- WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Saudi
Arabia overnight strongly denied a report in a British newspaper that it
was considering acquiring nuclear weapons.
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- "Reports that Saudi Arabia is considering acquiring
nuclear weapons are baseless and totally false," the Saudi embassy
in Washington said in a statement.
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- The Guardian, a left-wing British daily, reported overnight
that Saudi Arabia has embarked on a strategic review that includes considering
whether to acquire nuclear weapons. It said the move came in response to
political tensions in the Middle East.
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- The paper reported, without quoting its sources, that
a strategy paper being considered "at the highest levels in Riyadh"
set out three options:
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- - To acquire a nuclear capability as a deterrent; - To
maintain or enter into an alliance with an existing nuclear power that
would offer protection; - To try to reach a regional agreement on having
a nuclear-free Middle East.
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- It was not known whether Saudi Arabia had taken a decision
on any of the three options, the Guardian said.
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- The Saudi embassy here dismissed the report.
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- "Saudi Arabia has long advocated for a Middle East
that is free of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and there is no
basis to change current policies," the embassy statement said.
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- "Saudi Arabia is a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation
treaty and other UN conventions on weapons of mass destruction and non-proliferation.
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- "Reports that the Kingdom is seeking nuclear, biological
or chemical weapons are motivated by malice and have no grounding in the
truth," the statement said.
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- Until now, the assumption in Washington was that Saudi
Arabia was content to remain under the US nuclear umbrella, according to
the paper.
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- But the relationship between the Saudis and the United
States had steadily worsened since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks
on New York and Washington.
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- The Guardian added that the Saudi authorities were unnerved
by the possibility of Iran and Israel having nuclear weapons.
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- Copyright 2003 News Limited.
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- http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7310684%255E1702,00.html
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