US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Nominee Appears Before
Congress
By
Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
22 March 2007
President Bush's nominee to be the next U.S.
ambassador to Saudi Arabia says, if confirmed, he will
work with the Saudis to further anti-terrorism efforts.
VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.
President Bush nominated Ford Fraker, who is chairman of
the London-based investment banking firm, Trinity Group
Limited, to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia last month.
Fraker once served as Head of Banking for Saudi
International Bank.
At a confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, Fraker said Saudi Arabia has made
and continues to make progress in the fight against
terrorism.
"Hundreds of terrorists have been arrested and killed in
the last three years," said Ford Fraker. "I believe the
Saudis have come to understand the need to address the
roots of extremism that underlie terrorism, especially
the need to aggressively deny financial support for
terrorist organizations. If confirmed, I will be
committed to expanding and deepening our efforts in
these critical areas."
But Fraker said the United States continues to be
concerned with restrictions on religion in Saudi Arabia.
"Saudi Arabia is proud of its responsibility as
custodian of Islam's holy sites of Mecca and Medina," he
said. "However, it must also work to ensure that
moderation and tolerance triumph over extremism and
hatred."
Fraker called on Saudi Arabia to move forward on
economic, political and social reforms.
The nominee said he believes the Saudis will play a
positive role in bringing stability to Iraq.
"I know also they have encouraged Sunni elements to
participate in the political process in Iraq from a
regional stability standpoint," said Fraker. "It has
been made clear to us and clear to them that it is in
nobody's interest to have a fractured Iraq on their
border."
Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, praised
Fraker's qualifications and predicted that he would be
easily confirmed by the Senate.
If he is confirmed, Fraker would replace U.S. Ambassador
James Oberwetter in Riyadh.
Photo: Ford Fraker
(AP Photo Link)
Reprinted with permission of VOA
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