Mar 30 - Apr 5, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 4] ~~~~~~~~~

Saud to Address US-Arab Economic Forum [Apr 4]
" Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal will address the 3rd annual US-Arab Economic Forum, which is scheduled in Washington DC on May 7-9. Prince Saud said at the USAEF in 2003, 'It is our hope that the turmoil our region has undergone in the past few years will be replaced by stability, prosperity, and peace. For this to happen, we must focus on finding solutions to the region’s problems and improving the lives of its inhabitants. The United States can play a constructive role by providing leadership, talent and resources.. ..The forum, hosted by the American Middle East Economic Affairs Committee (AMEEAC) in cooperation with the League of Arab States, strives to enhance bilateral relations between the United States and Middle East. By bringing together top business, government, academic and cultural leaders, the forum acts as a catalyst for change and facilitates economic collaboration, cultural dialogue and innovation.." [more]

There's No Room For Fundamentalism in Islam [Apr 4]
"Highlighting Islam's moderation and tolerance, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Alu Al Shaikh, reiterated that there is no room for fundamentalism and extremism in the divine religion. He also underlined the need to combat all deviant groups and their ideologies that inflict severe damage on the image of Islam as a tolerant religion.. ..He called upon youths to strictly abide by these principles, especially the moderation advocated by the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in all his deeds and sayings. Referring to the Prince Sultan Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies, the Mufti said: "We hope this chair will encourage scholarly research based on moderation, without excess or carelessness.." [more]

Saudi Returns Remains of Iraqi Soldiers [Apr 4]
"The remains of 62 Iraqi soldiers killed in the 1991 Gulf War were repatriated from Saudi Arabia, ending years of "painful uncertainty" about their fate, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. The humanitarian agency reported in a statement that the body of a seven month old Iraqi baby girl who died in a refugee camp at the time was also returned under a bilateral deal that had been negotiated over a long period. The 63 bodies, exhumed in northern Saudi Arabia near Iraqi borders, were transported through Kuwait and handed to Iraqi authorities.. ..It is to be noted that another 77 bodies are buried at the unnamed site still await exhumation and identification by forensic experts.." [more]

Mobily Floats 20 Percent Equity in Saudi Arabia [Apr 4]
"Etihad Etisalat, the second mobile service provider in Saudi Arabia, announced the completion of listing 20 per cent equity of founders in the Saudi Capital Market. 'The process of selling 100 million shares by founding shareholders in line with the percentage of stake held by each in the company has met with a resounding success,' the company sources said. This was in line with the royal decree issued for the formation of the company to launch the second mobile phone company in Saudi Arabia, ending the monopoly of Saudi Telecom. The royal decree envisages floating of 20 per cent equity for subscription by the public in the third year after formation of the company.." [more]

China Refinery Set to Process Saudi Oil [Apr 4]
"PetroChina’s Dalian refinery, one of China’s largest by capacity, has added a major diesel unit as part of a wider expansion program, and expects to process its first Saudi crude oil in September, industry officials said. The firm completed last week a 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) hydrotreating facility for diesel and kerosene, one of six major secondary units to fully match its primary crude processing capacity of 400,000 bpd, they said... ..Once the hydrocracker is on line, Dalian will start processing Saudi crude under a one-year supply contract with Saudi Aramco for Arab light cargoes. The Saudi oil deal is part of a broader pact the world’s top oil producer reached with the second-largest oil consumer early this year, said a second official. He did not give a volume for the contract. China has agreed to boost crude imports from Saudi Arabia by nearly 40 percent this year, or about one-tenth of China’s total oil consumption.." [more]

Saudis Plan to Invest in Rice Production Overseas [Apr 4]
"Saudi businessmen plan to invest in rice production in foreign countries to secure a steady supply of the commodity to the Kingdom, the secretary general of the Asharqia Chamber in the Eastern Province said Wednesday. Adnan A. Al-Naeim, Secretary General of Asharqia Chamber, said the recent move by India to ban the export of rice to importing countries like Saudi Arabia 'clearly indicates that we are under the mercy and dictates of rice producing countries.' Rice producing countries like India, Egypt, the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam have either banned or slashed their export quotas or increased their prices, thereby jacking up series of price hikes in importing countries. 'The Kingdom is not a rice producing country; we are always under the control of exporters who dictate the price. The best option we have is to become rice producers ourselves by investing in agriculture in countries that still have vast land for rice production'.." [more]

Capitalism Has Failed to Address Major Issues [Apr 4]
"A three-day international conference on Islamic economics ended yesterday urging Islamic banks to address problems such as poverty and unemployment in Muslim countries. The conference, hosted by King Abdulaziz University (KAU), adopted a number of important recommendations to promote Islamic economics in the world. Nearly 1,000 delegates from across the globe, including several pioneers in Islamic economics, attended the forum.. ..the KAU conference came at a time when capitalism had failed to address major international economic issues including poverty, inflation and unemployment. 'We should present Islamic economics to the world as the best solution to its problems in a convincing manner,' he said. The conference urged universities and research centers in Muslim countries to prioritize Islamic economics and encourage research in the field. It also called on Islamic banks and financial institutions to fund such research projects, especially on topics relating to boosting economic development and fighting poverty and unemployment.." [more]

Oil Scene: A Drab Debate Becomes Interesting [Apr 4]
"Being at the top is not easy. Somehow Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude producer, has been dragged into the debate about Canadian oilsand and if it is clean enough to be used or not. In an interesting tussle, a virtually unnoticed clause was added almost at the least moment to a US energy bill that bars the government, in particular the Department of Defense, from using Alberta crude because it is deemed unconventional and too dirty.. ..Strategic resource analyst Paul Michael Wihbey recalling the November OPEC summit, said it was then that for the first time Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi “took a swipe at the oilsands.” He claimed the minister then said “Canada is one of the world’s costliest oil producers and requires high prices to remain viable.” Al-Naimi had suggested the Saudi product was a better value for investors, claiming, it costs $40 to $60 a barrel to produce the oilsands crude from the massive reserves.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 3] ~~~~~~~~~

No Paper, No Peace – Abbas [Apr 3]
"Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday he would withhold any assessment of the peace process with Israel until the two sides start putting a draft accord on paper. 'I can’t speak of progress as long as we have not started to edit a draft. When we start drafting we will feel we have started to make progress,' he told reporters in Cairo after meeting Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak. So far, Abbas said, the two sides aiming for a peace deal by the end of 2008 as targeted by Washington have only had 'exchanges of ideas, a dialogue ... in depth.'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia is Interested in Ending Lebanon Crises [Apr 3]
"Democratic Gathering MP Elie Aoun said 'contrary Hezbollah claims, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is at equal distance from all the parties in Lebanon' , pointing out that Saudi Arabia is interested in helping Lebanon to stand on its feet and end its current crisis.. ..Aoun ( pictured) said 'Saudi Arabia is seeking to solve the crises of Lebanon and this is what distinguishes it from other countries ', in reference to Syria's efforts to maintain the crises in Lebanon, by its support for the Hezbollah-led opposition only. He added : 'While Saudi Arabia is trying its best to have an election in Lebanon for the president of the republic , which it sees as the key to ending the crises, other parties including the Syrian regime and its allies in Lebanon are putting pressure on Saudi Arabia to achieve specific gains at the expense of the interests of Lebanon'.." [more]

Saudis, Turks May Develop Nuclear Weapons [Apr 3]
"According to a report submitted to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Saudi Arabia most likely would develop nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them. The report has been prepared by a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee after interviewing hundreds of individuals in Washington and the Middle East. The report says Turkey will come under pressure to follow suit if Iraq builds nuclear weapons in the next decade. The report says that while Turkey and Iran do not see themselves as adversaries, Turkey believes the current power balance between them is the primary reason for a peaceful relationship.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Plans Islamic Forum Against Extremism [Apr 3]
"Saudi Arabia plans to hold a conference of senior Muslim clerics from around the world this year to promote moderation in Islam and fight extremism, a newspaper reported on its Web site on Thursday. It was not clear if the event is linked to a call by King Abdullah last week for dialogue of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Such a meeting will be a milestone for the kingdom where a hardline school of Sunni Islam holds sway and has influenced al Qaeda and its Saudi-born leader Osama bin Laden. Liberal reformers in Saudi Arabia are engaged in a battle with religious hardliners over the direction of the country, a key U.S. ally and the world's biggest oil exporter. Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat said the plans to organise a conference of Islamic scholars would be pursued in April and May with an eye to holding the event later this year.." [more]

Labor Law Precludes Mingling Restrictions – Prince Khalid [Apr 3]
"Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, the Emir of Makkah, reiterated that the Ministry of Labor is the only authority responsible for the application of rules governing women’s employment in businesses. Prince Khalid’s directives came in a memo to all public agencies in the Makkah region, including the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.. ..The letter refers to the new labor law, which cancels a previous bylaw that disallowed women mingling with men in the workplace. This bylaw has been superseded by a general bylaw within the new labor law that is applicable to both women and men. Prince Khalid’s circular came in response to a request for clarification sent to the Governorate by the executive director of Khadeja Bint Khuwailid Center at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, about women’s participation in national development and obstacles facing women.." [more]

Religious Police Held After Fatal Car Chase [Apr 3]
"Two members of Saudi Arabia’s religious police have been held for questioning over their suspected involvement in the deaths of two men and two women in a car chase near the holy city of Madinah, a newspaper reported yesterday. They were arrested by Madinah police, along with a member of the regular police who was said to be in their patrol when it was involved in the chase on Monday.. ..Arab News quoted witnesses as saying that members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, or religious police, pursued the car in which the four victims were driving before it overturned 20km outside Madinah. 'Commission officials were chasing the car in which the four were travelling,' one unidentified witness said. Three passengers died at the scene and the fourth died later in hospital. The paper quoted the commission’s chief in Madinah, Fahd al-Khidr, as calling the allegations baseless and denying that his men were involved.." [more]

US CG Gives Scholarships to Jeddah Students [Apr 3]
"The US Consulate General in Jeddah on Monday awarded scholarships to 15 male students and 15 female students to pursue English language studies.. ..The ACCESS English scholarship program provides two years of free English language instruction to outstanding 14-18-year-olds through a local partnership with Direct English, an English language institute. Students from the Jeddah area were openly invited to apply, and were selected based on their school records and age. Nearly 200 Saudi boys and girls are currently enrolled in the scholarship program in seven cities across the Kingdom.." [more]

Kingdom-India Strategic Relationship Need of Hour [Apr 3]
"Saudi Arabia and India should forge a strategic relationship and enhance their roles in the developing world, speakers at a meeting here said. Speaking at a conference on Saudi-Indian relationship, Saudi Ambassador to India Saleh M. Al-Ghamdi said, 'The security interests of Riyadh and New Delhi will be best served by a strong strategic cooperation that needs to be supplemented by an equally strong commercial and cultural relation.'.. ..Several proposals were presented at the meeting to promote Saudi-India strategic relationship. Those included setting up of an exclusive Indo-Arab University, motivating more Saudi students to go to India for higher studies, activating the existing Saudi-Indian Business Council, establishing a business conclave and holding closer interactions in cultural fields .." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 2] ~~~~~~~~~

CNN Hails King Abdullah’s Inter-Faith Dialogue Initiative [Apr 2]
"..In a report in its main bulletin, CNN highlighted the King’s call for dialogue among the three monotheistic religions for the protection of humanity from frivolousness and his role in supporting the peace process in the Mideast. Octavia Nasser, CNN’s correspondent, said King Abdullah has made history by his initiative, which was welcomed by religious quarters. David Rosen, head of the Religions Dialogue Committee said, 'Let us agree to shake hands with the hand that has been extended to Christians and Jews.' Meanwhile, political analyst Dr. Maurice Jones said if it were possible for a leader to accomplish an achievement as regards peace, then King Abdullah is the most capable leader for doing that. 'The US is hopeful that King Abdullah is capable of doing a lot for realizing peace in the entire region,' Dr. Jones said.." [more]

Hezbollah Criticizes Saudi Arabia [Apr 2]
"The Hezbollah militant group criticized Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, accusing it of siding with Lebanon's Western-backed government in its power struggle with the Syrian-allied opposition. The comments came only days after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal slammed Syria and its Lebanese allies for obstructing an Arab League initiative to help Lebanon elect a new president. Hezbollah rejected Prince Saud's criticism and instead accused Lebanon's anti-Syrian majority of obstructing parliamentary elections for a new president. Lebanon has been without a president since pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud ended his term last November without a successor. 'This (Saudi) accusation against the opposition harms the kingdom's role and raises big question marks about its position and role in the Lebanese political crisis,'.." [more]

Abbas Sees No Progress in Mideast Peace Process [Apr 2]
"No tangible progress has been made during ongoing Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, the Palestinian Authority president said in Cairo on Wednesday.. ..Abbas met with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Tuesday, where he called for a more proactive role on the part of the United States in putting more pressure on Israel to come to an agreement with the Palestinians. A Mideast peace conference was held in the U.S. in Annapolis, Maryland last year. Palestinian-Israeli violence has continued unabated since the conference however, and more than 300 people have been killed in clashes since the November talks. The Palestinian leader also met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jordan on March 30-31, after which he announced that he would resume talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Grand Mufti Denies Inviting Israeli Clerics to Religious Conference [Apr 2]
"The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah al Sheikh has denied media reports that he has invited a group of Israeli clerics to take part in a religious conference to be held in Riyadh and described the reports as 'baseless.' Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah al Sheikh who heads the Council of Senior Ulema and the Permanent Committee for Scientific Research and Issuing of Fatwas said that he wished that people would ascertain the truth before issuing reports.." [more]

Saudi Arabia is Prime Source of Terror Funds, U.S. Says [Apr 2]
"Saudi Arabia remains the world's leading source of money for Al Qaeda and other extremist networks and has failed to take key steps requested by U.S. officials to stem the flow, the Bush administration's top financial counter-terrorism official said Tuesday. Stuart A. Levey, a Treasury undersecretary, told a Senate committee that the Saudi government had not taken important steps to go after those who finance terrorist organizations or to prevent wealthy donors from bankrolling extremism through 
charitable contributions, sometimes unwittingly. 'Saudi Arabia today remains the location where more money is going to terrorism, to Sunni terror groups and to the Taliban than any other place in the world,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Spare No Effort in Supporting Beijing Olympics [Apr 2]
"Saudi Arabia will spare no efforts in supporting Beijing's hosting of the forthcoming Olympic Games and wishes the event great success, King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz said Tuesday. He made the pledge and expressed the wishes during a meeting with visiting Chinese envoy to the Middle East Sun Bigan, saying Saudi Arabia credits China as a most precious friend. Saudi Arabia is willing to coordinate its efforts with China and boost cooperation between the two countries for the promotion of bilateral ties, said the king. Sun, for his part, thanked the king for his attaching such importance to Chinese-Saudi ties, saying China is willing to make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to raise strategic and friendly cooperation to a new high. The Chinese envoy also expressed his appreciation for Saudi Arabia's long-support for China in such issues as Taiwan and Tibet.." [more]

Saudi Ruling Assailed [Apr 2]
"More than 100 Arab rights groups and intellectuals on Tuesday condemned a religious edict calling for the death of two writers for apostasy. Sheik Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, one of Saudi Arabia’s most revered clerics, had ruled that two newspaper columnists should be executed if they did not publicly renounce their “heretical articles” questioning the view that Christians and Jews should be considered unbelievers.." [more]

Western and Arab Media Must Bridge Gap [Apr 2]
"There is a need to open more channels of dialogue between the Western and Arab worlds, to bridge the gap created by the September 11 attacks in the US, concluded a group of media experts from both sides during a seminar held this week. The participants in the symposium, which concluded on Monday evening and was entitled "The Role of Media in Arab-Western Dialogue", argued that the attacks influenced the performance of mass media in a way that has triggered further tensions between Arabs and the West.. ..'Since September 11, the US has been utilising mass media to convince the public that terrorist acts are a form of war," said French media and international relations expert Virginie Sandrock. She stressed the importance of unbiased sources of information to fight preconceived thoughts and images of the Arab world.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 1] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Court Meets in Secret to Ponder Fate of Canadian [Apr 1]
"A Saudi court has threatened the lawyer of a Canadian man who is facing a public beheading after the advocate submitted a bid to appeal the death sentence. Mohamed Kohail's lawyer was ejected from the court in Jidda on Monday after tabling a 27-page document before the same judges who rendered the execution order on March 3. 'The judge kicked the advocate out, they obtained a copy of his permit and they're threatening him, to revoke his licence,' said Mahmoud Al-Ken, a friend of the Kohail family. 'The court was not public. It lacks transparency.'.. ..The Canadian government has said it will seek clemency for Mohamed Kohail after a directive from Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day met with Saudi officials during a visit to Saudi Arabia last week. He asked that the death sentence be overturned and the case reviewed. Al-Ken says the case is in a critical phase and the federal government 'has to do more.'.." [more]

Poll Reveals Saudi Arabia at Greater Risk From Religious Extremism [Apr 1]
"Nearly a third of all Arabs believe that Saudi Arabia is at greater risk from religious extremism than any other country in the world, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by the Doha Debates. The survey adds weight to an unusually blunt message from the mainly Muslim participants at the last Doha Debate, filmed on February 3rd, 2008, who criticised their communities around the world for failing to combat extremism. A motion to that effect was carried by more than 70 per cent of the audience. During the Debate, Ed Husain, a former Islamic fundamentalist from Britain, accused Saudi Arabia of acting like “a machine” by pumping millions of dollars into the support of Islamic extremism and criticised its 'destruction of our heritage in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina'.. ..More than half the respondents believe that poor religious leadership is to blame for today's extremism.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Slashes Import Duty as Inflation Soars [Apr 1]
"Saudi Arabia is cutting import tariffs on food and many other items from Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported, after inflation almost doubled in the six months to February. The agency said the cabinet decided on Monday to cut duties on food products such as frozen poultry, dairy goods and vegetable oils to 5 per cent from about 20 per cent. Levies on building materials such as paints, gypsum, electrical cables and plastic pipes will also be cut to 5 per cent, while duties on wheat products will be eliminated entirely from 25 per cent.. ..Saudi Arabia, which pegs its riyal currency to the weak US dollar, has been struggling to contain inflation, which surged to an at least 27-year high of 8.7 per cent in February. The kingdom, which has reiterated commitment to its dollar peg even as the US currency tumbled to record lows against the euro last month.." [more]

Rights Group Seeks to Unblock Access to Websites [Apr 1]
"Saudi Arabia's National Human Rights Society, a private organisation, is striving hard to unblock restricted access to websites belonging to Arab and international human rights organisations. Dr Saleh Al Hothalan, chairman of the monitoring and follow-up committee at the society and professor of politics at King Saud University in Riyadh, said that the society had noticed that websites of Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information inside Saudi Arabia had been blocked. Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Dr Al Hothalan said that blocking these sites is tantamount to depriving Saudi Arabia of its rights as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.." [more]

Four Killed After Vice and Virtue Squad Car Chase in Saudi Arabia [Apr 1]
"In the second horrific incident to take place in northern Saudi Arabia in two weeks, allegedly caused by a 'religious police' chase, four people, including two women, were killed on Monday.. ..The Commission’s agents fled the scene, they added. One witness said after the car crashed he waved at the Commission’s agents to stop but they ignored him, prompting him to report the incident and the SUV’s licence plate number to the police. Another witness confirmed that he saw the commission’s SUV at the scene of the crash as it happened.." [more]

JCCI to Hold Kingdom’s 1st Environment Forum [Apr 1]
"Prince Turki Bin Nasser Al-Saud, the General Manager of the Saudi Meteorology and Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), is scheduled to open the first session of Jeddah environmental forum on Monday, April 21, at the Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry (JCCI). 'Warning people of the dangers of environmental pollution is the main aim of the forum,' said Prince Turki, 'especially when we need to exchange both local and international knowledge.' 'The forum seeks to benefit from the experiences of other countries in fighting environmental pollution'.. ..Prince Turki said special programs are going to be used in the Kingdom’s first environmental forum. 'Three important angles are going to be discussed in the forum, and those are environmental rules and legislations, environmental management, and motivating businesspeople to invest in environmental fields.'.." [more]

Demand for Petrochemicals in Asia to Rise [Apr 1]
"The demand for petrochemicals in Asia is expected to exceed the combined demand of the United States and Europe within two years, says Mohamed Al-Mady, the CEO of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC). 'Petrochemical producers in the Middle East, where cheap access to energy encouraged large investment in the industry, will benefit from the expected demand surge,' he said. 'Growth in global demand was a catalyst for growth in these industries, especially in China and Pacific Asia ... where demand is the expected to exceed within two years its level in the United States and Europe put together. Output from the Middle East will account for 17 percent of global output by the end of 2010 against 10 percent at the beginning of 2000, said Al-Mady, whose firm is the world's largest petrochemical company. 'Growth in global demand was as fast as growth in production capacities,' he said.." [more]

Editorial: Road Map to Nowhere [Apr 1]
"The Middle East Road Map is still leading nowhere. Four months after Annapolis, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have yet to find any way forward. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has just completed her second visit in less than a month, urging both sides on. The only tangible achievement of her latest visit is an agreement by the Israelis to dismantle 50 roadblocks in the occupied West Bank. But viewed more closely, this amounts to little. There remain some five hundred others, including the 
main checkpoints, whose cumbersome processing of Palestinians on occasions produces long queues lasting hours. But far worse than this, Rice's visit coincided with the confirmation by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that his government has given the go ahead for almost a thousand new settlement homes in East Jerusalem. Three thousand further illegal homes are in the pipeline.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 31] ~~~~~~~~~

Arabs' Dollar Doldrums Fail to Shake Central Bankers [Mar 31]
"Central bankers in the Middle East are proving the U.S. dollar's decline to record lows is a small price to pay for the loyalty -- and oil money -- of their biggest Western ally. The governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, Hamad Saud al-Sayari, called the dollar a 'good buy' when it fell to $1.55 a euro on March 12. The United Arab Emirates, conceding to U.S. pressure, will keep the dirham tied to the currency, a U.A.E. central bank official speaking on condition of anonymity said March 17.. ..The survival of the pegs shows how hard it is for major economies to break from the dollar, regardless of its 13 percent decline on a trade-weighted basis in the past 12 months. Saudi Arabia keeps the riyal fixed at 3.75 to the dollar by purchasing or selling the greenback with the local currency.." [more]

Extremism Is Tool of Destruction: Salman [Mar 31]
"Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah has awarded an honorary doctorate degree in arts to Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, who is also the chairman of the King Abdul Aziz Museum, in appreciation for his contributions to knowledge and support for scholars.. ..Prince Salman described religious extremists as “the main enemies of the Saudi state,” saying that they have become tools of destruction and terrorism. He also said the Islamic faith has always urged its followers to be moderate.." [more]

Saudi and UAE Taps Opened to Offset Price Surge [Mar 31]
"Saudi Arabia boosted its oil production early this year to one of its highest levels in many years while the UAE pumped near capacity after prices smashed through the $100 barrier and triggered fears of slackening demand.. ..Riyadh’s decision to raise output came after oil prices began climbing fast in December before surging above $100 in January. They slumped below that level in the following weeks but have again shot above $100. Strong demand has allied with Opec’s reluctance to increase crude supplies and other factors to push oil prices up by nearly 30 percent since September.." [more]

Women to Work in Saudi Courts: Justice Minister [Mar 31]
"Saudi women are to be employed in soon-to-be-established reception centers at courts, Minister of Justice Abdullah Al-Asheikh announced here yesterday. These women-only reception centers will provide legal assistance before cases are brought before judges. 'We have come up with a mechanism in which women can reach judges without having to mingle with men,' said Al-Asheikh. 'These reception centers will deal with women visitors and convey their requests to judges.' Speaking to reporters on a host of issues after a meeting with members of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Al-Asheikh said that law graduates in the Kingdom would be accepted by the Ministry of Justice to work as legal experts along with Shariah judges.." [more]

Saudi Delegates Arrive on April 7 [Mar 31]
"A high-level Saudi delegation is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on April 7 to discuss labour issues between the two countries and other bilateral concerns, an adviser said Sunday. 'Issues relating to Bangladeshi nationals working in Saudi Arabia will be a major item on the agenda,' foreign affairs adviser Iftekahr Ahmed Chowdhury told reporters in his office.. ..The Saudi government had imposed a ban on Bangladeshis working in the agricultural sector or being employed in private houses. The kingdom, however, has made it clear that it is keen to recruit skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers or technical experts. There are currently over 17.5 lakh Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Encyclopaedia is Biggest Research Project on Haj [Mar 31]
"The Riyadh Governor has launched a scientific and research project to compile an encyclopaedia on Haj and the two holy mosques. Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz said on Saturday the encyclopaedia would document the history of Haj and detail the location and the situation of main cities and pilgrim routes.. ..The encyclopaedia, to be illustrated with photographs, paintings and maps, will also include input from historians and researchers, historical documents from Saudi Arabia and abroad, discourse on terminology, and the experiences of pilgrims.." [more]

KEC Set to Begin Construction in Madinah [Mar 31]
"The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) has begun preparatory works for construction of buildings at its site in Madinah. The decision comes following the endorsement of the construction project by Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). A number of national contracting companies are taking part in the first phase of the project, which will see construction of 100 villas and 300 apartments. Total area allocated for the whole project, including the first phase, is about 4.8 million square meters. The project offers distinct investment opportunities to businesses in Madinah.. ..The location of KEC in Madinah has enhanced its position, ensuring that it will come up to the expectations of investors and attract visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.." [more]

Editorial: Summit of Frustration [Mar 31]
"Substantial progress at Arab summits is rare. Habitual divisions have marked previous gatherings and have been usually papered over by a convenient consensus on generalities. But when half the leaders of the Damascus summit do not show up, the chances of reaching any sort of breakthrough considerably lessens, and the odds are further shortened when one of the principal parties of the very dispute which has kept so many leaders away, in this case Lebanon, boycotts altogether. The nonparticipation of so many Arab leaders in Damascus is the culmination of a growing sense of frustration with Syria’s leadership, mostly over its role in Lebanon, its declared support for Hamas in its battle for Palestinian minds and hearts with Fatah, and not to mention its all but declared alliance with Iran.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 30] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Wants Positive Step From Syria on Lebanon [Mar 30]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday called on Syria to make a 'positive move' towards resolving the political crisis in Lebanon as delegations gathered at an Arab summit in Damascus. A positive Syrian step would 'complement the intense efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia and a number of Arab countries' to break the deadlock in Lebanon, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters in the Saudi capital. 'We hope ... the (Arab) summit will come up with a solution to the Lebanese crisis in keeping with the Arab League’s initiative ... especially since the summit is being held in Damascus, from whom we continue to await a positive move on the Lebanese scene to implement the initiative,'.." [more]

Interfaith Dialogue Best Way to Defend Islam [Mar 30]
"A senior Saudi cleric said that inter-faith dialogue was among the best ways to defend Islam. Shaikh Abdul Rahman Al Sudeiss, chief imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah voiced support for a proposal made earlier in the week by Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz for inter-faith talks between Muslims, Christian and Jews. The initiative 'is one of the best ways to defend the Prophet'.." [more]

Saudi Mortgage Law Awaits Confirmation [Mar 30]
"Saudi banks and developers expect that a regulatory framework governing the provision of housing finance, in particular mortgages, will be agreed soon. Draft proposals are being considered by Saudi Arabia's Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura). The move is likely to lead to a multi-billion dollar industry. A mortgage market would vastly extend home ownership for both low and middle income Saudis. There is a pressing need. Housing is a big issue in the Kingdom and the market is set for substantial with demand fuelled by a rising population and migration from rural to urban areas, far outstripping supply.." [more]

Land Dispute Will Not Delay Kuwait Refinery [Mar 30]
"Kuwait does not expect a land dispute with Saudi Arabia to delay the construction of its $14 billion Al-Zour oil refinery with contracts to be awarded in April, newspapers on Sunday quoted an oil official as saying. State refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Co (KNPC) launched a tender in June for the 615,000 barrels per day refinery, which would be one of the largest refineries in the world. KNPC wants to build the refinery in the neutral zone between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But Saudi Arabian Chevron has a lease on some of the land on Kuwait's side, which KNPC has earmarked for the new refinery. Negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have taken place at a government level for months, but no solution has been announced so far.." [more]

Opec's March Supplies Rise by 100,000 bpd [Mar 30]
"Crude oil supply from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) has probably increased by 100,000 barrels a day, or 0.3 per cent, in March, according to preliminary estimates from PetroLogistics Ltd. The 13 members of Opec have supplied 32.9 million barrels a day this month, up from 32.8 million a day in February, data from the Geneva-based tanker-tracking service showed.. ..Opec, the producer of more than 40 per cent of the world's oil, has no plans to increase output even if ministers meet informally next month, group President Chakib Khalil said, according to Algeria's state-run news service APS.." [more]

Demand for Consumer Products in Kingdom Surges [Mar 30]
"The demand for consumer products in Saudi Arabia will increase dramatically, Robert A. McDonald, chief operating officer of Procter & Gamble’s, said. 'Saudi Arabia has accelerated dramatically,' McDonald said. 'We see a lot of growth in the Middle East,' he said. Increasing buying power for consumers in emerging markets has helped US companies with big overseas presence even as American household budgets are tightening amid a credit crunch and housing slump.. ..McDonald said having worldwide business helps provide overall growth and 'a natural hedge' against currency fluctuations.." [more]

HR Society Seeks to Unblock Websites [Mar 30]
"The National Society for Human Rights is seeking to unblock some internet sites of some Arab and international human rights organizations, the Arabic daily Al-Watan reported on Saturday. Dr. Saleh Al-Khathlan, head of the Observation and Followup Committee at the society and a professor of politics at the King Saud University, said the society had taken note of the bans applied to some websites like those of Human Rights Watch, Reporters Sans Frontiers and the Arabian Network for Human Rights Information. Al-Watan quoted Khathlan as saying that the blockage goes against the Kingdom’s commitments as a member of the UN’s Human Rights Council.." [more]

Officers Trained to Guard Key Installations [Mar 30]
"The first group of 1,554 officers, who were attending special training courses to guard vital oil and industrial installations, graduated yesterday. Saudi Arabia has already announced its plan to deploy 35,000 well-trained officers to protect vital installations across the country, including oil refineries.. ..Al-Majed said nearly 35,000 security officers would be appointed to protect the country’s vital installations across the country, adding that courses for training these officers started a year ago.. ..The training of officers comes following terrorist attacks on some oil installations, including a refinery, in the eastern town of Abqaiq.." [more]

Mar 23 - Mar 29, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 29] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Slams Syria Over Lebanon Crisis [Mar 29]
"Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister slammed Syria for obstructing Lebanese peace efforts and called on the Arab League Saturday to punish member states that don't honor the group's consensus decisions. In a press conference broadcast live on some Arab TVs during the Arab League summit's opening session in Damascus, Prince Faisal said from Riyadh that 'the kingdom has never boycotted a summit before.' He blamed his boycott on Syria, and implicitly blasted the country for worsening most of the crisis in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon. 'Syria is a country that is crucial to joint Arab efforts,' Faisal said. He blamed Damascus for not abiding by an Arab consensus over how to solve the lingering presidential crisis in Lebanon.." [more]

Lifting Ban on Women Driving Will Bring Economic Windfall: Experts [Mar 29]
"As women’s rights groups continue to steam ahead in full speed petitioning for the reversal of the ban on women’s driving in the Kingdom, experts on the issue conclude that the move, if successful, would not only lift the ban itself but the Saudi economy as well. 'Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways,' said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh. 'First, by putting a large portion of house drivers out of work and increasing the purchasing power of Saudi families; secondly by causing a shift in the ownership of vehicles; and thirdly by a trickle down of additional vehicles being sold to women translating into greater opportunities of opening up new markets.'.." [more]

Seven Firms Vie for $1bn Saudi Quay Contracts [Mar 29]
"Seven international and Saudi companies are expected to submit bids for two contracts worth more than $1 billion to start construction on a petrochemicals quay in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, London-based MEED reported, without citing a source. The quay at King Fahd Industrial Port is being developed to help cope with the massive amounts of petrochemical products due to come on stream nearby over the next three years, the magazine said.The companies bidding for the quay's first-phase construction work, with an April 20 deadline, include China Harbour Engineering Co, Belgium's Jan de Nul and the Netherland's Van Oord and Royal Boskalis Westminster.." [more]

Gulf Not Ready for Currency Reform [Mar 29]
"A sinking dollar, soaring inflation and US interest rate cuts may appear to make a convincing case for Gulf currency reform, but the oil producers are not quite ready to tinker with their dollar pegs. Concerns over the future of their dollar assets, fears about what a move would mean for their alliance with Washington and questions over how effective any new currency regime would be in controlling inflation are causing central banks to tread softly. With Gulf states preferring to act together on currency policy as they prepare for monetary union, investors betting on revaluations could have to wait a year or more before they are vindicated.." [more]

Saudi Investors Adopt Wait-and-See Approach [Mar 29]
"Saudi shares appeared in a consolidation phase last week though the trading volume was the lowest since June 2006. “This reflects the wait-and-see approach of investors who are eying the first quarter results,” said the weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG). The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) was down 0.7 percent, closing week at 9,418.32 points from 9,488.85 points previous week. TASI is currently 15.7 percent lower from the year’s start. The stock market turnover, however, increased to SR38 billion last week compared to SR29.64 billion in the previous week.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 28] ~~~~~~~~~

Arab Summit Conspicuous for its Absentees [Mar 28]
"According to the Baath Party, rulers of Syria for 43 years, Damascus is the "beating heart" of pan-Arabism, the center of Arab 'unity and dialogue' and the place to 'close ranks' and 'confront foreign plots' aimed at dividing the region. But when the Syrian capital hosts its first meeting of the Arab League this weekend, the 22-nation organization's annual event will be marked by snubs by leaders of regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 'We hope that the ice will melt between Syria and Saudi Arabia,' the Saudi ambassador to the Arab League, Ahmad al-Qattan, told reporters in Damascus after announcing that Saudi King Abdullah would not attend the summit.. ..Some analysts say many Arab states are increasingly concerned over Syria's deepening military and political ties to Iran, whose Shiite Muslim rulers are seen as trying to dominate the Sunni-majority Middle East.." [more]

Palestinians, Israelis React Differently to Saudi Plan [Mar 28]
"While most Palestinians support a peace agreement proposed by Saudi Arabia, the majority of Israelis reject it, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research and the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 66 per cent of respondents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would back the comprehensive plan, while 57 per cent of Israelis would oppose it. Saudi Arabia has proposed the Arab Peace Initiative (API) to reconcile Israel and the Palestinians. The plan states that Israel will retreat from all territories occupied in 1967 including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and a Palestinian state would be established.." [more]

Donohue to Meet with His Highness King Abdullah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [Mar 28]
"U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the end of the week to meet with His Highness King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz as well as other key government and business leaders in the region.. ..While in the Kingdom, Tom Donohue will encourage Saudi business leaders and economic decision makers to more clearly articulate to U.S. investors the real opportunities for increasing engagement in the region's largest economy. Much of his attention will focus on the non-oil sectors, as Saudi Arabia has seen non-oil growth at almost 6% for three consecutive years. Beyond that, he will stress the need for the U.S. government to enact a simple and rational U.S. visa policy for Saudi business travelers to the U.S. Donohue will also highlight the Chamber's current fight against the protectionists in the U.S. Congress who seek to discredit and 
undermine trade deals, erect roadblocks to foreign investment and global sourcing, and want to turn the clock back on progress.." [more]

Arab Foreign Ministers Agree to Relaunch Peace Initiative [Mar 28]
"Arab foreign ministers meeting in Damascus on Thursday agreed to relaunch the Arab peace initiative without any amendments. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mua'alem had earlier in the day hinted that the initiative could be reconsidered. 'We agreed on maintaining the Arab peace initiative and there is no intention on the ministers' part to change it,' Mohammad Sobeih, Arab League assistant secretary general for Palestinian affairs, was quoted as saying by Reuters. 'The initiative will be relaunched to the international community in order to stress Arab concern for finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict,'.." [more]

Turkish Parliament Speaker to Visit Saudi Arabia [Mar 28]
"Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan will travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday at an invitation from Saudi Shura Council Chairman Saleh Bin Abdullah bin Hamid. Toptan's schedule will take start by attending General Assembly session of the Saudi Arabian Shura Council on March 30th. Toptan will later meet Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and attend dinner to be hosted in his honor.." [more]

Kingdom to Build Solar Energy Plant [Mar 28]
"Swicorp Joussour Company, a Saudi joint stock company capitalized at SR2.67 billion ($712 million) launched by Swicorp, announced that it has partnered with Chemical Development Company (CDC) of Saudi Arabia, and NorSun of Norway to invest in the construction of a polysilicon plant in the industrial city of Jubail.. ..In the Middle East, alternative energy is a new area of interest, which has gained recent attention due to the pressing need for economies to look toward diversified energy sources for future generations.." [more]

US Urged to Review Saudi Student’s Case [Mar 28]
"Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid has urged US authorities to review the case of Homaidan Al-Turki, a 37-year-old Saudi student who was found guilty in a Colorado state court of 12 counts of sexually assaulting his Indonesian maid. 'The Saudi people sympathize with Homaidan Al-Turki and they closely follow up his case,' the Shoura chief said and hoped for a speedy end to the issue. He also emphasized the Kingdom’s respect for American justice. Al-Turki, a former Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado, maintains that he did not sexually assault the woman, whose identity has not been disclosed due to the nature of the alleged crime, and has accused US officials of persecuting him for 'traditional Muslim behavior'.." [more]

Can We Get to the Polls on Time? [Mar 28]
"It is “that time of the year” again. Nearly four years ago, my country Saudi Arabia ventured into its first political campaign to elect members for its 178 municipal councils (MC) Kingdomwide. Four years ago we got away with operational and scheduling delays because of our inexperience in the democratic processes of campaigns and elections; today, local and international eyes are turning toward us to see if we will fall into the same pitfalls. The question I ask myself time and again is: Are we?.. ..the fact remains that Saudi Arabia is committed to its agenda of political reform. The mere creation of 178 MCs in 2005 — and by popular vote — is a living proof of that commitment. The challenge for us now is to make this commitment sustainable and worthwhile.."  [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 27] ~~~~~~~~~

Syria Calls on Saudi Arabia to Help on Lebanon [Mar 27]
"Syria called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to exercise its influence on Lebanon's pro-Western governing coalition to solve the country's political crisis, which has left it without a president since November. Beirut's government, which is backed by countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia, has been locked in a power struggle since November 2006 with an opposition alliance backed by Syria and led by Hezbollah -- a group also sponsored by Iran. Simmering tension between Saudi Arabia and Syria over Lebanon has boiled over in the run-up to an Arab summit that opens in Damascus on Saturday. Saudi King Abdullah, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Lebanon refuse to attend in protest against what they consider Syrian meddling in its neighbour.." [more]

Church Body Backs Talks With Muslims [Mar 27]
"A day after King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, called for a Muslim consensus on a dialogue with Christianity and Judaism to end inter-faith tension, the World Council of Churches urged its members to open a dialogue with Muslim scholars. The Geneva-based WCC said it wanted to organize discussions on theology and ethics with signatories of A Common Word, a call for Christian-Muslim dialogue issued by 138 Islamic scholars last October and welcomed by many Christian churches. 'We are encouraging our churches to consider this invitation offered by the Muslim leaders as a new opportunity for inter-religious dialogue,'.." [more]

Activist Proposes National Conference on Human Rights [Mar 27]
" A local human rights activist has called on Saudi officials to hold the Kingdom’s first conference for human rights activists to network and share their experiences. Ibrahim Al-Miqitib, an independent Saudi human rights activist who is now with the government-run Human Rights Commission (HRC), said that the conference would serve as a platform for activists from across the Kingdom to come together.. ..Since non-governmental organizations (NGOs) — not including charities — are not permitted to operate in the Kingdom, activists do not have a proper venue to challenge human rights issues. Nevertheless, last December the Shoura Council approved a first draft bill permitting the establishment of NGOs. The bill was then submitted to the Cabinet for final approval.."[more]

Russia Set to Hold WTO Talks With Kingdom [Mar 27]
"Russia’s finance minister said on Tuesday he was planning to hold a series of 'constructive talks' with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Russia’s accession to the WTO in early April. Russia has been seeking membership of the WTO since 1993. So far, it has completed bilateral talks with over 60 states but still needs to finalize discussions with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Georgia - the WTO members that still have trade disagreements with the country.. ..He also said that during his upcoming visit to the United States (to attend the spring session of the International Monetary Bank and the World Bank), he was due to meet with US Trade Representative Susan Schwab and US Department of Commerce officials to discuss Russia’s admission to the WTO.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Back Sri Lanka Health Sector Development [Mar 27]
"Sri Lanka Health Ministry said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide 86 million Saudi riyal (Approximately 2.8 billion rupees) to build a Epilepsy Hospital and a Neuro-Trauma centre at the Colombo National Hospital. The funds are to be provided by the Saudi Funds for Development as a soft loan of 75 million riyal to build the Epilepsy Hospital and as a supplementary loan of 11 million riyal to build the Neuro- Trauma centre.." [more]

Domestic Tourism in Saudi Arabia Expected to Reach SR101.3bn in 2020 [Mar 27]
"Domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia is expected to record phenomenal growth rates. According to a recent report by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), total income from domestic tourism is forecasted to reach SR73.3bn in 2010 and SR101.3bn in 2020.. ..Dr. Ahmed Al-Khalifa, SAMA secretary-general said that tourism accounted for 3% to the country's GDP in 2006.. ..Dr. Al-Khalifa stated that more than 342.000 employees are working in tourism sector in the Kingdom in areas related to hotels, resorts, furnished apartments, cafes, travel agencies, transportation and entertainment.." [more]

Analysts Attempt to Unravel Mystery of Rising Oil Prices [Mar 27]
"The rise in oil prices is a puzzling issue for observers, which is evident in their largely varying and sometimes contradicting analyses. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) does not see any reason for oil prices to exceed $110 per barrel, while the US is pressurising oil-producing countries to increase production at a time when there is a balance between supply and demand in global markets. There are many mysteries facing oil observers and experts. The latest of these analyses came from the World Monetary Fund and attributed the rise in oil prices to hectic speculations in global markets.." [more]

Banking, Industrial Stocks Drag TASI Down [Mar 27]
"The Saudi stock market fell yesterday after making its biggest one-day gain since March 4 on Tuesday. There was no major impact from a minor technical glitch in the Tadawul settlement system. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) closed 88.59 points lower at 9,418.32. The Tadawul announced that a temporary technical problem in the Tadawul settlement system caused it to be unable to properly receive orders and execute deals for eight minutes from 12:01 noon yesterday. The cause of the problem was identified and has been rectified, and trading resumed normally at 12:09 noon. There was no impact on any executed deals.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 26] ~~~~~~~~~

Religious Leaders Welcome Saudi Proposal [Mar 26]
"Several Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders reacted warmly to a proposal for dialogue among the religions by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, welcoming the overture from the leader of the strict Muslim country as a major development in interfaith relations. Specifics of the initiative, including whether Israelis could take part, remained unclear — leading some to caution against too much optimism. Abdullah's proposal comes at a time of stalled peace negotiations and heightened Middle East tension. It also comes amid Muslim anger over cartoons published in Europe seen as insulting the Prophet Muhammad and in the wake of the pope's controversial baptism of a prominent Muslim convert.." [more]

Positive Outlook for Saudi and GCC Equities [Mar 26]
"Speaking at the Second Annual Forecast dinner hosted by the Bahrain CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society, Mohamed Seif-Elnasr, Managing Director of Asset Management at NCB Capital (the investment arm of the National Commercial Bank - the biggest bank in Saudi Arabia), expressed a positive outlook on GCC and Saudi equities for 2008.. ..Favourable demographics, a large domestic market, companies moving up the value chain, the deregulation of industries, focus on education and improved utilization of state wealth were pointed out as factors that are helping the region to capitalize on the economic prosperity and driving growth forward.." [more]

Clemency Sought in Saudi for Canadian [Mar 26]
"Canadian Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day appealed to Saudi officials in Riyadh Wednesday for clemency for a Canadian sentenced to death. Officials in Day's office told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., the minister's Middle East tour included a meeting to seek clemency for Mohammed Kohail, who this month was sentenced to public beheading for his role in a school brawl last year in which a Saudi youth was killed. Spokeswoman Melisa Leclerc said Day would express Canada's displeasure with the sentence for the 23-year-old Montreal native.. ..The sentence issued under Islamic Shariah law carries a 30-day window for appeal but Mahmoud Al-Ken, a friend of the Kohail family told CBC News that option didn't offer much hope.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Develop Ports [Mar 26]
"The President of Saudi Arabia's General Ports Authority said that the entity will develop the kingdoms seaports with new investments to bring them on par with their international counterparts, Arab News reported. He added that the Kingdom is eyeing an investment of $8 billion on modernizing and equipping all of its ports. Saudi Arabia has eight seaports, six of which are commercial and two industrial. The location of the ports on the Red Sea and the Gulf makes the Kingdom a central commercial hub for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Sudan Agree to Exploit Red Sea Treasure [Mar 26]
"Sudan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to reactivate a deal signed in 1974 on the joint exploitation of valuable mineral riches in the Red Sea. Under the protocol which was signed in Khartoum on Tuesday by Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining Al-Zubair Ahmed Hassan and Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, the parties agreed to form committees to enforce the agreement. The search for (the Red Sea treasure), which began in 1974 during the era of former Sudanese President Jaafar Numeiri confirmed the existence of this treasure, which contains large amounts of gold and precious metals which are priceless.." [more]

Experts Call to Rein in Domestic Violence [Mar 26]
"Experts are warning against an alarming increase in attacks against women, children and the aged in the Saudi society. Following a recently-concluded awareness campaign against domestic violence, they called for serious efforts to curb the menace. The warning came at a time when the Ministry of Social Affairs has issued a report outlining the unpleasant level of domestic violence against women and children in the Kingdom.. ..Of the domestic violence involving women, 48 per cent of the victims were between the ages of 19 and 35. The percentage of minors and babies subjected to violence during the same period accounts for 17 per cent, while cases of the aged stood at 4 per cent. The report blamed parents and husbands as major culprits.." [more]

Riyadh Seeks Private Investment in Tourism [Mar 26]
"Saudi Arabia is aiming at attracting more private investments in the tourism sector as a source of revenue and economic growth. Speaking at the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investments Market, organised by the Supreme Commission for Tourism, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz said religious tourism in particular is an important sector that is unique to Saudi Arabia.. ..He invited businessmen to invest in developing the tourism sector, saying such investments are not only viable but also secure and safe.." [more]

A Summit Only in Name [Mar 26]
"It is a sad fact that the fate of the Arab Summit, scheduled to be held in Damascus next week, is already doomed to failure. The absence of key Arab leaders from this annual event can only be interpreted as a political indictment of the host country over its policies, especially in Lebanon. Few observers pin high hopes on its outcome and, in light of the tenuous regional reality, the event will add to the sense of gloom and despair permeating through the Arab world today. It is a summit only in name, with many Arab leaders choosing to skip the event and opting to send deputies. The message is clear but Syria has chosen to take the risk of organizing a botched event rather than yielding to Arab demands over Lebanon. If anything, the Syrian position reflects on its own internal predicament and the way it sees looming challenges.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 25] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King Calls for Interfaith Dialogue [Mar 25]
"The Saudi king has made an impassioned plea for dialogue among Muslims, Christians and Jews — the first such proposal from a nation with no diplomatic ties to Israel and a ban on non-Muslim religious services and symbols. The message from King Abdullah, which was welcomed by Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, comes at a time of stalled peace initiatives and escalating tensions in the region.. ..The call — the first of its kind by an Arab leader — was significant. The Saudi monarch is the custodian of Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, a position that lends his words special importance and influence. Abdullah said Saudi Arabia's top clerics have given him the green light — crucial backing in a society that expects decisions taken by its rulers to adhere to Islam's tenets. It also raises the possibility that a religious dialogue could have a political impact in the Middle East, easing tensions between Arabs and Israelis in a way that years of off-and-on negotiations and political conferences have failed to do.." [more]

Saudi King to Skip Arab Summit [Mar 25]
"Saudi Arabia said King Abdullah won't attend this weekend's Arab League summit here, a message of displeasure to the meeting's host that raises already long odds the gathering will help solve a stalemate in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the Arab League said he would represent his country at the summit of Arab heads of state that kicks off Saturday, instead of the Saudi king or the country's foreign minister.. ..Saudi Arabia's move makes it less likely that the Damascus meeting will be able to make much headway on the issue. It is unclear who Egypt, another Arab heavyweight, will send to the summit. Even Lebanese participation is in question.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Slowly Opening Dialog About Human Rights [Mar 25]
"Saudi Arabia's two-year-old Human Rights Commission. Formed by a royal decree of King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, the 24-member commission is a governmental body charged with monitoring the kingdom's compliance with human rights standards. Its creation was part of the monarch's reformist agenda, which is trying to introduce some political and social changes while ruffling as few feathers as possible among the kingdom's substantial conservative constituency of both clerics and ordinary folk. The commission, which reports to the king, is another sign of what some Saudis describe as an expanding awareness of human rights among the public and government officials. They cite increased discussion in the media and private blogs of such issues as child marriage, domestic violence, and treatment of foreign laborers. 'The big achievement is that it's no longer taboo to talk about human rights.'.." [more]

Cheney Wraps Up Mideast Trip With Little to Show [Mar 25]
"U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has not made meaningful headway on the thorny issues of Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the world energy crisis during his 10-day trip to the volatile Middle East, analysts said. Cheney's tour, which included surprise stops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and scheduled visits to Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank, "won't produce anything meaningful because he (Cheney) has got nothing to offer," Steven Simon, a U.S. expert on Middle Eastern issues, said. Cheney's trip, which he wraps up Tuesday, has been viewed as a move to express the U.S.' continued concern over the situation in the region rather than one aimed at making any tangible progress.." [more]

Migrante Asks DFA to Recall Two of its Officials in Saudi [Mar 25]
"A migrant workers advocacy group and six overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who managed to return to the country after being stranded in Saudi Arabia will demand that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recall Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Antonio Villamor and consul general to Jeddah Ezzedin Tago for disregarding the numerous complaints by OFWs. Migrante President Connie Regalado said they will also demand the immediate repatriation of the OFWs living in tents under a bridge in Jeddah.." [more]

President Saleh Arrives in Saudi Arabia Kingdom [Mar 25]
"President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh on an official visit to hold talks with Monarch of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Suad.. ..'The visit is a chance to coordinate the two countries' attitudes towards the current developments in the region and the Arab nation's issues including in the agenda of the Arab summit to be convened after days in the Syrian capital Damascus', Saleh said, indicating to the challenges the nation faces, especially in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Somalia.." [more]

10 Things You Might Not Know About Tourism in Saudi Arabia [Mar 25]
"The Kingdom hopes to earn $27bn from tourism by 2010. Who needs booze and bikinis?.. ..1. Revenues from domestic are expected to reach $27 billion by 2010. In 2005, the last time the authorities totted up the receipts, the figure was $9.5bn. 2. Tourism contributes 3 per cent of the Kingdom's GDP. 3. 342,000 people are employed in the tourism industry, 15 per cent of which are Saudi nationals. The Saudization plan asks for 32 per cent. The aim is to employ 1.5 million people by 2025.." [more]

Experts Call to Rein in Domestic Violence [Mar 25]
"Experts are warning against an alarming increase in attacks against women, children and the aged in the Saudi society. Following a recently-concluded awareness campaign against domestic violence, they called for serious efforts to curb the menace. The warning came at a time when the Ministry of Social Affairs has issued a report outlining the unpleasant level of domestic violence against women and children in the Kingdom.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 24] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King Abdullah to Stay Away From Arab Summit [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabia's permanent representative at the Arab League said on Monday he would represent his country at this week's Arab summit in Damascus, meaning influential King Abdullah would be staying away. 'I will head Saudi Arabia's delegation to the summit,' Ahmad bin Abdelaziz Qattan told reporters after a meeting of Arab League representatives in the Syrian capital. The announcement confirmed fears that Lebanon's political crisis would hit the level of turnout at the summit and undermine the annual meeting. 'We meet today without a president in Lebanon due to the continued and unjustifiable delays in the election,' Qattan told the meeting earlier. Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri indicated on Sunday he would put off for the 17th time a session, this time scheduled for Tuesday, to choose a president due to a lack of progress toward ending the political deadlock.." [more]

Oil Falls on Saudi Statements Assuring Increases in Supply [Mar 24]
"Oil fell $1 toward $100 a barrel on Monday, as funds sought to lock in more first-quarter profits and the top exporter, Saudi Arabia, reassured consumers of its plans to increase supply in the coming years.. ..Saudi Arabia said Sunday that it was working to expand its oil production and refinery capacity in order to maintain world economic growth, reaffirming its vow to invest tens of billions of dollars in new wells and infrastructure. 'The kingdom will work with OPEC countries, other producers and consuming countries toward oil market stability and to avoid the effects of harmful speculation,' the Supreme Council of Petroleum and Mineral Affairs said in a statement after a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney. On Monday, Cheney, who had met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, said the kingdom had kept its promise to increase oil production capacity over the past three years.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Help Lanka in Oil Exploration, Refining [Mar 24]
"The Kingdom has agreed to train Sri Lankans in the field of exploration and refining oil in the island. This was the outcome of yesterday's talks between Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources and Abdul Hameed Mohamed Fowzie, minister of petroleum and petroleum resources development at a meeting held at the ministry headquarters yesterday.. ..Sri Lanka buys 10 percent of her oil requirements from the Kingdom and her main supplier is Iran which delivers 70 percent of the island's demand. Sri Lanka also buys a substantial quantity of crude from Malaysia. The minister said that his country has plans to increase its oil import from 10 to 30 percent in the near future. Fowzie said that Sri Lanka conducted seismic surveys in 2002 and 2005 that revealed there are high chances of finding oil in the Mannar Basin which covers an area of 35,000 km, stretching from Mannar in the North East to Kalutara in the South.." [more]

Tourism Investment Conference Opens [Mar 24]
"The first Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market 2008 (STTIM) opened yesterday at Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh. The four-day conference is organised by the Saudi Supreme Commission for Tourism. It is being held under the theme 'Tourism is for Everyone - Partnership for Sustainable Development' and aims to develop the tourism industry in the kingdom in relation to accommodation, services and investment opportunities. The conference brings together a number of Arab and international speakers to discuss the investment opportunities and the potential of Saudi Arabia's travel and tourism market. 'Saudi Arabia is witnessing high growth in the travel and tourism sector,'.." [more]

Saudi Uses 11 Planes to Bring Rain to Riyadh [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabia has started the fourth phase of its program to extract rain from clouds, part of a project started five months ago to secure more water resources in the kingdom, recent press reports said. The head of the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration, Saleh al-Shahri, said 11 planes are being used in the current phase, together with a high-tech network of mobile cloud physics radars, a communication and satellite network, and experts from various Saudi universities and research centers. Shahri told Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh that the program is part of the kingdom's ongoing efforts to counter the scarcity of water, especially since ground water is subject to depletion. He said a unique meteorological phenomenon that happens in Riyadh province constitutes a major challenge to the cloud seeding process.." [more]

Saudi Banks Among Worst Performers in Gulf Region [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabian banks were amongst the worst performing lenders in the region last year, according to a Zawya.com survey of the top 20 listed lenders in the Arabian Gulf. Five out of six Saudi banks reported a drop in earnings last year, compared with robust results amongst the banks surveyed by Zawya.com in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Saudi British Bank, or SABB, the kingdom’s third-largest lender by market value, posted the largest drop in net profits, according to the Zawya.com survey. Earnings at the bank, an affiliate of HSBC Holdings, fell 14% to $695mn.." [more]

Plan to Deal With Radiation Hazard Before Shoura Council [Mar 24]
"The Shoura Council has discussed a national plan to deal with any potential leakage of radioactive material in the Kingdom following warnings of possible attacks on Iran’s nuclear reactors.. ..This concern has also been echoed several times by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal in his meetings with regional and international leaders. “Riyadh has been of the view that the Middle East region should be void of weapons of mass destruction,” said the member, without giving details of the Saudi plan. A KACST nuclear scientist yesterday confirmed that an emergency plan to check radioactive leaks is there in place, but refused to provide details.." [more]

Community College in Landmark Deal With US Institution [Mar 24]
"The Jeddah Community College (JCC) signed a landmark agreement with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) yesterday, opening a new era in the history of the college. Professor Ibrahim Kutbi, dean of JCC, which is one of the colleges of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), said the agreement that includes an exchange of faculty would lead to improving the college’s overall performance. Dr. Abdul Ilah Saaty, vice dean, said the accord covered academic assessment and accreditation, joint degree programs, faculty development through workshops and laying the foundation for distance learning. 'We’ll benefit from the expertise and capabilities of 10 US community colleges in Louisiana,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 23] ~~~~~~~~~

Cheney Stresses Need For Painful Concessions at Abbas Meeting [Mar 23]
"US Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the West Bank via helicopter to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday. At the meeting, Cheney said an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement will require 'painful concessions' by both sides, but said with hard work 'success will be achieved'.. ..He added that the US remains 'strongly committed' to the establishment of Palestinian state, adding that its achievement will require strong negotiations and concessions from both sides.." [more]

Saudi Inflation Hits 27-yr High as Gulf Tracks Fed [Mar 23]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia surged to a 27-year high of 8.7 percent in February as the world's largest oil exporter and its Gulf Arab neighbours lowered interest rates to defend pegs to a tumbling U.S. dollar. Saudi Arabia matched the latest 75 basis point cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve last week.. ..Unable to use monetary policy, Saudi Arabia has also resorted to lending curbs and measures such as subsidies and wage hikes to cushion the impact of surging inflation, leading markets to bet that it will allow the riyal to rise against the dollar.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Details of Project to Retrain the Kingdom's Imams [Mar 23]
"Saudi Arabia announced earlier this week a new plan to retrain 40,000 mosque imams in all regions on communication skills and the culture of dialogue. The King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue will carry out the training in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The National Dialogue, which is a project that was launched in 2003 by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, is considered the largest project designed to achieve ideological change toward centrism and moderation and away from extremism and excess. This, in addition to broadening the base of dialogue among the various groups in Saudi society.." [more]

Saudi International Ports & Maritime Transport Forum [Mar 23]
"Emaar, The Economic City (Emaar.E.C), the Tadawul-listed company developing King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), will sponsor the first Saudi International Ports & Maritime Transport Forum (SIPMT) to be held at Hilton Hotel, Jeddah from March 23 to 25.. ..''The Forum serves as an ideal platform to highlight the importance of sea transportation and in particular, the role of Sea Ports to economic growth. As a key component of the King Abdullah Economic City development, the KAEC Sea Port will create a new logistics hub on the Red Sea Coast'.." [more]

Work Afoot on $6b Sovereign Wealth Fund [Mar 23]
"Saudi Arabia is planning to set up a new sovereign wealth fund worth $6 billion (SR22.5 billion) as its main investment focus is shifts to domestic projects, the central bank governor was quoted as saying this week. 'At this stage the sovereign wealth fund is on the drawing board and it’s not going to be sizable. It will be around $6 billion only and managed by the Public Investment Fund,'.. ..The SAMA report said Saudi Arabia’s main concern is 'to focus on domestic development and infrastructure, economic diversification and job creation'.." [more]

Price Rise: Saudis, Expats Clamor for Govt Intervention [Mar 23]
"Prices of essential commodities and house rents have increased by 30 to 50 percent, prompting Saudis and expatriates to call for government intervention to curb the unprecedented phenomenon and for increasing their salaries to cope with the situation. 'The government should stop the monopoly of big companies that supply essential commodities,' Dr. Abdul Ilah Saaty of King Abdul Aziz University told Arab News. 'Salaries must be increased further. The five-percent increase in salary is nothing compared to the price hike.'.. ..Increases in prices and house rents have forced many expatriate workers to leave the Kingdom because they could not make both ends meet. Most of them said they were unable to make any savings and that thus there was no point in staying in the Kingdom.." [more]

French Experts Prep Handbook for Preserving Jeddah’s Historic Area [Mar 23]
" A new technical guidebook for renovating Jeddah’s historic center, known as Balad, is currently being prepared with the help of French consultants, according to a municipality official.. ..The book, which is due to be completed in six months, would be provided for free to all contractors working on the historical area’s renovation projects. Owners of all buildings in the area have been ordered to renovate their properties without fail. A committee was recently formed comprising the regional governorate, the municipality and the Civil Defense to identify the historical structures in all three districts of Jeddah’s city center. The committee has informed the owners of structures that are in poor condition to refer to the municipality’s Historical Area Department to finalize the procedures for renovation.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Says Working to Ensure Oil Supply [Mar 23]
" Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said on Sunday it was working to expand its oil production and refinery capacity in order to maintain world economic growth. The Supreme Council of Petroleum and Mineral Affairs affirmed Saudi Arabia's desire for oil market stability and maintaining supplies to all regions (of the world) at all times to ensure continuing global economic development," a statement said. 'The Council expressed its satisfaction at the kingdom's work in expanding crude production and refining capacity to help meet global demand,' it said. 'The kingdom will work with OPEC countries, other producers and consuming countries towards oil market stability and to avoid the effects of harmful speculation.'.." [more]

Mar 16 - Mar 22, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 22] ~~~~~~~~~

Cheney Meets With Saudi King, Discuss High Oil Prices [Mar 22]
"Vice President Dick Cheney met for more than three hours with Saudi King Abdullah about high oil prices as well as a range of Middle East diplomatic and security issues, but U.S. officials reported no breakthroughs on short-term relief for tight energy markets. 'There was a lot of commonality in their assessment about the structural problems confronted by the global energy market now, and some discussion of probably the way forward, how we work together to try and stabilize the market and what can be done, what could be done shorter term," a senior administration official said, "but probably more about what's necessary to do over the medium to longer term.'.." [more]

Treasurys Are Still Hot Overseas [Mar 22]
"As the dollar has dropped sharply in recent weeks, concerns have arisen that diversification away from U.S. assets could be speeding up. But not, it appears, when it comes to foreign central banks. They have been snapping up Treasury securities, as the slumping dollar turns these high-quality assets into big bargains for non-U.S. investors.. ..Saudi Arabia's monetary agency, which holds mostly U.S. assets, has added an average of $15 billion a month for the last four months, said Rachel Ziemba, an analyst in New York at RGE Monitor.com, an online economic-research company that closely monitors activities of foreign central banks in the Treasurys market. Saudi Arabia's riyal is pegged to the dollar.." [more]

US Seeks Saudi Help to Boost Regional Security [Mar 22]
"..The US vice president and the Saudi King were expected also to discuss Syria and Lebanon, and Cheney was to push his host as well as other Arab countries to step up efforts to help US-led efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Iraq, Cheney was to push for Saudi Arabia to lead other Arab nations into dispatching an ambassador to Baghdad and step up other government-to-government contacts. 'I'm sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way forward to try and stabilise the market, reduce the volatility in the market, and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike,'.." [more]

Saudi King Urges US to Press Israel [Mar 22]
" King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia yesterday urged US Vice President Dick Cheney to pressure Israel to seal a peace deal with the Palestinians before US President George W Bush leaves office in January 2009.. ..sources said Saudi Arabia is not happy with the “slow” pace of US efforts to push the Middle East peace process by putting pressure on Israel to reach a peace agreement and end the building of settlements and excavations around al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.." [more]

World Markets Put Pressure on Saudi Stocks [Mar 22]
"The Saudi stock market extended losses for the fourth week in a row last week, with investors coming under mounting pressures from world markets and reports of imminent US stagnation. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) shed 4.07 percent last week, closing at 9,488.85 points from 9,891.80 points previous week. TASI is currently 15.1 percent lower than the year’s start. The weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) described the decline at the Saudi stock exchange as “unjustified” and expected the market to get into a 'steady mood' until the release of the first quarter results, which it expected to 'boost the investors’ confidence.'.." [more]

De-Pegging ‘Essential’ to Curb Inflation [Mar 22]
"Dr. Abdullah Al-Saihati, chairman of Saihati Group, has called for the de-pegging of Saudi riyal from the weakening US dollar, saying it was essential to curb increasing inflation in the Kingdom. 'De-pegging will solve many problems including inflation,' he said, adding that people have lost confidence in the US dollar. He stressed the need to increase salaries of public and private sector employees to offset the financial burden caused by inflation.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 21] ~~~~~~~~~

VP, Saudis to Talk About Oil Security [Mar 21]
"High oil prices paining U.S. consumers is a key topic of Vice President Dick Cheney's talks Friday with Saudi King Abdullah, yet it's unclear whether Cheney will ask the Saudis to increase production to bring down prices at the pump. Cheney's advisers cautioned in advance of Friday's talks that oil was just one item on a long list of discussion topics.. ..I am sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way forward to try and stabilize this market, reduce volatility in the market and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike," Hannah said. During his trip to Saudi Arabia in January, President Bush urged the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase production, saying it was a mistake to have the economies of its largest customers slowing down as a result of higher energy prices.." [more]

Saudis to Retrain 40,000 Clerics [Mar 21]
"Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders - also known as imams - in an effort to counter militant Islam.. ..programme launched by the Saudi monarch a few years ago to encourage moderation and tolerance in Saudi society. The ministry of religious affairs and new centre for national dialogue will carry out the training, the paper said. The centre was created five years ago to disseminate a moderate interpretation of Islamic tradition. There is growing awareness in Saudi society that security measures alone are not enough to counter the threat of Islamic militancy.. ..critics are sceptical about whether such initiatives would work as long as the powerful, and ultraconservative, religious establishment in Saudi Arabia continues to exert enormous influence over society.." [more]

Crown Prince’s Humanitarian Services Win Him Man of the Year Award [Mar 21]
"Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minster, has been selected for the second consecutive year as the Man of the Year for Humanitarian Services.. ..The London-based World Philanthropists Organization chose Prince Sultan Foundation for the philanthropist of the year award in 2006 in appreciation of its humanitarian activities at Muslim, Arab and international levels. The organization issued a report detailing the works achieved by Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation in the field of philanthropy. In 2003, it won the King Faisal International Prize. The Foundation is a manifestation of Crown Prince Sultan’s charitable and humanitarian efforts.." [more]

UK Companies Eye Security Market in Kingdom, Bahrain [Mar 21]
"A delegation of eight security companies organized by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) concluded their weeklong second visit to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on Tuesday. BSIA Overseas Promotions Manager Peter Nicholls was quietly pleased with the reaction to the second visit. “Our visit to Alkhobar saw a 100 percent and Riyadh a 50 percent increase in local visitors to the mission,” he said. “There seems to have been a clear development in the security market here.” He said that the levels of interest were right across the security market and driven by the huge number of infrastructure projects under way.." [more]

Noppadon Seeks Help From US Over Ties With Saudi Arabia [Mar 21]
"Foreign Minister Noppadon Patama has sought help from the US government to talk to the Saudi government to normalize ties with Thailand. Noppadon, who is on an official trip to the United States, told reporters that he sought help from the US government because Washington has good ties with Riyadh. The Thai-Saudi relation turned sour after Thai police failed to return stolen jewellery to Saudi Arabia and failed to solve cases of murders of Saudi envoys in 1980s.." [more]

Free Health Coverage for Social Security Recipients [Mar 21]
"Minister of Social Affairs Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas has announced that his ministry plans to provide health coverage to all social security beneficiaries. He said the move was taken in order to reduce the financial burden on poor families and individuals.. ..At present nearly 1.5 million Saudis receive pension and financial assistance from the ministry and the government has allocated SR5.2 billion for that purpose. Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manie, in a related development, revealed his ministry’s plan to apply a cooperative health insurance scheme on all Saudis, including those who work in government departments from the beginning of next year.." [more]

SBI Signs Deal for First Saudi Branch in Jeddah [Mar 21]
"The State Bank of India’s (SBI) first branch in Saudi Arabia will be located at Al-Andalus Plaza on Sitteen Street here. This follows a building lease agreement signed on Wednesday. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) gave the clearance to SBI last year to open its full-fledged branch in the Kingdom.. ..With the opening of its 10,000th branch in India recently, the SBI has become the second largest bank in the world, next only to the ICBC of China in terms of branch numbers. And with its 4,000-plus associate bank branches, the SBI claims to have extensive coverage of India and also internationally. The bank also has the largest ATM network across India.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 20] ~~~~~~~~~

A Church in Saudi Arabia? [Mar 20]
"The inauguration last week of Qatar's first Christian church — a small Catholic chapel bearing neither bells nor visible crosses — has been hailed as a welcome step forward in relations between Catholicism and Islam. But an even more dramatic development is under discussion just across the border: The Vatican has confirmed that it is negotiating for permission to build the first church in Saudi Arabia.. ..Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, the papal envoy to the smaller countries on the Arabian peninsula, such as Kuwait and Qatar, has confirmed that talks are under way to establish formal diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, and to eventually allow for Catholic churches to be built there. Pope Benedict XVI is believed to have personally appealed to King Abdullah on the topic during the Saudi monarch's first ever visit to the Vatican last November.." [more]

UT, Saudi Institute to Broaden Research Capabilities [Mar 20]
"UT will expand its geological science research capabilities through a partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. As part of the partnership, hosted by the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, UT will help the new university find and nominate faculty members, develop an academic curriculum and collaborate on research projects that are important to UT and Saudi Arabia. The five-year agreement is valued at $27 million, which will help UT fund research projects with the Saudi Arabian university. The projects will focus on geological science problems, such as global climate change, water sustainability and natural disasters, Omar Ghattas, director of the partnership, said.." [more]

Motorola Gets $165 mln Mobile Broadband Pact From Saudi Company [Mar 20]
"Thursday said it received a $165 million contract for its WiMAX 802.16e mobile broadband infrastructure from Saudi Arabian service provider Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication Co. The Schaumburg, Ill., telecommunications company said the contract to provide nationwide broadband access in Saudi Arabia includes the delivery of its WAP 800 access point, end-to-end delivery of network planning, installation, optimization and support services for the network. Motorola's 2007 full-year revenue was $36.62 billion.." [more]

Saudi Prince Ready to Invest in Afghanistan [Mar 20]
"Saudi Prince al-Walid bin Talal, one of the richest men in the world, has told President Hamid Karzai that he is willing to invest in the impoverished country, the Afghan leader’s office said. The Saudi Arabian prince and billionaire said he was particularly interested in investing in hotels, the energy sector and aviation.. ..Saudi Arabia was one of three countries that backed the 1996-2001 Taliban government. It dropped its support soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks by the Taliban’s Al Qaeda allies.." [more] 

Oil Falls $6 as Dealers See Weak US Demand [Mar 20]
"Crude prices fell more than $6 yesterday on concerns that a big US-led economic slowdown could further undermine global energy demand. The steep losses come in the midst of a volatile week in commodity and equity markets as dealers try to weigh signs of recession against aggressive interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve to counter a liquidity crisis. US crude fell $6.01 to $103.42 a barrel by 1732 GMT, down from a record $111.80 hit Monday. London Brent crude fell $4.96 to $100.60.." [more]

Limitless Unveils Plans for $12b Saudi Project [Mar 20]
"Limitless, a real estate development arm of Dubai World, said on Wednesday its 45 billion riyal ($12 billion) Al Wasl project in Saudi Arabia will have 50 mosques and eight shopping complexes. The 1,411-hectare project, which was announced last October, will create 55,000 homes for 200,000 people. There will be offices, several hotels, one university, health and educational facilities, and 300 hectares of green, open space.. ..The project, one of the largest in the company's portfolio, is being developed near Riyadh. Work on the development is expected to begin in the middle of this year, with the construction schedule spread over seven years.." [more]

14 Qassim Students Get US Embassy Scholarships [Mar 20]
"The US embassy in Riyadh has granted English language scholarships to 14 students from Qassim. The students will be studying six levels of English in the one-year program titled 'English.'.. ..US Ambassador Ford Freker handed over the scholarship certificates to the winning students. The 12 senior high school and two high school students were selected from among 50 contestants from Qassim. At the meeting, which brought together the US Ambassador, the students and their parents, Freker said his visit to the area aims at bolstering friendly relations between the Kingdom and the United States.." [more]

Dutch Envoy Distances Himself From Anti-Qur’an Film [Mar 20]
"The Dutch ambassador to the Kingdom has distanced himself and his government from an anti-Qur’an film soon to be released by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Speaking at a press conference at the Dutch Embassy yesterday, Nicholaas Beets reiterated the bilateral ties that exist between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia, adding that the Dutch government fundamentally disagrees with Wilders and that he was advised to take the consequences of the film into consideration. The disassociation follows the proposed-release of the 15-minute film entitled “Fitna” by Wilders, something that has prompted the Dutch government to advise its nationals abroad to be cautious. Wilders is screening the film in spite of appeals from his government not to.." [more]

KAU College in Tie-Up With US Institution [Mar 20]
" The Community College at King Abdul Aziz University (KAU) in Jeddah will sign a major agreement with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) on Sunday. The agreement aims at improving the college’s overall performance and matching international standards.. ..Dr. Osama Tayeb, president of KAU, and Dr. Joe D. May, president of LCTCS, will sign the accord. Saaty, who will make a presentation on the cooperation agreement during the signing ceremony, said the accord would help the institution achieve high standards and win global recognition.." [more]