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. -News for Wed. 17 April to Fri. 19 April 2002


Oil Not a Weapon, Says Saudi Arabia


VOA News
19 Apr 2002 13:31 UTC
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AP Photo
AP
Saud al-Faisal
Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its opposition to using an Arab or Muslim oil embargo to support the Palestinian uprising against Israel. Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said his country will continue its support of the Palestinian uprising but does not believe in using oil as a weapon. He said Saudi Arabia will continue to produce oil and will "do what is necessary to keep demand at a good level."

 The Saudi foreign minister made the remarks after meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was responding to questions about how Saudi Arabia - the world's top oil producer - would react to the 30-day oil embargo announced last week by Iraq.

 He said Saudi Arabia believes in using oil as a resource for development and investment "not as a tank or a gun." Oil, he said, will provide the resources needed to support the Palestinian uprising.

 The Saudi foreign minister thanked Mr. Putin for his country's support of a Saudi Middle East peace initiative that calls for normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab countries in return for Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands and establishment of a Palestinian state.
 
 

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