US rejects Saudi view of Iraq as occupied

Washington, Mar 30: The United States today rejected Saudi Arabia's charge that Iraq is under an ''illegitimate foreign occupation'' and said US troops are there at Iraq's invitation, under a UN mandate.

The crossfire reflecting growing differences between the two long-time allies at a time when the Saudis are taking on a greater leadership role in West Asia.

Saudi King Abdullah rattled Washington yesterday by telling an Arab summit that, ''In beloved Iraq, blood flows between brothers in the shadow of illegitimate foreign occupation and hateful sectarianism, threatening a civil war.'' White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the United States and Saudi Arabia have a close and cooperative relationship but made clear the Bush administration did not agree with the king's statement.

''When it comes to the coalition forces being in Iraq, we are there under the UN Security Council resolutions and at the invitation of the Iraqi people,'' she said.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, acknowledged the administration was ''a little surprised to see those remarks'' and would seek clarification from the Saudis.

He said it was possible the king's comments might have been misinterpreted as a result of translation problems or could have been misreported by the media but expressed confidence the episode would not disrupt cooperation between Washington and Riyadh.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Saudi Arabia was a good friend and ally and he did not want to dissect the king's remarks.

''Everyone shares a common interest in seeing an Iraq that is whole and that is free and that is at peace and prosperous for all Iraqis,'' McCormack said.

The king's speech was only the latest sign of a split between Washington and its key oil supplier and traditional West Asia ally.

Last month, Saudi Arabia played host in Mecca to talks that led to an agreement between the Islamist group Hamas and the Fatah group of US-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a unity government to end Palestinian infighting.

The agreement caused problems for Washington because it enhanced the status of Hamas, which the Bush administration sees as a terrorist organization.

Reuters