VOL. XLI

No. 50

14-December-1998

Saudi Finance Minister Denies Abu Dhabi $5Bn Loan Reports

The Saudi Finance Minister, Mr. Ibrahim 'Abd al-'Aziz al-'Assaf, on 5December denied in a report published by the Arabic daily Asharq al-Awsat that SaudiArabia is seeking a $5bn loan from the UAE. Mr. 'Assafs remarks were in response toa report in the UK daily the Financial Times on 4 December which said that due to low andfalling oil prices the Kingdom was going to have to "turn to its neighbor Abu Dhabi...