US waives sanctions on Saudis over religious rights

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has postponed punishing Saudi Arabia, its close ally and key oil supplier, for restricting religious freedom -- the first time Washington has waived punishing a blacklisted country under a 1998 law targeting violators of religious rights.

U.S. officials said on Friday the Bush administration had decided to delay imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia for six months.

The decision reflects the delicate balance the United States has sought to strike with Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia as it promotes expanding freedoms at the risk of irking governments needed to support its oil and terrorism policies.

In a rare official rebuke a year ago, Washington designated Saudi Arabia as one of only eight countries worldwide that could be sanctioned. The blacklisting in an annual report said religious freedom did not exist in the kingdom.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050930/ts_nm/religion_saudi_usa_dc