[GOTFIVEONIT]

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (R) shows Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Saudi Arabian items from the Royal Collection in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London. Abdullah received a lavish welcome from the Queen at the start of a state visit, having already stirred protests and headlines with claims Britain is soft on terror.



Saudi king kicks off Europe tour amid protests

Tuesday, 30 October 2007

London, October 30: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah was set to officially kick off a controversial three-day state visit to Britain on Tuesday, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, amid planned protests.

The trip got off to an inauspicious start on Monday with London rebutting claims made by the king hours before his arrival that Britain failed to act on intelligence from his country that could have stopped the July 7 bombings.

In addition to that, some politicians and activists are planning demonstrations over alleged human rights abuses and corruption in Saudi Arabia.

The king was greeted by heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles when he arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport, and will stay at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II’s official residence in the capital.

In the late morning on Tuesday, he will be formally greeted by the queen, followed by a state carriage procession, before a state banquet at Buckingham Palace where both he and the queen will make speeches.

He is also set to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday, where they will likely focus on counter-terrorism, Iran, the Middle East peace process, Iraq and Lebanon, a Foreign Office official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

The official played down King Abdullah’s remarks in a BBC interview on Monday that Saudi Arabia had conveyed intelligence to Britain that could have prevented the 2005 London bombings which killed 52 commuters when four young British Muslims blew themselves up on London’s public transport system.

The king also told the broadcaster, through an interpreter: “I believe most countries are not taking this issue (the threat of international terrorism) too seriously including, unfortunately, Great Britain.”

Britain’s domestic security service MI5 says it had received “no prior warning” and while the Saudis did provide information about a possible attack in Britain, this was “materially different” from the London bombings. -Agencies




The Siasat Daily, 2004.
Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Abids, Hyderabad - 500001, AP, India
Tel: +91-40-24744180, Fax: +91-40-24603188
contact@siasat.com