WASHINGTON – The sharp diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Canada hasleft Washington — partners and allies of both — in a bind, but the StateDepartment on Tuesday nevertheless urged Riyadh to respect due process fordetained activists.

Saudi Arabia has expelled Canada s ambassador, recalled its own envoy andcut off trade ties with Ottawa after the US neighbor denounced a crackdownon rights activists in the kingdom.

“Both sides need to diplomatically resolve this together. We can t do itfor them,” said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

The United States “raised” the case with Riyadh, she said, adding: “TheUnited States has respect for internationally recognized freedoms and alsoindividual liberties. That certainly has not changed.”

Saudi Arabia notably was angry with Canada for demanding that Riyadh”immediately release” some of the detained activists.

It has suspended scholarships for Saudi students in Canada and plans torelocate them to other countries, and the state airline Saudia issuspending flights to Toronto.

Nauert stopped short of criticizing the detention of rights activists inSaudi Arabia

“Some of these issues we choose to discuss privately with our friends, withour partners, with our allies,” Nauert said.

“I can tell you however we have raised these issues and I ll leave it atthat.”

Earlier, another State Department spokeswoman told AFP on condition ofanonymity that Washington had asked Riyadh for more information about thecases of several detained activists.

“We continue to encourage the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure all areafforded due process and to provide information on the charges and casestatus of legal actions against activists,” she said. – APP/AFP