DHAKA: Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief has said the kingdom will make a ‘major shift’ in dealings with the United States in protest at its perceived inaction over the Syria war and its overtures to Iran.

A source close to Saudi policy said on Tuesday, reports The Straits Times.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan told European diplomats that Washington had failed to act effectively on the Syria crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was growing closer to Tehran, and had failed to back Saudi support for Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011, the source said.

It was not immediately clear if Prince Bandar’s reported statements had the full backing of King Abdullah.

‘The shift away from the US is a major one,’ the source close to Saudi policy said.

‘Saudi doesn’t want to find itself any longer in a situation where it is dependent.’

BDST: 1929 HRS, OCT 22, 2013
RoR/GCP