CAIRO, 30 August - Saudi Arabia yesterday blasted Iraqi claims that Saudi border patrols had infiltrated its territory and described the Iraqi statement as pure misinformation.
In a memorandum to the Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, Saudi Ambassador Faisal ibn Hasan Tarad said that what happened on the border on Aug. 25 was the opposite ? an Iraqi incursion into Saudi territory.
Tarad also denied the Iraqi allegation that Saudi Arabia is taking part in the US-British attacks against the country. ?We have replied to such falsifications several times. They are totally baseless,î he added.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom?s commitment to the Arab League Charter and held Iraq fully responsible for its continuous aggressive acts against the Kingdom. He urged the secretary-general to circulate the memorandum to all member countries.
?On that night at 11.00 p.m., five armed Iraqis encroached on Saudi territory by about 800 meters. At that time three patrolling officers of the Saudi border guard were standing near the border,î he explained.
Tarad said the Iraqi intruders surprised the Saudi officers by firing at them. ?They injured Saad Ali Al-Salby, a Saudi solider. They took him to Iraqi territory. We don?t know whether he is dead or alive,î he added.
Tarad, the Kingdom?s permanent representative to the Arab League, presented the memorandum in response to an Iraqi statement on Sunday that the Saudi officer was killed during a clash between Iraqi border guards and an armed Saudi group. Baghdad said the Saudi officer died after he was transported to a hospital in Samawa, south of Iraq.
The Saudi ambassador said the Kingdom has taken a photograph of the area where the incident took place.
“It shows the marks of the Saudi soldier while he was being dragged along the ground and even blood from his injuries. We have also kept the bullets they used to fire against Saudis,” he said.
This is not the first time the Iraqi forces have encroached into the Kingdom to create tension, the ambassador said, adding that such action will not help the Iraqis.
Tarad said the Iraqi border attacks, which come at a time when the Arab world is extending its full support to the Palestinian people in their fight against Israel, will only serve to turn the attention from the real issues.
“These Iraqi actions have no explanation except as a move to abort the efforts in support of the Palestinians,” he added.
The Saudi official said the Iraqi action was also aimed at turning world attention from the suffering of Iraqi people from the Baghdad regime’s oppressive and inhuman policies.
The Saudi ambassador said the Kingdom presented the memorandum to clarify the facts after Baghdad had complained to the Arab League secretary-general about the incident.
