Saudi Arabia - U.S. can't use key base

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The Saudi base Washington chose as its command and control center for the U.S. anti-terrorism offensive has been declared off limits for retaliatory flights, a Saudi official said Sunday.

The statement comes as Saudi Arabia seeks assurances the base would not be used to strike fellow Arab states as America readies to retaliate for the Sept. 11 attacks that toppled New York's World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon.

The Saudi official said the kingdom would not allow the United States to use the Prince Sultan Air Base, south of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for U.S. retaliatory attacks.

However, the U.S. State Department called the Saudi military cooperation with Washington "excellent."

Last week, the commander of the U.S. Central Command's air operations, Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Wald, shifted his operations from South Carolina to the base, and the two sides were still negotiating over what the Saudi role would be.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on ABC's "This Week" that "they (Saudis) have responded to all the requests we have asked them to respond to, and I'm sure there'll be more requests coming in the future."

However, the Saudi official said his country will not accept infringement on its sovereignty, but it fully backs action aimed at eradicating terrorism.

Gulf foreign ministers holding an extraordinary meeting in the Saudi Red Sea port of Jiddah on Sunday also expressed a similar concern.