UK News 12-10-2001 74% Back Blair But Saudis Say No Thanks who: Tony Blair what: Completes Middle East shuttle diplomacy mission where: EGYPT when: Yesterday snippet: "Support for military action against Afghanistan has grown since the bombing campaign started with nearly three out of four Britons giving their backing," says a Guardian/ICM survey published today. But the prime minister`s shuttle diplomacy mission, which ended yesterday after visits to ten countries in three weeks to bolster Arab support for the war, "suffered a serious setback," reports The Telegraph, "when Saudi Arabia refused to receive him". "As the birthplace of Islam," says the report, "the kingdom feels that it must show solidarity with fellow Muslims in Afghanistan despite its clear condemnation of the attacks on America blamed on Saudi-born bin Laden." In Egypt yesterday, Tony Blair stressed the importance of reinvigorating the Middle East peace process to win the battle for public opinion in the Muslim world, reports the BBC. "All the moderate and sensible parts of Arab opinion know we are right to act in Afghanistan and they support that," he said. But they do point out they have genuine problems with their own people thinking we have lost interest in the Middle East peace process. We have to counter that." [... more]

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