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US waives sanctions on Saudis over religious rights
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-01 08:50
With high oil prices affecting the U.S. economy and dragging on President
George W. Bush's popularity, Democrats have charged he has largely ignored Saudi
Arabia's rights record for fear of causing any backlash from the oil supplier.
Prominent Saudis dismiss as politically motivated U.S. criticism of the
country's strict Wahhabi brand of Islam.
In contrast to its decision on Saudi Arabia, the United States decided to
sanction Eritrea by banning military exports to the Horn of Africa country, the
officials said.
Vietnam, the third country added to the blacklist last year, has avoided
sanctions after agreeing to improve its record, they added.
The other countries the United States considers serious violators of
religious freedom are North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, Iran and China.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an agency
established by Congress to promote religious freedom, has recommended this year
that three allies should be added to the blacklist: Pakistan, Uzbekistan and
Turkmenistan.
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