BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 28 (UPI) -- Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Friday his country turned down an invitation from U.S. President Bush to attend the Group of Eight summit.
Saudi daily al-Hayat, monitored in Beirut, quoted al-Faisal as saying: "Riyadh has no intention to participate in the parley at all."
The United States addressed invitations to six Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Morocco, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, to attend the parley in Sea Island, Ga., June 8-12.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak also apologized for not attending the summit citing previous commitments.
Washington had hoped to discuss democratic reform in the Arab world, known as the Greater Middle East Initiative, at the summit, along with leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia.
