Britain's foreign secretary not allowed to visit Saudis

Britain's relations with Saudi Arabia were under renewed strain Monday after the Arab kingdom refused a fence-mending visit by Foreign Secretary Francis Pym. Diplomatic sources said Saudi Arabia would not allow Mr. Pym to visit Riyadh later this month because Britain refused to accept a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization in an Arab League peace mission to London. The sources said Mr. Pym had wanted to visit Riyadh to placate the Saudi rulers and head off any threat of a costly trade boycott against Britain. The British Foreign Office said the dates proposed by Mr. Pym were not convenient for the Saudis and sought to play down suggestions of a serious diplomatic rift.