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The Reporter
Jaap van Vesel / Washington

U.S. wary of over-endorsing Saudi plan

Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman of Lebanese descent from California, has dropped a plan to go to the Arab summit in Beirut at the end of March, to lobby for the Saudi

peace initiative. "My Arab friends advised against it, since open U.S. involvement might be counterproductive," Issa told The Report. Instead, he�ll travel after the summit.

The congressman�s decision highlights a Washington dilemma. It has embraced Crown Prince Abdullah�s ideas, but is pondering how actively to lobby for them. Yasser Arafat has said American support is essential. But too many U.S. fingerprints could be damaging given the anti-U.S. mood in the Arab world.

During his mid-March Middle East tour, Vice President Dick Cheney strove to preserve the integrity of the Saudi proposal in quiet diplomacy, recruiting Jordan and Egypt as allies. U.S. officials say the language must not be weakened -- that Abdullah�s talk of "normal relations" for Israel with all Arab states, should it withdraw from the territories, is not replaced by "peaceful" relations as some would prefer.

Many members of Congress consider the initiative a PR ploy, intended to improve the Saudi image after September 11. The skeptics also argue that the Saudis want to complicate U.S. efforts to rally Arab support for overthrowing Saddam.

The administration has attempted to turn the tables, with a message that says: We are sensitive to your criticism that we neglected the Palestinians. We are embracing the Saudi initiative, and promoted an evenhanded resolution in the Security Council. We are criticizing the Israeli reprisals. Now it is up to you to support us on Iraq. In their public declarations, at least, Cheney�s Arab hosts were not buying.

(April 8, 2002)

  

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