Saudi-US ties excellent, says Sultan

RIYADH, 11 March — Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, yesterday commended the excellent relations between the Kingdom and the United States. Speaking to reporters, he said there was nothing unusual in the upcoming visit of US Vice President Dick Cheney to the Kingdom. On the State Department’s criticism of the Kingdom on its human rights record, Prince Sultan said: “We are applying Shariah law.” He described press reports about his plans to tour a number of East European countries as baseless.