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador here recently visited Washington, adding spice to reports he was involved in a power struggle which caused his successor to quit.
Prince Bandar bin Sultan was his country’s top envoy to the United States for 22 years until 2004. The Washington Post reported on Thursday he was in the US capital recently to counsel top officials against heeding mounting calls for talks with Iran or Syria.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack reluctantly confirmed Prince Bandar met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, when pressed by reporters, but refused to divulge the substance of their conversation.
“I can't tell you the last time that he and the secretary met,” McCormack said. “I'm sure that it's been within the past several weeks, but I can't tell you exactly when.” The Post quoted diplomats as saying many Saudis believed Syria had betrayed the Arab world by leaning closer to Iran in recent months.
Saudi Arabia has shown increasing signs of concern over Tehran’s growing influence with Iraq’s Shia leaders, and its nuclear showdown with the West.
Interestingly, the mission of Prince Bandar, current Saudi national security adviser, seems to directly conflict, on Iran, at least, with recent statements on Tehran by his successor as ambassador Prince Turki al-Faisal.
Prince Turki set off a diplomatic mystery on Monday by suddenly resigning and leaving the United States for what were a Saudi official said were “personal reasons.” Among several theories about his departure, was a report that he was locked in a political feud with Bandar.
Signs of differences over Iran may hint at some of the reasons behind any clash, as Prince Turki has publicly urged the United States to enter into dialogue with Iran.
“Saudi Arabia talks to Iran frequently and frankly,” Prince Turki said during an an appearance at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies on Oct 4.
“I think for the United States not to talk to Iran is a mistake. We've found in our experience that when we did not talk to Iran -- our relations were broken for a period of a few years in the '90s -- we had more troubles with each other.—AFP
