Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Cairo on Friday dismissed media reports saying last June it loaned Egypt $500 million to help it patch its budget deficit.
“Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador in Egypt Ahmad ben Abdel Aziz Kattan dismisses information, transmitted by several media, that the king [bdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud] in June disbursed a $500 million loan,” the press service of the embassy said.
The message called on the media to be more “accurate and careful” when conveying such information.
Earlier, several Egyptian news outlets referring to an interview ambassador Kattan gave to Al Arabiya satellite TV, said that the kingdom has already given Egypt $500 million.
In late April, Saudi Arabia closed its embassy in Egypt and recalled its ambassador. The move was prompted by week-long protests on the steps of the Saudi embassy in Cairo. Saudi state television says the country pulled their ambassador for "consultations" after "unjustified demonstrations and protests" and "attempts to storm and threaten the security and safety of Saudi and Egyptian employees, raising hostile slogans and violating the inviolability and sovereignty" at the embassies in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.
