Saudi Arabia asked Blair to cancel visit

DUBAI, Oct 11 (Reuters): Saudi Arabia, eager to distance itself from the western campaign against Afghanistan, asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to cancel a planned visit to the kingdom, a Saudi-owned newspaper reported today.

The London-based Asharq al-Awsat quoted "informed sources" in London as saying the kingdom told Blair, Washingtons partner in the strikes on Afghanistan, before he set out on a visit to Oman yesterday that it could not receive him.

"The source explained that this was because the Saudi leadership was sensitive about its role and position in both the Arab and Islamic world," the Arabic-language daily said.

Officials travelling with Blair said logistical reasons had prevented the Prime Minister from visiting Riyadh.

"We did have discussions about including Riyadh in the trip.

It simply was not logistically possible," a Blair spokesman told journalists in Muscat.

"But we hope there will be a chance to visit Riyadh in the near future," he added.

Blair arrived in Oman yesterday to inspect troops conducting military exercises and to drum up Arab support for the attacks.

Asharq al-Awsat said he had been expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, later in the day.

The newspaper said Blair telephoned Saudi crown Prince Abdullah on the subject, but had apparently failed to persuade Saudi Arabia to receive him.

US and British warplanes have been pounding Afghanistan since Sunday, as part of a "War on Terrorism", in retaliation for last months suicide attacks on New York and Washington in which thousands of people were killed or were missing.

The United States has said Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, who is hiding in Afghanistan, was the prime suspect in the attacks.

Saudi Arabia has condemned the September 11 attacks on the United States but did not publicly take a stand on the US Military operations against Afghanistan.