Ahmadinejad to arrive in Saudi Arabia today for talks on future of Lebanon, Palestinians

MIDDLE EAST:Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in Saudi Arabia today on his first visit to the kingdom as his country's head of government.

He will hold talks with King Abdullah with the aim of promoting the formation of national unity governments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

Ali Larijani, Iran's chief national security official, paid two visits to Riyadh this year for discussions on these issues, while his Saudi counterpart, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, journeyed to Tehran to meet Iran's supreme guide, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate decision-maker in the country. The prince then went to Washington where he met US president George Bush.

The Mecca agreement to form a coalition between fundamentalist Hamas, a former Saudi protege which recently attracted Iranian support, and secular Fatah, a traditional Saudi ally, was one of the fruits of their joint efforts.

The dampening down of tension between the US-backed government of Lebanon and the opposition, led by Iranian ally Hizbullah, was another. Progress towards a unity government there depends on whether Iran can bring about reconciliation between Riyadh and Damascus.

Relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia ruptured when Damascus was accused of involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri, a business partner and friend of the Saudi ruling family.

Iran and Saudi Arabia would also like to reduce Shia-Sunni violence in Iraq, fearing that all-out civil conflict could destabilise the entire region. The two countries will be sending representatives to the March 10th meeting in Baghdad which is to be attended by the US. The object of the gathering is to encourage Iraq's neighbours to contribute to the pacification of country.

Mr Ahmadinejad is expected to try to drive a wedge between the Gulf states and Washington by reassuring the king that Tehran's nuclear programme is to provide power, not to build bombs.

Last December, Saudi Arabia and members of the Gulf Co-operation Council announced their intention to develop their own nuclear energy programmes. This is seen, in part, as a response to Iran's nuclear endeavours and has alarmed the US and Israel, which predict it could lead to a nuclear arms race in the region.

Concerned about the US naval build-up in the Arabian sea, the Arabs fear a new US military campaign in the region. Iran has said any new offensive would embroil Gulf states hosting US forces.

Last week Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa urged Tehran and Washington to resolve their differences by diplomatic means. To this end, Riyadh has offered its good offices.

While he was crown prince, King Abdullah reconciled with Iran after almost two decades of estrangement caused by the 1979 overthrow of the pro-western shah by the anti-US Shia fundamentalist Islamic revolution.

Analysts suggest that Iran, the sole Shia power, is seeking to allay Sunni concern over its potential domination of Iraq through its Shia-led government and to promote harmonious relations with Saudi Arabia, which represents the 90 per cent Sunni majority of the umma, the worldwide Muslim community.