ABU DHABI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - A request by the United Arab Emirates central bank for local banks and finance companies to provide details of the accounts of 19 Saudi Arabian citizens was just an information-gathering exercise, the central bank governor told reporters on Wednesday.
The request earlier this month followed a sweeping corruption investigation in Saudi Arabia that involved the detention of dozens of businessmen and officials.
Asked about the request, Mubarak Rashed al-Mansouri said it was “just information-gathering, nothing more”. Commercial bankers have expressed concern that it could be a prelude to freezing the accounts. (Reporting By Stanley Carvalho and Saeed Azhar; Writing by Tom Arnold; Editing by Andrew Torchia)
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