RIYADH, 6 November 2007 — Saudi Arabia is currently studying offers from 14 local and international companies, which are interested in constructing the wall the Kingdom plans to build along its border with Iraq.

“We are now in the process of evaluating the proposals and the implementation will begin soon,” Prince Naif told reporters on Sunday evening.

Saudi Arabia announced last year that a wall would be built along its border with Iraq as a security measure to hinder the movement of people in both directions.

Regarding the signing of accords with other GCC countries for citizens to travel using their ID cards, Prince Naif said the Kingdom would soon sign similar accords with Kuwait and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia currently has agreements with the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman under which their citizens can enter the Kingdom using their national IDs and Saudis can enter the UAE and Oman using their ID.

The prince said he was “satisfied” with the level of security cooperation between GCC states. “We have become one (security) unit,” he said. “There is no need for an issue to be raised via a minister or through diplomatic channels. The head of public security, coast guard or intelligence can contact his counterpart in any of the GCC countries and finalize matters with him directly.”

Commenting on a security agreement expected to be signed between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Italy during the visit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Prince Naif said the agreement would be “comprehensive.”

“It will cover counter-terrorism, combating drug trafficking, combating money laundering, exchange of criminals, and information exchange,” he explained.

Regarding the trial of terror suspects held in Saudi prisons, Prince Naif said they would be tried soon. He stated earlier this year that two special courts would be established for trying terror suspects.

The prince described the rehabilitation program for inmates who have been released from Guantanamo Bay as “successful,” adding that it was able to assist them in reentering the Saudi community.

Prince Naif described the level of cooperation with foreign countries in terms of responses to warnings by the Saudi government of possible terrorist threats as “good.”

He also spoke about the turbulence in the region and hoped that no US strike on Iran would take place.