Bush to push Saudis for oil price cut

[emad]

April 24, 2005


Sarah Baxter, New York



PRESIDENT George W Bush will urge Saudi Arabia to curb rocketing oil prices when he meets Crown Prince Abdullah, the country’s de facto leader, tomorrow at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

The meeting is meant to be a relaxed occasion in which the leaders extend the long-held hand of friendship, but the American public has viewed the House of Saud with scepticism since the September 11 attacks, in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis.

With continuing turmoil in Iraq, movement towards democracy in the Middle East and Israeli-Palestinian relations in a new phase, the agenda would have been crowded even without the problem of sky-high oil prices, which is putting domestic pressure on Bush and slowing global economic growth.

Consumers, industry and the stock market were feeling the squeeze as oil prices last week topped $55 a barrel, double the amount when Bush was first elected in 2000. The Saudis have enjoyed a bonanza of wealth while the resentment of Americans at inflated petrol prices has intensified.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1582416,00.html

[mhr]

1. Saudis Already Pumping Flat Out - Opec No Longer Controls Price

This is nothing more than pandering to the media to make * look concerned. It will also justify more raping of the Earth as * claims to learn later that their is nothing the Saudis can do.

[Bob3]

2. Watch * crawl on his belly like a reptile

and bark like a dog for his Saudis.

[zoeb]

3. This is the Chimp's last ditch effort to save

his deficit, inflated economy that is beginning to tank.