Weinberger Confers with Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister

U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger conferred today for close to four hours with Defense Minister Prince Sultan Ben Abdel Azziz of Saudi Arabia in what observers said was another American attempt to urge the Saudis to press Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and accept the Israeli-Lebanese agreement negotiated by Secretary of State George Shultz.

Weinberger refused to comment on today’s meeting. But Saudi sources said Abdel Azziz made it clear that Saudi Arabia will share its views with Damascus “but will not, under any circumstances, agree to be an instrument of one Arab state putting pressure on another Arab state.” Shultz said earlier this week that he hoped Saudi Arabia will advise Syria to pull out its 40,000 men when Israel’s 20,000 soldiers leave Lebanon.

Saudi sources in Paris stressed that Saudi Arabia will do nothing contrary to what Syria sees as its interests but said they believed that Syria will eventually agree to withdraw its troops from Lebanon on its own.

Abdel Azziz said yesterday, as he left the Elysee Palace after a meeting with President Francois Mitterrand, “There can be no comparison between Israel’s and Syria’s positions in Lebanon. Israel attacked and invaded Lebanon, while the Syrians entered Lebanon at the request of that country and their departure depends first and last on the wishes of the Lebanese people.”

The Saudi minister came to Paris to negotiate a new arms contract which will provide for a 12-year training program for Saudi naval personnel and the sale of French electronic equipment. The first contract, signed in October, 1980, provided for the sale of $2 billion worth of French naval and air equipment.

Abdel Azziz’s meeting here today with Weinberger was arranged by the U.S. Defense Secretary about a week ago, American officials said. Shortly after the meeting, Weinberger left for Washington.