Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): A senior Saudi official called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy today to respect Saudi Arabia's conservative Islamic culture by visiting the country later this month without his former supermodel girlfriend.

Sarkozy, who divorced his wife Cecilia in October, has flaunted his relationship with Carla Bruni on recent holidays in Egypt and Jordan, drawing criticism that he is being too loose with the presidential image.

The Saudi diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Sarkozy should leave Carla Bruni behind for "religious reasons" when he visits the kingdom on January 13.

Under the strict interpretation of Islamic law enforced in Saudi Arabia, unmarried or unrelated couples are not permitted to be alone together. Westerners are expected to abide by the rules in public, and many hotels will not check unmarried Western couples into a single room.

Sarkozy's office said the composition of the delegation has not yet been finalised. However, several officials in France, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media, said Bruni was not planning to go to Saudi Arabia.

The French President was criticised by several Egyptian officials in December for sharing a room with Carla Bruni while in Egypt on vacation, local media reported. Saudi Arabia is more conservative than Egypt, where unmarried Western couples are allowed to share hotel rooms.

Source : PTI