Tantawi requests King Abdullah to reconsider decision By Muhammad Al-Ahmadi Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH/CAIRO — Saudi Arabia Saturday recalled its ambassador to Cairo and closed its diplomatic missions in Egypt. An official spokesman, quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said the measures were taken in response to demonstrations outside the Kingdom's missions in Egypt and threats following the announcement of arrest of Egyptian lawyer Ahmad Muhammad Al-Sayed, known as Al-Jizawee, in Jeddah. The spokesman described the protests as unjustified. “There were unjustified attempts to storm Saudi diplomatic missions threatening the security and safety of its personnel of both Saudi and Egyptian nationalities,” the spokesman said. The Saudi Embassy in Cairo and consulates in Alexandria and Suez were closed for an unspecified period. Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi made a telephone call to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and expressed hope that the Kingdom will reconsider its decision of recalling its ambassador and closing its missions, reported SPA late Saturday. The King said that he will consider this issue during the coming days in the light of circumstances and the interests of the two countries. Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Qattan, the Kingdom's Ambassador to Egypt and its Permanent Representative in the Arab League, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that diplomats and employees of the Saudi embassy and consulates had not yet left Egypt. Al-Jizawee was arrested two weeks ago at Jeddah's King Abdul Aziz International Airport when customs department personnel discovered that his suitcase contained 21,380 Xanax tablets. Al-Jizawee claims that he was asked to deliver the suitcase to someone in Jeddah. Saudi investigation teams have intensified their efforts to uncover the truth about the whole operation which started in Cairo. __
