RIYADH, 17 March 2004 — US Secretary of State Colin Powell will arrive here on Saturday after concluding his current tour of South Asia, diplomatic sources said yesterday.
Powell, who began his three-nation tour of Asia on Monday, is also scheduled to visit Kuwait.
In Riyadh he will hold wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, and Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the foreign minister.
“Powell will arrive in Riyadh on Saturday on a visit of several hours,” said a local diplomatic source.
Carol Kalin of the US Embassy in Riyadh said the embassy was awaiting the announcement of the full itinerary of Secretary of State Powell.
Other diplomatic sources said Powell’s talks with Saudi leaders will focus on regional developments, notably in Iraq and the Middle East.
The new US initiative for reform in the Arab world is likely to be another subject of bilateral discussions during the trip. The “Greater Middle East Initiative” has been widely rejected by Arab leaders, who say any reform must come from within rather than being imposed from outside.
“Powell’s visit to the Gulf will provide a chance for consultations on the full range of issues from Iraq to the Middle East peace process, including plans to cooperate more closely in the war on terrorism,” the source said.
“This will also provide an opportunity to assess the economic impact of US foreign policy, which is hurting the American interests in the region.
“The hostility between the Arab world and the US has become a cause of greater concern,” he added.
Powell’s Asian tour takes him to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan this week.
