The United States has taken a "step back" from its support of a Saudi plan to achieve Mideast peace by launching its own plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, a top Saudi official said.
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Nawaf also called President Bush's call for a change in the Palestinian leadership "illegitimate." "Do the Americans accept to be told who they should elect and who should be their president?" Nawaf told the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in comments published on Saturday.
Nawaf, who is the brother of Saudi King Fahd, questioned why Bush floated a plan to break the Mideast crisis after earlier supporting a Saudi peace proposal, which won wide Arab endorsement.
"I wonder why the U.S. wants to take such a long shot when we have a readymade initiative that has all the elements of success," Nawaf reportedly said.
Nawaf asked "why (would America) take a step back?" after it had earlier welcomed Abdullah's plan as a "valid and comprehensive (peace) project." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
