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This
compilation provides a summary of SUSRIS articles, interviews,
essays, items of interest and special reports distributed between
January 1 and March 31, 2006.
We'd like to
take this opportunity to thank you for helping make the SUSRIS a top
choice for news, analyses, discussions and interviews concerning
US-Saudi relations. We appreciate your continued interest in
receiving SUSRIS newsletters, in recommending SUSRIS to your friends
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in on-line discussions.
| SUSRIS Production: Jan-Mar 2006 |
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Perspectives on US-Saudi Relations
from Foggy Bottom: A Conversation with Ambassador C. David Welch
Assistant Secretary
C.
David Welch has served as the head of the Bureau
of Near Eastern Affairs in the U.S.
State Department since March 2005, following about three and a
half years as U.S. Ambassador to Egypt. His Foreign Service
career has included numerous postings in the field (Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Pakistan) and in Washington (Deputy
Assistant Secretary in the Bureau he now heads, desk officer for
Syria and Lebanon, staff member at the National Security Council and
Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs) that
have prepared him well for his present job -- overseeing US foreign
policy and diplomatic relations in 18 countries stretching from
Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula. SUSRIS talked with Mr.
Welch about the relationship between the United States and Saudi
Arabia and the challenges that confront them in his office at the
State Department. From his current perspective as the top
American diplomat focused exclusively on the region and with his
background as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Kingdom, including two
years as Charges d'Affaires, he provided a rare insight into issues
facing the countries.
18th Arab Summit - Khartoum, Sudan
Preview
March 26, 2006
"Arab leaders who gather for
yearly summits have enough trouble dealing with the Middle East�s
running disputes. But this week�s Arab League meeting in Khartoum
takes place amid a build-up of crises that have left the region even
more turbulent than usual, and the search for a meaningful consensus
among leaders more elusive.."
US Joint Chiefs
Chairman in the Kingdom
General Peter Pace Confers
with Saudi Leaders
March 24, 2006
General Peter Pace, Chairman of the
U.S. Joint Chiefs, visited Saudi Arabia this week for discussions
with the Kingdom's leaders about cooperation in military affairs.
The Chairman, the first US Marine Corps officer to hold the position
when sworn in last September, is the principal military advisor to
the President, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security
Council. The top U.S. general met with Saudi
Arabian leaders here yesterday and discussed cooperation between the
United States and the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia and the WTO
Samba Office of the Chief
Economist
March 18, 2006
The Office of the Chief Economist
of Samba regularly produces
reports on the Saudi Arabian economy that are timely, accurate, and
clearly written and illustrated. SUSRIS has been privileged to share
summaries of these reports with you in the past. Today we are
pleased to provide the Summary section from the just- released
"Saudi Arabia and the WTO" report. It is featured on
the Samba Web site in the " Economy Watch" section.
Saudi Arabia and
Congress: Understanding the Tension
David T. Dumke
March 15, 2006
In our recent interview
with Prince Turki al-Faisal, the new ambassador to the United
States talked about one of his missions in America being the
relationship with Congress: "Our severest
critics are in the Congress. And that is part of my brief from the
King when I was coming here. I asked him how do you want me to deal
with President Bush and the American people and he said, 'Just be
frank with them.'�
A Conversation with Saudi Arabia's
New Ambassador to the United States - Prince Turki al-Faisal
Saudis Look East for Higher Studies
March 13, 2006
Last April President George W.
Bush and King Abdullah, then Crown Prince, met at the Western White
House in Crawford, Texas to discuss the broad range of issues
attached to the Saudi-US relationship. In the joint statement
following the visit they said, "The United States and Saudi
Arabia agree that our future relations must rest on a foundation of
broad cooperation. We must work to expand dialogue, understanding,
and interactions between our citizens." First among the
elements of the expanded dialogue was an increase in the number of
young Saudi students to travel and study in the United States.
There have been efforts to realize this goal such as the award of
5000 scholarships from the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education for
Saudis to study in the United States. However, there are still
hurdles to increasing the number of Saudi students traveling to
America. Topping the list of complaints is the trouble getting
visas. In December SUSRIS presented an article by Joel
Brinkley in the New York Times outlining the problems. It
noted that US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Oberwetter advised
visa applicants to be prepared to wait eight weeks for an
interview. Today P.K. Abdul Ghafour writing in Arab News
updates the story of Saudi students seeking higher education with
his article, "Saudis Look East for Higher Studies."
Death of a Deal -
The Reaction Begins
March 10, 2006
Arab News Editorial -- "Yesterday's vote in a US House of Representatives committee blocking a Dubai company from running six major US ports was not about stopping foreign companies from running US ports. It was a specifically anti-Arab move. US politicians did not have a problem when British-owned P&O operated the ports. But now that an Arab company, Dubai Ports World, is buying out P&O, it is a different matter. It is glaringly, provocatively anti-Arab."
Franco-Saudi
State Visit -
President Chirac in Riyadh
March 10, 2006
French
President Jacques Chirac conducted a three day
state visit to Saudi Arabia to promote
Franco-Saudi relations in a wide range of fields
-- political, financial, military, cultural --
through discussions with King Abdullah, an
address to the Consultative Council, art exhibit
visits and press briefing.
The
Impact of the Abqaiq Attack
on Saudi Energy Security
Khalid R. al-Rodhan
February 28 , 2006
We are pleased to share a quick
look report prepared by Khalid R. al-Rodhan, visiting scholar at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
In "The Impact of the Abqaiq Attack on Saudi Energy
Security" he provides a comprehensive discussion of the
security of Saudi energy resources and facilities and the specifics
of the February 24 attack at Abqaiq.
Terrorist Attack at Abqaiq Oil
Facility Thwarted
Saudi Oil Facilities: Al-Qaeda's
Next Target?
John C. K. Daly
February 24 , 2006
Judging by al-Qaeda's pronouncements, an attack on Saudi Arabian oil
facilities seems to be only a matter of time. "Such
an attack would be more economically damaging than a dirty nuclear
bomb set off in midtown Manhattan or across from the White House in
Lafayette Square.. ..[and] would be enough to bring the world's
oil-addicted economies to their knees, America's along with
them."
Secretary of
State Rice and Saudi Foreign Minister
Saud al-Faisal - Remarks to
the press in Riyadh
February 23 , 2006
King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz, as
the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, received a letter from
President Bush shortly before the visit of Dr. Rice to Saudi Arabia.
In his letter, President Bush stressed the depths of bilateral
relations and the importance attached to developing it as being
agreed between the two leaders in Crawford in the United States.
These meeting developed into the formation of the Strategic Dialogue
Committee which aims at putting the bilateral relations within an
institutional framework. The meeting of Dr. Rice with the
Custodian of the Holy Mosques today was a good opportunity to review
these issues and to exchange views on regional and international
developments, including the Palestinian issue and the peace process
in the region.
Prince Turki
al-Faisal Talks With Charlie Rose
Earlier this month
Prince Turki al-Faisal talked
to CNN's Wolf Blitzer about a number of issues of the day
including the cartoon controversy, the tragic loss of a ferry
sailing from Saudi Arabia to Egypt and other concerns shared by
Americans and Saudi Arabians. This week Prince Turki returned to
American television, this time on Public Broadcasting's Charlie Rose
interview show. It was just one of a number of recent public
appearances that permitted him to, as he put it, "try
to explain what Saudi Arabia is, where it comes from and where it is
going."
Saudi Renaissance
Afshin Molavi
February 14, 2006
Afshin Molavi has
penned an insightful essay on the promise of Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
as the new King of Saudi Arabia. Molavi, a fellow at the New America
Foundation, lays out an argument that the "reform-minded"
Abdullah is well suited to the task of righting the Kingdom's course
on a host of domestic issues and to "help build a modern Muslim
world."
Jeddah Economic Forum 2006
Press Summary
February 14 , 2006
The Seventh Annual Jeddah Economic
Forum (JEF) began yesterday with delegates acknowledging a wide
variety of national cultures while admitting certain common grounds
as building blocks for sustainable economic growth. With the global
village a reality, pressures are increasing for preserving cultural
identity and respecting the beliefs and values of all without a
�one size fits all� approach. Unlike previous forums, this year
there is particular focus on cultural and social issues in the light
of economic and political strategies. Following the opening remarks
by the chairman of the JEF, Amr Enany, who pointed to this need for
balancing globalization with local identity, the Saudi minister of
culture and information, Iyad Madani, presented �Saudi
Arabia-Vision 2020.�
Jeddah Economic Forum
2006 Opens
February 10, 2006
Seeding Potentials for Economic
Growth
Honoring Identity And Celebrating Common Grounds
Each
year, delegates from around the world meet with their counterparts
in Saudi Arabia and the region, to share their experience and employ
their expertise to create new and innovative approaches to deal with
regional and global challenges.
Issues
of the Day: Saudi Ambassador to
the US On Sunday Talk Show
February 6, 2006
Ambassador
Turki al Faisal, Saudi Arabia's top diplomat in the United States,
was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "Late
Edition" on Sunday, February 5, 2006. A number of issues of
the day were discussed including the Maritime tragedy in the Red Sea
along with the Cartoon Crisis concerning the prophet Mohammed.
State
of the Union and the U.S.-Saudi Relationship
February 6, 2006
In the annual State
of the Union Address last week President George W. Bush touched on
issues connected to the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The January
31, 2006 speech at the U.S. Capitol included remarks about Saudi
Arabia's efforts in the area of political reform and comments about
U.S. dependency on foreign oil.
Saudi
Arabia and Iraq: Oil, Religion, and an Enduring Rivalry � Joseph
McMillan, United States Institute of Peace
"Iraq's
neighbors are playing a major role -- both positive and negative --
in the stabilization and reconstruction of "the new Iraq."
As part of the Institute's "Iraq and Its Neighbors"
project, a group of leading specialists on the geopolitics of the
region and on the domestic politics of the individual countries is
assessing the interests and influence of the countries surrounding
Iraq. In addition, these specialists are examining how the situation
in Iraq is impacting U.S. bilateral relations with these countries.
China Visit Wrap-Up
January 27, 2006
Chinese President Hu
Jintao [Jan. 23] gave a red carpet welcome to Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques King Abdullah at the Great Hall of the People and said
the royal visit would open a new chapter in Sino-Saudi relations.
The summit in Beijing saw the signing of five agreements, including
a landmark pact for expanding cooperation in oil, natural gas and
minerals. Both sides said the accords would usher in a new era of
closer economic ties.
Saudi
Arabia's Accession to the WTO: Is a "Revolution"
Brewing?
Middle East Policy Council
Capitol Hill Conference Series
on US Middle East Policy
King
Abdullah Prepares for China Visit
January 21, 2006
Saudi Arabian King
Abdullah will begin a state visit to the People's Republic of China
on Sunday, January 22, 2006. The journey is the first for a Saudi
ruler to China since diplomatic relations were normalized in 1990. The
visit comes at a time when Saudi-Sino economic cooperation is
booming. Bilateral trade was up 59% for the first eleven months of
2005 compared to the same period a year earlier and China's rapid
industrialization has spawned a growing energy appetite. Against
this backdrop King Abdullah will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The
Hajj Season Ends
January 16, 2006
The
incredible journey of about three million pilgrims to Saudi Arabia's
holy sites for the annual Hajj has ended. Left behind are questions
about the tragedy that claimed over 360 lives on January 12 as
pilgrims performing a religious rite at the Jamarat bridge were
crushed in a stampede as well as new reflections on the meaning of
the Hajj. Today we bring you a collection of reports on the end of
Hajj including reaction to the the events at the Jamarat bridge.
An
Open Letter from a Saudi Businessman:
Amr Khashoggi
January 12, 2006
Working
Shoulder-to-Shoulder for Better Saudi-US Relations
An open letter from a Saudi businessman, Amr Khashoggi, to Americans
I am a Saudi who graduated from American universities. I am a
businessman and I have worked over the past three decades with
American companies, and we were very successful to healthy mutual
benefit. I am still working with American companies but it is
getting harder to do business with America.
Tragedy
at Hajj
Hundreds Killed in Crushing Stampede
January 12, 2006
Tragedy visited
pilgrims participating at the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia on
Thursday as at least 345 people were killed and more than a thousand
injured when a stampede occurred during a rite at Jamarat bridge.
The accident, which took place at the site of the symbolic stoning
of pillars representing the devil, occurred after some pilgrims
tripped over luggage that had spilled from buses.
The
Hajj in Perspective:
A Conversation with David
Long
January 7, 2006
The Hajj is one of
the five pillars or the foundation of Islam and therefore it is the
obligation of everyone who is physically and financially able to do
so to make the Hajj once in their lifetimes. Pilgrimages to Makkah
actually predate Islam, but the Hajj is considered by all Muslims to
be divinely inspired by God as set down in the Qur'an and the Sunna.
The
Hajj and Its Impact on Saudi Arabia
and the Muslim World
By David E. Long
January 6, 2006
Hundreds of thousands
of Muslims flooded the ports of entry in western Saudi Arabia this
week to start the pilgrimage to Makkah. On the occasion of the
Hajj, we are pleased to present this essay from Dr. David E. Long
which appeared in the Saudi-American
Forum in February 2003.
Mecca Hotel Collapse
Special Report
January 6, 2006
The death toll from
the collapse of a hotel in the heart of Mecca has risen to 53
according to Saudi officials cited by Reuters and BBC news reports
this morning. The four-story building, in the Gazza section of
Mecca, collapsed at about 1:20 p.m. local time Thursday, January 5,
2006, as pilgrims were returning from noon prayers at the nearby
Grand Mosque. The number of people injured by the collapse was
said to be 64. More than a million pilgrims are in Mecca
preparing for the annual Hajj which begins on Sunday, January 8,
2006.
The Hajj
January 4, 2006
..the Hajj creates an opportunity for non
Muslims and people who don't know much about Islam --
particularly those people who have a totally negative view of
Muslims.. that this is a gathering of two million faithful
people in a joyous time in the 21st century.. ..Today as pilgrims assemble in Saudi
Arabia in preparation for the commencement of the Hajj on Sunday we
provide for your consideration a compilation of online resources to
help you understand this event: overviews, background, commentary
and related links..
SUSRIS 2005
Annual Summary
January 1, 2006
We are pleased to
offer a compilation of SUSRIS' 2005 production. The articles,
interviews, news in depth items, special reports and more covered a
broad spectrum of interests while documenting the scope of
developments in the relationship between America and the Kingdom.
We hope this listing will be useful to you as a review of the year
past and as an index for future reference.
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