In response to the report, Saudis consider nuclear bomb, by Ewen MacAskill and Ian Traynor, The Guardian, 18 September 2003:
ISLAMABAD, September 21
(Online): Pakistan Saturday nullified the story of British newspaper Guardian pertaining the alleged visit of Saudi Arabian team to Pak nuclear installations.
In response to a question regarding news item that appeared in the Guardian on September 18, 2003, alleging visit of a Saudi defence team to Pakistani nuclear facilities some four years ago, the spokesman responded that the newspaper article is based on hearsay and rumours.
He said that report is factually incorrect and any insinuation of Pakistan collaborating with any other country on any aspects of our unclear programme is pure fiction and baseless.
The Saudis are also denying the report [Experts warn of Saudi Arabia nuclear threat by Ian Mather, Scotland on Sunday, 21 September 2003] and a few experts have voiced concern. Among them:
Judith Yaphe, senior research fellow for the Middle East at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defence University in Washington, said that talk within the Bush administration about other US military interventions in the Middle East was fuelling Saudi fears.
“What we have said is: ‘We are the sole superpower, and that if we see something threatening us, we have the right to act preemptively.’ It raises the all-important question: ‘Who’s next?’ If you carry this fantasy of remaking the Middle East to its conclusion, with Iraq as the model to emulate, it’s not just going to be Syria or Iran, it’s going to be Saudi Arabia, it’s going to be the Gulf states, it’s going to be Egypt, it’s going to be everyone. I think it is in the realm of fantasy. But in the region, people are very worried.”
Yaphe added: “There are people who don’t put high value on our maintaining a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, or our need for Saudi oil, or the need for bases. Maybe that’s all gone and been replaced by this great new relationship we’re going to have in Iraq.”