Saudis say they won't use oil as 'weapon'

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah delivered a stern warning Thursday to President Bush at a meeting in Crawford, Texas, about the risks the United States faces if it continues pursuing a Middle East policy widely perceived in the Arab world as favoring Israel.

But a Saudi adviser said his government would not use oil as a diplomatic tool to force U.S. concessions in the region or to change U.S. policy with Israel.

"Oil is not a weapon," said Adel Al-Jubeir, a foreign policy adviser to the Saudi government. "Oil is not a tank. You cannot fire oil. We have always said we support stable oil supply and will not use oil as a weapon."

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bush emphasized the common ground between the United States and Saudi Arabia, saying the two nations share a vision for peace in the Mideast.

The president said topics of discussion included the war on terror and the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians. He also praised Abdullah for his leadership and vision in proposing a peace plan in which Israel would exchange land for peace with Arab nations.

"Our two nations share a vision of two states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security," Bush said. "I reiterated that all parties have responsibilities to help achieve that vision. The Palestinian Authority must do more to stop terror. Israel must finish its withdrawal, including resolutions of standoffs in Ramallah and Bethlehem, in a nonviolent way."

He added, "We discussed the need for Arab states to condemn terror, to stop incitement of violence, and as part of a long-term peace, to accept Israel as a nation and a neighbor." The two also agreed that an international effort is needed to provide humanitarian aid "to the many innocent Palestinians who are suffering."

The president and the prince met in Crawford for nearly five hours -- considerably longer than the one hour originally scheduled. Bush took Abdullah on a tour of his ranch, driving in a pickup truck over the 1,600-acre spread, and the two lunched at the president's ranch house.

"It went on for a while, because there was a lot to discuss," Bush said.

The president said he and the Saudi crown prince established a "strong, personal bond" during their meeting. "We spent a lot of time alone discussing our respective visions, talking about our families," he said.

Abdullah 'doesn't mince words'

But Al-Jubeir told reporters Abdullah had warned Bush about the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"The crown prince speaks directly. He is sincere and he doesn't mince words -- just like the president," Al-Jubeir said. "The message is, if the violence does not diminish, there will be grave consequences for the U.S. and its interests in the region."

Al-Jubeir said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must withdraw Israeli troops from Palestinian cities and towns, end the sieges of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at Ramallah and around the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and submit to a swift United Nations fact-finding mission in the Jenin refugee camp, which was attacked by Israel.

He said the fundamental difference between the two nations is that "the U.S. thinks Arafat is the problem, and we think Sharon is the problem." Sharon's actions constitute a real threat to peace in the region and could jeopardize relations between the United States and other Arab nations, Al-Jubeir said.

"If Sharon is left to his own devices, he will drag the region over a cliff," he said.

Al-Jubeir also said U.S.-Saudi relations are not threatened by the Middle East crisis. He said both nations are trying to leverage Abdullah's peace proposal, which calls for Israel to withdraw to its 1967 borders in exchange for full diplomatic recognition and peace with all Arab nations.

White House officials said Bush will press Abdullah to do more to denounce terror attacks against Israeli civilians and restrain state-run media outlets from lionizing suicide bombers.