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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Arms offer as Bush visits Saudis | Arms offer as Bush visits Saudis |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Bush administration has notified the US Congress that it intends to go ahead with a major sale of sensitive military technology to Saudi Arabia. | The Bush administration has notified the US Congress that it intends to go ahead with a major sale of sensitive military technology to Saudi Arabia. |
| It made the announcement just hours after US President George W Bush began his first visit to the kingdom, as part of a tour of Gulf Arab allies. | It made the announcement just hours after US President George W Bush began his first visit to the kingdom, as part of a tour of Gulf Arab allies. |
| The laser-guided bomb technology sale is worth $123m (£63m). | The laser-guided bomb technology sale is worth $123m (£63m). |
| Mr Bush is believed to have stayed up late on Monday for talks with King Abdullah at his palace in Riyadh. | Mr Bush is believed to have stayed up late on Monday for talks with King Abdullah at his palace in Riyadh. |
| What happens in Saudi Arabia happens for the most part behind closed doors so there has been little detail of Mr Bush's visit so far, says the BBC's Matthew Price who is travelling with him. | What happens in Saudi Arabia happens for the most part behind closed doors so there has been little detail of Mr Bush's visit so far, says the BBC's Matthew Price who is travelling with him. |
| Israeli-Palestinian talks, democracy and oil prices all probably featured in the president's initial discussions with the king, but when tensions over Iran's nuclear activities came up, it was apparently not for long, our correspondent adds. | Israeli-Palestinian talks, democracy and oil prices all probably featured in the president's initial discussions with the king, but when tensions over Iran's nuclear activities came up, it was apparently not for long, our correspondent adds. |
| 'Israel consulted' | 'Israel consulted' |
| The 900 satellite-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions being sold to Riyadh are part of a long-awaited US arms package for Gulf Arab allies worth $20bn. | The 900 satellite-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions being sold to Riyadh are part of a long-awaited US arms package for Gulf Arab allies worth $20bn. |
| King Abdullah awarded Mr Bush the Saudi Order of Merit | |
| In Washington, Democrats signalled they were unlikely to block the deal, though some in Congress expressed fears that some of the technology being sold could threaten Israel, the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington reports. | In Washington, Democrats signalled they were unlikely to block the deal, though some in Congress expressed fears that some of the technology being sold could threaten Israel, the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington reports. |
| The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Democrat Joe Biden, said Congress needed to be convinced that the sale made sense militarily, and would not harm the security of America and its allies. | The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Democrat Joe Biden, said Congress needed to be convinced that the sale made sense militarily, and would not harm the security of America and its allies. |
| Two Democratic Representatives, Anthony Weiner of New York and Robert Wexler of Florida, said Saudi Arabia was not a "true US ally in the war on terror" and did not help US interests in the Middle East, Reuters reports. | Two Democratic Representatives, Anthony Weiner of New York and Robert Wexler of Florida, said Saudi Arabia was not a "true US ally in the war on terror" and did not help US interests in the Middle East, Reuters reports. |
| But US state department spokesman Sean McCormack said that both the Saudi and Israeli governments had been consulted. | But US state department spokesman Sean McCormack said that both the Saudi and Israeli governments had been consulted. |
| "We have spent a lot of time ensuring that we abide by our commitments to a qualitative military edge... for Israel," he added. | "We have spent a lot of time ensuring that we abide by our commitments to a qualitative military edge... for Israel," he added. |
| Staying friendly | Staying friendly |
| Mr Bush is due to visit the Saudi king's horse farm with its Arabian stallions on Tuesday - the US president has hosted the Saudi monarch at his own ranch in Texas in the past. | Mr Bush is due to visit the Saudi king's horse farm with its Arabian stallions on Tuesday - the US president has hosted the Saudi monarch at his own ranch in Texas in the past. |
| King Abdullah's lavish farm is reported to provide air-conditioned stables and aqua-therapy for the horses. | King Abdullah's lavish farm is reported to provide air-conditioned stables and aqua-therapy for the horses. |
| Correspondents say that while both governments are eager to contain Iran's growing regional influence, they differ on the best way of doing this. | Correspondents say that while both governments are eager to contain Iran's growing regional influence, they differ on the best way of doing this. |
| In contrast to Washington's tough line on Tehran, the Saudis are said to want to explore how far they can deal with the Iranians, with previously tense Saudi-Iranian relations improving in recent months. | In contrast to Washington's tough line on Tehran, the Saudis are said to want to explore how far they can deal with the Iranians, with previously tense Saudi-Iranian relations improving in recent months. |