Iran on agenda as Bush visits Saudi Arabia

Bush’s first visit to the kingdom came as his administration notified Congress of its intent to sell US $20 billion in weapons, including precision-guided bombs, to the Saudis. The announcement was timed to coincide with the President's arrival in the Saudi capital.

It is “a pretty big package, lots of pieces”, US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley told reporters on Air Force One.

The sale is an important part of the US strategy to bolster the defences of its allies in Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing majority Sunni Muslim Gulf nations against threats from Shiite Iran.

The official announcement will start a 30-day review period during which Congress could try to block the sale, which has raised concern among some lawmakers.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states harbour deep suspicions about Iran’s apparent designs to establish itself as a major power and have reacted sceptically to the conclusions of intelligence estimate about Iran.

While Abdullah has tried to push some reforms on education and women’s rights, and there have been limited municipal council elections, the King has been cautious and limited in his efforts. He apparently has been hampered by others in the royal family worried that fast changes could upset the country’s conservative clerics and citizens.

Earlier, in Dubai, Bush got a flavour of the cosmopolitan banking and business hub, his second stop in the seven-state UAE federation.

After watching a group of girls dancing rhythmically to Arabic music, Bush had lunch with students of the Dubai School of Government, a research and teaching institution that focuses on public policy in the Arab world. The President and his hosts sat on cushions, set in a circle, their food in bowls on the floor before them.

“I’m most impressed with what I’ve seen here. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong, and equally importantly, the desire to make sure all aspects of society have hope and encouragement,” Bush later told a gathering of entrepreneurs.

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