Bush Wants Saudia Arabia to Ease Tensions

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183982,00.html

Bush Wants Saudia Arabia to Ease Tensions

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration appealed Monday to Saudi Arabia to use its influence in the Arab world to help ease tensions sweeping the Middle East and western Europe over published cartoons of Islam's prophet Muhammad in Denmark.

While European and Muslim politicians around the world called for calm, the administration urged Saudi Arabia to take a leadership role to stem Muslim protests.

"Certainly the leaders of the Saudi government might be individuals who might fulfill that role," spokesman Sean McCormack said. "There are others in the region who also might fulfill that role as well."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan, meanwhile, issued a broad appeal to "all governments to take steps to lower tensions and prevent violence."