Jeddah, July 19: The United States has not asked Saudi Arabia to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq, the kingdom's foreign minister said today, stressing such a request would have to come from a legitimate Iraqi government. "I believe the kingdom is not prepared to send troops to Iraq unless the request was made by a legitimate Iraqi government," Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference here.

"Nothing of this has happened," Prince Saud said in response to a question on whether Washington had asked Riyadh to send troops to help the US-led coalition stabilize Iraq.
The Saudi chief diplomat however reiterated Riyadh's welcome of the formation of a US-backed interim governing council in Iraq, and hoped this would lead to the setting-up of a permanent national government in Baghdad.


"The kingdom considers the establishment of the (governing) council a positive step towards the restoration of civil institutions and normal life in this sisterly country," he said.

He also expressed Riyadh's support for a bigger UN role in Iraq in keeping with Security Council Resolution 1483.

Prince Saud said that the kingdom was pursuing active contacts with other Arab countries to hold a meeting to discuss the future of post-Saddam Hussein Iraq and the future of the region.

Saudi Arabia will not open a representative office for the Iraqi governing council on its territory, said the minister, adding, "Diplomatic representation should come after a legitimate government is formed in Baghdad."

Bureau Report