RIYADH Saudi Arabia denied Saturday that its Oil Minister, Ali al-Nuaimi, had been robbed in a Rome hotel, saying he had not visited the city for two years. Italian police said Friday that thieves stole 115,000 dollars, seven watches, jewelry and other valuables from Nuaimi's room at the Grand Hotel St. Regis Wednesday night. But in a statement sent to AFP Nuaimi's office said he had not left the kingdom since returning from an oil conference in Vienna three weeks ago and had not been to Rome for two years. The statement called on Saudi newspapers, several of which picked up the report from Rome, "not to publish false news about Saudi officials hastily."

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