JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- U.S. President George W. Bush's desire to cut U.S. dependence on Mideast oil shows a "misunderstanding" of global energy supply and the critical role of Saudi Arabia, the vice chairman of Chevron Corp. said.

Peter Robertson said the United States would be better off working for "interdependence" with oil producing countries rather than seeking to cut dependence.

"This notion of being energy independent is completely unreasonable," Robertson said to a largely Saudi audience at the Jiddah Economic Forum. "I don't think anyone actually believes that the U.S. can end its dependence on oil in the Middle East at all."

Bush in his State of the Union address this month pledged to cut U.S. dependence on Middle East oil by 75 percent by 2025.

"Quite frankly, I think these comments reflect some misunderstanding of global energy supply. I believe Middle Eastern oil can and must play a certain role in the system," Robertson said. "Saudi Arabia's massive resources will continue to promote international energy security and serve as a moderating force in balancing supply and demand."

Robertson said singling out the Middle East for a reduction in U.S. oil imports would be difficult, since oil is a commodity traded on the open market. What's more, he said, that would require more expensive oil imports from elsewhere.

Chevron is also lobbying heavily against proposals floated in the U.S. Congress to raise taxes on oil earnings, after oil companies made record profits as a result of skyrocketing oil prices.

Many Saudis were angered by Bush's statements, feeling that the Middle East is owed a debt after providing the crucial ingredient in building the mighty U.S. economy.

"Can you imagine a world without Saudi oil?" asked Khaled Zeinal, executive director of Saudi firm Xenel Industries. "America was built and prospered on cheap oil from the Middle East, particularly from Saudi Arabia."

Chevron, which grew out of Standard Oil Co. of California, got its first concession in Saudi Arabia in 1933 and opened its first office in the country in 1934, Robertson said.

While Chevron has sponsored programs in the United States to "combat racial hatred and bigotry against Arabs," Robertson said, the oil giant is not the appropriate public relations voice for Saudi defense.

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