The Saudi Foreign Ministry said late Thursday that the enactment of the US legislation allowing 9/11 victims to sue the Kingdom would weaken sovereign immunity and leave a negative impact on all nations.
A ministerial source said the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) would contribute to the “erosion” of the principle of sovereign immunity, which has governed international relations for hundreds of years, read a statement on the state-run news agency.
The source further added that this would have a negative impact on all nations, including the United States.
The source explained that many nations oppose JASTA as well as many American national security experts, who are aware of the “dangers” JASTA represents.
These “dangers” were the reason why President Barack Obama, the US Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of the CIA have expressed their opposition to JASTA as it has been drafted.
The official source concluded by expressing “hope that wisdom will prevail and that Congress will take the necessary steps to correct this legislation in order to avoid the serious unintended consequences that may ensue.”
The US legislation passed by the Congress on Wednesday would allow families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for damages.
The US congress voted overwhelmingly to override President Barack Obama’s veto of the JASTA law. It also triggered a wave of reaction both in the US and its allies.
— Al Arabiya-English
