Saudi Arabia is to allow the United States to use air command bases in its attempts to capture Osama bin Laden, according to a diplomat.
Neighbouring Qatar has also decided to let US cargo aircraft land to load with supplies pre-positioned in the emirate, the diplomat said.
"Saudi Arabia has no objection to the use of the facilities at Prince Sultan Air Base," he said. He denied reports the Saudis had resisted a request to use the command centre at the US-built base, 60 miles south of Riyadh.
The Saudi government has faced a dilemma over how to facilitate close ally Washington in the fight against terrorism directed at bin Laden, who was stripped of his Saudi nationality in 1994, and at Muslim Afghanistan.
President Bush also denied reports the Saudis resisted a request to use the military facilities. Some 6,000 US troops and dozens of warplanes are based in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal had announced on Wednesday the kingdom "will not avoid its duty" as part of the coalition against terrorism.
The Washington Postnewspaper quoted unnamed senior US officials saying Saudi Arabia will permit US troops and aircraft stationed on its soil to take part in action against bin Laden and Afghanistan, where he is protected by the Taliban Islamic militia.
The paper said that after receiving assurances, the Pentagon dropped plans to set up an alternate command centre elsewhere in the Gulf region.
"Bahrain's policy is that no (US) warplane will fly from its territory to bomb any friendly or brotherly state," the minister added.
AFP