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Saudis slightly boost oil output as Bush visits - Reuters
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia announced a modest increase in oil output on Friday after an appeal from visiting President George W. Bush but the news did little to douse prices that hit a new record earlier in the day. On his second visit to the world's biggest oil-exporter this year, Bush renewed his call for OPEC to increase production amid rising pressure at home to take action as soaring fuel prices weigh on the U.S. economy.. ..The United States, the world's largest energy consumer, also reached agreements with Saudi Arabia to help it protect oil resources and develop peaceful nuclear energy. The announcement came as Bush ended a three-day trip to Israel where he vowed to oppose Iran's nuclear ambitions. Tehran says its program is peaceful but Bush said it would be "unforgivable" if Iran were allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Hadley said Bush and King Abdullah believed "Iran, working directly and through Syria, was very much behind what happened in Lebanon", where Hezbollah has routed fighters loyal to the government backed by Saudi Arabia and the West. They also discussed how to "confront Iran's negative actions and behavior and increase pressure on Iran".. ..Prince Saud objected to Bush's outspoken support for Israel during a speech to the Knesset in Jerusalem on Thursday in which the U.S. president referred to the Israelis as "chosen people," saying that the Palestinians were entitled to rights as well.
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Saudis announce slight oil output increase - USA Today
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia � Saudi Arabia announced a slight increase in oil output after a meeting between King Abdullah and President Bush on Friday, but the kingdom's leaders said they are powerless to bring down rising gas prices. The decision to raise oil output by modest 300,000 barrels a day went into effect on Saturday and gives Bush a small victory amid mounting pressure from lawmakers and motorists at home where fuel prices are approaching four dollars a gallon.
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Oil Efforts Are Best Possible, Saudis Say - Washington Post
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 16 -- Saudi leaders told President Bush on Friday that they are doing all they can to increase oil production, gently turning aside the president's efforts to bring down prices more rapidly. After a meeting with Bush and his advisers Friday afternoon, Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi announced that the kingdom decided last week to increase production by about 300,000 barrels a day to meet increased demand from customers for June.
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Saudis Rebuff Bush, Politely, on Pumping More Oil - NY Times
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia � President Bush used a private visit to King Abdullah�s ranch here on Friday to make another appeal for an increase in oil production that might give American consumers some relief at the gasoline pump. The Saudis responded by announcing they had decided a week ago on a modest increase of 300,000 barrels a day. The White House said the increase would not be enough to lower gasoline prices, which are nearing $4 a gallon, and industry analysts called it mostly symbolic. But Mr. Bush�s request, his second in five months, coupled with rising anti-Saudi sentiment in the Democratic-led Congress, underscored the growing tensions between the countries over oil.
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Saudi raises oil output to highest in two years after pleas from George Bush
Saudi Arabia has disclosed, during a visit to the Kingdom by George Bush, that it has lifted oil production to its highest in two years. But the agreement to pump an extra 300,000 barrels per day did little to relieve runaway oil prices, which had earlier struck a record high of nearly $128 a barrel.. ..The announcement from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest producer, to increase supplies by 3.3 per cent to 9.45 million barrels per day came during the second trip made by President Bush this year to visit King Abdullah in Riyadh. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said: "On May 10, we raised supplies to customers by increasing 300,000 barrels per day of oil (output) .. In the future if the need appears, Saudi Arabia has no objection to producing more."
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U.S.-Saudi Arabia Memorandum of Understanding on Nuclear Energy Cooperation - Media Note - State Dept
Today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation. The Government of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will establish a comprehensive framework for cooperation in the development of environmentally sustainable, safe, and secure civilian nuclear energy through a series of complementary agreements. Both of our countries face growing energy needs and we seek to address them in a responsible manner that contributes to reducing the effects of greenhouse gases on the global climate. The United States will assist the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to develop civilian nuclear energy for use in medicine, industry, and power generation and will help in development of both the human and infrastructure resources in accordance with evolving International Atomic Energy Agency guidance and standards. Saudi Arabia has stated its intent to rely on international markets for nuclear fuel and to not pursue sensitive nuclear technologies, which stands in direct contrast to the actions of Iran.
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Bush in Saudi Arabia for Nuclear Deal - VOA
U.S. President George Bush is in Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Washington and Riyadh.. ..the two leaders are expected to reach agreement on civilian nuclear technology.
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Beseeching the Saudis - Wall Street Journal
We don't know who advised President Bush to go on bended knee to Saudi Arabia yesterday, to plead with King Abdullah to ramp up oil supply and ease prices at the American gas pump. But about that adviser, our suggestion to the President is: Fire him � or her.. ..As it is, rising prices are less a reflection of inadequate supply than they are of the dollar's collapse. For proof, look no further than Europe, where gas prices haven't risen nearly as sharply as they have in the U.S. We never like to see an American President of either party go begging. But if Mr. Bush really needs to beseech a political authority, he'd be better served turning to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, creator of our current commodity-price spike.
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White House Notebook: No question, Bush not doing Q&A - AP
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) � No question about it: President Bush hasn't given reporters a chance to ask him anything on this Mideast journey. On foreign trips, Bush often holds mini-news conferences with his hosts, during which two U.S. reporters and two local media representatives get to ask questions. Yet there is not a single such session on his agenda this time as Bush tackles Mideast peace and soaring oil prices in stops through Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. By comparison, Bush held four of these "press availabilities" in five days during a trip to Africa in February. These impromptu back-and-forths are not always announced like news conferences, but are fairly common. Through the first three days of his current five-day trip, he has not had one.
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