US embassy cable - 90RIYADH6309

S E C R E T RIYADH 06309 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL: OADR 
TAGS:  MARR, MOPS, PREL, SA, US 
SUBJECT:  TKFU01:  POSSIBLE U.S.-SAUDI AGREEMENT ON U.S. 
FORCES IN SAUDI ARABIA 
 
REF:  JEDDAH 1792 
 
1.  (SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT). 
 
2.  WHILE AMBASSADOR WAS IN THE AIR BETWEEN JEDDAH TO 
RIYADH, A VERY TIRED AND ANGRILY IMPATIENT FOREIGN 
MINISTER SAUD AL-FAISAL TELEPHONED DCM DUNFORD TO ASK 
WHERE THE WASHINGTON RESPONSE TO HIS REQUEST FOR AN 
URGENT AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE INTRODUCTION OF U.S. 
FORCES INTO SAUDI ARABIA WAS. 
 
3.  UPON AMBASSADOR'S RETURN TO RIYADH, HE SPOKE TO 
FOREIGN MINISTER BY TELEPHONE.  BY THIS TIME, SAUD HAD 
BEEN BRIEFED BY HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM AND HAD SPOKEN BY 
TELEPHONE TO SAUDI ARABIA'S AMBASSADOR IN THE U.S., 
PRINCE BANDAR.  SAUD SAID THAT SAUDI ARABIA REGARDED 
CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT ALONG THE LINES HE HAD 
SUGGESTED IN HIS AUGUST 8 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND 
UNDERSECRETARY WOLFOWITZ AS A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE 
AND URGENCY.  HE SAID THAT HE HAD ASKED PRINCE BANDAR 
IMMEDIATELY TO IMPRESS THIS POINT UPON THE USG IN 
WASHINGTON. 
 
4.  SAUD SAID HE WAS LEAVING THIS EVENING FOR CAIRO, BUT 
EXPECTED TO RETURN TOMORROW, AUGUST 10.  BY THAT TIME, HE 
SAID, HE HOPED WE WOULD HAVE AN AGREEMENT READY FOR 
SIGNATURE. 
 
5.  DEPARTMENT PLEASE REPEAT TO JEDDAH. 
 
 
FREEMAN