Saudi Ambassador: U.S. Attack On Iran Would Be 'Catastrophic'
By David Greising, Chief business correspondent
Chicago Tribune
April 21, 2006
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. warned of "catastrophic" consequences should the American military strike Iran to prevent it from building nuclear weapons and called on the U.S. to build new refineries to help reduce oil prices during a wide-ranging interview in Chicago.
"The consequences of war in our region are going to be catastrophic," Prince Turki al-Faisal told the Tribune's editorial board. "Iran is not going to just sit back and accept being bombed. They're going to strike back."
The best solution to a nuclear threat in the Middle East, he said, is for all nations--including Iran and Israel--to agree to nuclear disarmament. "Our part of the world should be free from weapons of mass destruction, including nukes, and we feel there should be a ban on all weapons of mass destruction, including Israel and Iran," Turki said.
Turki expressed hope that Iran ultimately would accept an offer from Russia to allow Iranian scientists to conduct research in Russia aimed at developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In remarks after a luncheon speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of Chicago, Turki noted that Saudi Arabia has a particularly strong stake in the Iranian nuclear issue.
"Even a nuclear accident in a nuclear facility [in Iran] would have dire consequences for the kingdom," he said, noting that winds would carry radiation into Saudi Arabia.
Turki's remarks about Iran's nuclear ambitions came as oil prices have spiked to record highs, thanks in part to concerns over Iran's nuclear plans and the continuing fallout from the war in Iraq.
Turki warned that high oil prices can add to the threat of terrorism in the world by causing further economic hardship in poor countries. He urged the U.S. to invest heavily to increase refinery capacity to eliminate a bottleneck that affects prices as much as the rising cost of crude oil.
"Your country has to find some other way of doing things to increase your refining capacity," he said. "I think you should think of investing abroad."
Saudi Arabia is investing in China, South Korea and India, he said. The Saudis also are searching their oil fields for new reserves and are investing $50 billion to increase production to 12.5 million barrels a day by 2009, up from 10.5 million barrels today.
Turki, the onetime Saudi security chief, became ambassador to the U.S. after the longtime Saudi ambassador, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, abruptly stepped down last July. Turki warned against political or military moves that might further destabilize the Middle East.
Turki said efforts by the U.S. and European governments to weaken the newly elected Hamas leadership of the Palestinian Authority may backfire. "Hamas uses this issue to say to the people, `We have been fairly elected by you, and in attacking us, they're attacking you,'" he said.
As for Iraq, the debate over whether civil war has erupted misses the point, Turki said.
"What is happening is the breakdown of law and order," he said. "It undermines the establishment of a central power that can deal with the needs of the Iraqi people."
Asked whether he sees any progress in Saudi efforts to persuade the U.S. government to release 132 Saudi citizens held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as part of the U.S. detainee program, Turki expressed measured optimism.
"There is a clear indication on both our governments' sides to remove this issue as an obstacle," he said. "None of these people have been convicted of anything, none of them have been accused of anything. It's an anomaly."
Turki is visiting Chicago for two days as part of a nationwide "listening and sharing tour" aimed at increasing American awareness of Saudi Arabia's domestic reforms, its efforts to fight terrorism and its desire to improve Saudi-U.S. relations.
Chicago Tribune
April 21, 2006
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. warned of "catastrophic" consequences should the American military strike Iran to prevent it from building nuclear weapons and called on the U.S. to build new refineries to help reduce oil prices during a wide-ranging interview in Chicago.
"The consequences of war in our region are going to be catastrophic," Prince Turki al-Faisal told the Tribune's editorial board. "Iran is not going to just sit back and accept being bombed. They're going to strike back."
The best solution to a nuclear threat in the Middle East, he said, is for all nations--including Iran and Israel--to agree to nuclear disarmament. "Our part of the world should be free from weapons of mass destruction, including nukes, and we feel there should be a ban on all weapons of mass destruction, including Israel and Iran," Turki said.
Turki expressed hope that Iran ultimately would accept an offer from Russia to allow Iranian scientists to conduct research in Russia aimed at developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In remarks after a luncheon speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of Chicago, Turki noted that Saudi Arabia has a particularly strong stake in the Iranian nuclear issue.
"Even a nuclear accident in a nuclear facility [in Iran] would have dire consequences for the kingdom," he said, noting that winds would carry radiation into Saudi Arabia.
Turki's remarks about Iran's nuclear ambitions came as oil prices have spiked to record highs, thanks in part to concerns over Iran's nuclear plans and the continuing fallout from the war in Iraq.
Turki warned that high oil prices can add to the threat of terrorism in the world by causing further economic hardship in poor countries. He urged the U.S. to invest heavily to increase refinery capacity to eliminate a bottleneck that affects prices as much as the rising cost of crude oil.
"Your country has to find some other way of doing things to increase your refining capacity," he said. "I think you should think of investing abroad."
Saudi Arabia is investing in China, South Korea and India, he said. The Saudis also are searching their oil fields for new reserves and are investing $50 billion to increase production to 12.5 million barrels a day by 2009, up from 10.5 million barrels today.
Turki, the onetime Saudi security chief, became ambassador to the U.S. after the longtime Saudi ambassador, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, abruptly stepped down last July. Turki warned against political or military moves that might further destabilize the Middle East.
Turki said efforts by the U.S. and European governments to weaken the newly elected Hamas leadership of the Palestinian Authority may backfire. "Hamas uses this issue to say to the people, `We have been fairly elected by you, and in attacking us, they're attacking you,'" he said.
As for Iraq, the debate over whether civil war has erupted misses the point, Turki said.
"What is happening is the breakdown of law and order," he said. "It undermines the establishment of a central power that can deal with the needs of the Iraqi people."
Asked whether he sees any progress in Saudi efforts to persuade the U.S. government to release 132 Saudi citizens held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as part of the U.S. detainee program, Turki expressed measured optimism.
"There is a clear indication on both our governments' sides to remove this issue as an obstacle," he said. "None of these people have been convicted of anything, none of them have been accused of anything. It's an anomaly."
Turki is visiting Chicago for two days as part of a nationwide "listening and sharing tour" aimed at increasing American awareness of Saudi Arabia's domestic reforms, its efforts to fight terrorism and its desire to improve Saudi-U.S. relations.
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