Centrality of Saudi Arabia - Wyche Fowler

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Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Wyche Fowler at the 17th Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference (www.AUSPC.org) in Washington on October 30, 2008. (Photo: NCUSAR)

The Centrality of Saudi Arabia
Amb Wyche Fowler

Editor's Note:

The Arab-US Policymakers Conference featured four ambassadors to Saudi Arabia - Ford Fraker, Robert Jordan, Wyche Fowler and Walter Cutler -- on a panel examining US-Saudi relations. (Photo: Patrick Ryan) Each fall the National Council on US-Arab Relations brings together a distinguished group of diplomats, government officials, business people, military officials, scholars and others to tackle the thorny issues surrounding US-Arab relations. SUSRIS has provided Arab-US Policymakers Conference (AUSPC) speakers' remarks, which touch on the Saudi-US relationship, to you for over the last five years. In keeping with that practice we again provide for your consideration a collection of AUSPC presentations.

Today we present the remarks of former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Wyche Fowler who spoke on a panel which included four American Ambassadors to the Kingdom. Ambassador Fowler was joined by Ambassadors Ford Fraker, Robert Jordan and Walter Cutler. Their remarks are provided separately. Check below for links to other AUSPC panels and presentations.

Additional AUSPC sessions which address U.S. and Saudi issues will be provided by SUSRIS in the coming days.

17th ANNUAL ARAB-U.S. POLICYMAKERS CONFERENCE
"Transitioning the White House: Challenges and Opportunities for Arab-U.S. Relations"
October 30-31, 2008 | Washington, DC

The Centrality of Saudi Arabia
Amb Wyche Fowler

Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Wyche Fowler addresses the 17th Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference (www.AUSPC.org) in Washington on October 30, 2008. (Photo: Patrick Ryan) [AMBASSADOR WYCHE FOWLER] I want to begin by thanking my three colleagues and Dr Anthony for their public service as well as my friend Prince Turki for his public service, both to his country and to the relationship. I agree with Walt [Cutler], but want to extend that to all of those who have served and nurtured the relationship, historical relationship between our two countries.

I want to take off my ambassadorial hat since I�m a pinch hitter too, for my three or four minutes, and put on my political hat. I served as some of you know in the United States Congress and as the United States Senator from Georgia, and follow up on Doctor Bassam Haddad�s comments about the next President of the United States. Without using this time to be partisan four days or five days before the election I want to suggest to the new President, whoever he may be, that the most important role for him to play as he looks at the Middle East is to recognize the centrality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all geopolitical, religious issues in that region. There will not be an acceptable solution, acceptable in the Middle East and acceptable to the United States of America in Afghanistan, in Iraq without the centrality of Saudi Arabia in that process.

There will not be an acceptable solution to the issues that we have with the Iranians without the advice if not consent, acquiescence, of Saudi Arabia to our new policies. And I hope that with a new Administration that the State Department will understand, as we seem to forget -- King Abdullah�s Interfaith Dialogue Initiative has reminded us -- that King Abdullah is not only the chief executive, the chief monarch of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, his title is Abdullah Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. And he is looked to by all of Islam not only to protect and revere the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia but I submit by extension to make sure that Islam�s third holiest site in Jerusalem is protected and revered. I am a minority of one, I confess, in saying to our peace negotiators that the question of Jerusalem, if it was solved first, would do more than anything else to bring the pressures, the groups together to solve the questions of borders, and rights of return and ultimately have a peace treaty.

Former U.S. Ambassadors to Saudi Arabia Wyche Fowler, Walter Cutler, and Robert Jordan at the 17th Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference (www.AUSPC.org) in Washington on October 30, 2008. (Photo: NCUSAR) King Abdullah reminded our Administration when we were about to go to war with Iraq, nobody likes Saddam Hussein, he�s a terrible man, he�s butcher, he is everything, but you the United States of America please first bring stability to Afghanistan which you started, and secondly, use your influence to get between the Israelis and the Palestinians and bring them to the peace table. Then and only then could we develop a policy that would deal with the Saddam Hussein�s of the world.

Saudi Arabia is key to the success of the United States foreign policy in the region. I hope and I pray that we have a new President who will consult, who will listen and who will recognize that they are our strongest regional partner, international partner in the Middle East and a wonderful opportunity especially if one or the other is elected, to understand where religion plays the most important role in this and what we can do together to cure it. Thank you very much.

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Source: Arab-US Policymakers Conference Web Site (AUSPC 2008)
http://www.auspc.org

Transcription Services by Ryan & Associates

SUSRIS Exclusive Interviews with US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ford M. Fraker

About Ambassador Wyche Fowler

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1996-2001)
US Senator from Georgia (1987-1993 ); member of the Appropriations, Budget, Energy and Agriculture Committees
Member, US House of Representatives (1977-1987); member of the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs Committees, the Committee of > Intelligence, and the Congressional Arts Caucus
Member, and later president, of the Atlanta City Council
Practiced law in Atlanta for eight years prior to election

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Arab-US Policymakers Conference (AUSPC 2008)

ARAB-US POLICYMAKERS CONFERENCE - TRANSCRIPTS

Thursday, October 30, 2008

8:50-9:00: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Dr. John Duke Anthony
Rear Admiral Harold J. Bernsen, (USN, Ret.)
Mr. Jeremy Downs

9:00-9:30: "REVISITING ARAB-U.S. STRATEGIC RELATIONS: AN OVERVIEW AND PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE"
General Wesley Clark (USA, Ret.)

9:30-10:30: "GEO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS (I): LEBANON AND SYRIA"
Chair: The Honorable Edward W. Gnehm, Jr.
Speakers: H.E. Dr. Imad Moustapha
Dr. Bassam Haddad
Dr. Daoud Khairallah, Esq.

10:30-11:00: "ARAB-U.S. RELATIONS IN TRANSITION: VIEWS FROM RIYADH AND WASHINGTON"
Hon. Ford Fraker
Hon. Walter Cutler
Hon. Wyche Fowler
Hon. Robert Jordan

11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon: "GEO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS (II): ISRAEL AND PALESTINE"
Chair: Dr. Peter Gubser
Speakers: Dr. Nadia Hijab
Mr. Daniel Levy
Dr. Naseer Aruri

12:30-2:00: LUNCHEON AND KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Introductions: Dr. John Duke Anthony
Welcome and Brief Remarks: The Honorable Dina Habib Powell
Speaker: H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi
H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi
Commentator: The Honorable David Bohigian

2:00-3:30: "GEO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS (III): IRAN AND IRAQ"
Chair: Dr. John Duke Anthony
Speakers: Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft (USAF, Ret.)
General Joseph P. Hoar (USMC, Ret.)
Mr. Wayne White
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3:30-5:15: "ENERGY" [CLICK HERE FOR TRANSCRIPT]
Chair: Ms. Karen Harbert
Speakers: Ms. Nabilah Al-Tunisi
Mr. Ryan M. Lance
Mr. James Burkhard
Mr. Jay R. Pryor

Friday, October 31, 2008

9:00-9:30: "FOUNDATIONS FOR CHANGE IN THE ARAB WORLD: A WOMAN'S PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE"
Ms. Muna Abu Sulayman

9:30-10:45: "DEFENSE COOPERATION"
Chair: Rear Admiral Harold J. Bernsen, (USN, Ret.)
Speakers: Dr. Anthony H. Cordesman
Mr. Christopher Blanchard
Mr. Jeffrey C. McCray
Ambassador Barbara Bodine

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: "DEVELOPMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL DYNAMICS"
Chair: H.E. Marwan Muasher
HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal
H.E. Houda Ezra Nonoo
David D. Arnold
Commentator: Ms. Muna Abu Sulayman

12:30-1:30: LUNCHEON
Speaker: Ambassador Chas. W. Freeman, Jr.
Remarks by: H.E. Ali Suleiman Aujali

1:30-3:00: "U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2008: VIEWS FROM THE ARAB WORLD"
Chair: Dr. Abderrahim Foukara
Mr. Hisham Melhem
Ms. Dalia Mogahed
Mr. Mohamed Elmenshawy

3:00-3:30: "ARAB-U.S. RELATIONS: The Way Forward - Views From the Arab World"
H.E. Dr. Hussein Hassouna

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