U.S., SAUDIS PREPARE FOR BOLSTERED MILITARY TRAINING

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- Saudi Arabia and the United States are completing
details for an accelerated military training schedule for 2004.

The U.S. Defense Department has drafted a schedule for bolstered military
training of the Saudi military and National Guard over the next year. The
proposal has been relayed to Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul
Aziz and will be discussed in early 2004 during the resumption of annual
defense dialogue between the two countries.

The Pentagon has sent a new chief for the U.S. military training program to
Saudi Arabia. In November, the new U.S. training chief met Prince Sultan in
what was termed as the opening of the discussion of an accelerated U.S.
training effort for the kingdom.

Later, Asa Hutchinson, deputy secretary for homeland security, visited the
kingdom and discussed security cooperation and visa controls with Saudi
officials. Hutchinson told the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat that the United
States intends to increase training for Saudi security forces.

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