SUSRIS Quarterly Production Report - July to September 2008

This compilation provides a summary of SUSRIS articles, interviews, essays, items of interest and special reports distributed between July 1 and September 30, 2008. You can find more news and resources in the weekly SUSRIS newsletters listed below and on the SUSRIS.org web site (link here).

You may also find useful resources through the index to the SUSRIS Special Sections. These are compilations of SUSRIS articles and interviews, related media reports, web links, photos and more that address a significant topic in the relationship or developments in the Middle East that touch on US-Saudi interests. We hope you check these SUSRIS Special Sections when there are occasions you need references not found elsewhere.

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SUSRIS SPECIAL SECTIONS 2008

SUSRIS Special Sections 2006, 2007, 2008 Index (Click here)

SUSRIS WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS - 3rd QUARTER 2008

Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia
Prince Saud Al-Faisal - Remarks at the 63rd UN General Assembly
Sep 29, 2008

"..The tremendous developments that have taken place in the transport, communications, media and information technology sectors have helped to facilitate and expand contact and interaction among all the peoples of the world with their various religions, beliefs, cultures and languages. No part of our human family, in all its rich diversity and fertile pluralism, currently lives in isolation without affecting or being affected by others. However, while these advances improve the human condition, they were used by extremist minorities in every religious or cultural community who are seeking to propagate notions of intolerance, exclusion, racism and hatred. We all therefore need to work together in an earnest manner, under the auspices of the United Nations, in order to create an environment conducive to promotion of the values of dialogue, tolerance and moderation and the establishment of relations of cooperation and peace among cultures, peoples and states based on mutual respect and shared determination to overcome divisions and differences.."

"Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East"
Assignment Arabia - An Excerpt from Chapter 5 (Part Two)
Thomas Lippman
Sep 28, 2008

"..Thus was planted a seed that would germinate throughout the war and culminate in a legendary meeting between the president and the king at which was forged the unique alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia that still endures. History has generally depicted that meeting as an afterthought to the great-power summit conference at Yalta that preceded it, and has described the encounter of the president and the king as if they were discovering each other for the first time. In fact, the meeting of the two leaders and the alliance they forged were years in preparation and the two men knew quite a bit about each other before they met. Throughout the years 1941 to 1944, Roosevelt gradually became convinced that Abdul Aziz and his kingdom could be economically and strategically useful to the United States, as well as interesting, and that it was worth the effort to reach out to the king to align him with American interests. The person eventually designated by the president to carry out that policy was Bill Eddy.."

National Day Remarks: "A Strong Relationship"
Amb. Ford M. Fraker
Sep 27, 2008

"..For more than seventy-five years, the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a strong relationship founded on common interests and mutual respect. President Bush�s two state visits in 2008 highlight our continuing friendship, building on the first handshake between President Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz in 1945 aboard the USS Quincy. Our relationship is deep and long-lasting, and it grows stronger every day.."

Ramadan Diary: Waging 'Inner Jihad' on an Empty Stomach
Faiza Saleh Ambah
Sep 26, 2008

"As Ramadan enters its final days, a Muslim reporter goes to Mecca and Medina and grapples with the double standard for female pilgrims.."

"Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC
and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East"
Saudi Arabia - An Excerpt from Chapter 5 (Part One)
Thomas Lippman
Sep 24, 2008

"..National Day in Saudi Arabia is September 23, marking the unification of the country by King Abdul Aziz in 1932. This is the seventy-sixth national day and the fourth year the date was celebrated as a holiday.."

Arabian Knight: Col. Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of
American Power in the Middle East
Introduction Excerpt by Thomas Lippman
Sep 19, 2008

"..That alliance did not just happen. It came about because a few visionary individuals recognized its potential benefits. Among these were senior executives of Standard Oil Company of California, who defied the economic gloom of the Great Depression to invest millions in an unfamiliar land; King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, who recognized that his country would never progress without Western technology and investment and defied the opposition of his own people to acquire them; President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who in the closing months of World War II and of his own life looked beyond the war and into a more promising future for Saudi Arabia and new opportunities there for America; and William Alfred Eddy, Marine Corps officer, war hero, spymaster and diplomat, the catalyst who translated Roosevelt's vision for Saudi Arabia into reality.."

"..I started a week late, due to a toothache. But now that I'm completing my first week of fasting, I feel as if I'm still searching for Ramadan, like a person waiting for the kettle to boil. I wonder what I'm doing wrong, and go looking for my Saudi sister Taghreed. She tries to fast every day, but fails sometimes because of her craving for cigarettes. 'How do you feel at the moment you choose cigarettes over God?' I ask her on our way to break the fast Wednesday evening with my brother's Harley Davidson bikers' group and their families. 'I feel miserable when I'm not fasting. And miserable when I'm fasting,' she says and turns away. Although I was raised in a Muslim home, my three siblings have been far more devoted to the practice of Islam than I. But I'm sincere in wanting to understand Islam better, and write about it, so have decided to fast for the first time.."

SUSRIS EXCLUSIVE
"Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East"
A Conversation with Thomas Lippman
Sep 15, 2008

"..What they should know is this - Bill Eddy who grew up in Lebanon, who spent his boyhood among the Arabs, didn't see the relationship with Saudi Arabia as a tactical arrangement in which people would make money and sell weapons. It could be that, but he actually had a much grander vision of an almost spiritual alliance between the Christian world and the Muslim world -- in which two groups of monotheists would in effect unite around what they had in common rather than around their differences. Not only would there not be a clash of civilizations, but there would be a harmony of civilizations. It is just as well that he died when he did because we are as far from that as he could have imagined or could have feared; and he would regret that.." - Thomas Lippman

"..I was prepared to start my fast when Ramadan began a week ago. But never having fasted, I was anxious, as if I were about to take an exam in a subject unfamiliar to me. Then I woke up Friday with a toothache. The doctor prescribed antibiotics - and no fasting until next week. I was more relieved than disappointed. On Sunday evening, I share a pizza with Ahmad, my nonfasting friend. "A bag of Cheetos and an Orangina," he says between bites. "That's all I have for lunch every day." Between dawn and dusk, the stores and restaurants are mostly closed here during the month of Ramadan.."

"..The Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced [Sep 3] the opening of its women�s branch here to look into cases of human rights violations against women and children. ��Dignity of women and childhood support� is the motto of this new wing,� said Wafiqah Al-Dakhil, the newly appointed head of the women�s wing. She added that its aim is to create awareness about the laws pertaining to women and children through campaigns and define rights as established by Islam.."

"..Talking with Mr. Al Seif and other Saudi business leaders -- then and now -- you cannot help but be struck by two recurring themes. First is the breadth and depth of American business relationships with the Kingdom since the early days of the relationship, and how these ties motivate many Saudi businesspeople to explore American trade and investment options first. The second is the obvious disappointment that American businesses are not taking advantage of the current, unprecedented opportunities in the Kingdom as Saudi Arabia has embarked on a period of massive economic expansion.."

"..I returned from a trip to the States to find my home city transformed. Multicolored strings of lights blink from shopping malls next to large "Ramadan Is Generous" signs. Restaurant stalls are draped with the traditional red, green, white, and black Bedouin textiles. It feels something like Christmas in America. When I arrive at my parents' house there are workers in the garden wrapping tiny colored lights around the palm trees, and inside they're painting the walls and arranging newly upholstered furniture. "What's going on?" I ask my mother. "I'm welcoming Ramadan," she says. "This is for the happiness that Ramadan brings." "All this for a month marked by hunger?" I ask. "Not hunger," she says, "Spirituality. God is never as close to us as he is during Ramadan."..

"..Muslims around the world are marking the start of Islam's holy month of Ramadan. The start of the holiday varies in Muslim communities and countries depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. The first day of fasting began Monday in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, as well as the United States and the majority of the Middle East. Muslims in Libya marked the start of Ramadan Sunday, and Iran will begin to observe the fasting month Tuesday. During Ramadan, Muslims awaken long before the pre-dawn call to prayer. Eating and drinking is a priority in those early hours, because once the sun rises, a day of fasting begins.."

Saudi Arabia Update - Thomas Lippman on "Middle East Interviews"
"Writer, journalist and Middle East specialist Thomas Lippman's recent conversation with radio talk show host Todd Feinburg covered a broad spectrum of topics of interest to SUSRIS readers. Starting with the massive transfer of capital -- an "indigestible amount of cash" -- to the region as a result of the skyrocketing price of crude oil; Saudi Arabia's role in supplying the world energy market; developments in US-Saudi relations; the view from Riyadh on Iranian adventurism; regional power shifts; prospects for Middle East peace; the outlook for Iraq; and more.."

The Middle East: Evolution of a Broken Regional Order
Paul Salem
Aug 29, 2008

"The Middle East is broken. The structures and power balances put in place in the late 1970s and amended after the end of the Cold War are no longer. These structures and balances included a number of key elements. Israel was at peace with Egypt and Jordan and in an informal truce with Syria�hence the Arab�Israeli conflict was no longer pursued by any major contiguous state opponents of Israel. A weakened Palestinian movement had been chased out of Lebanon in 1982 and co-opted in the Oslo Accords of 1993. Syria�s role in the region was recognized and its influence in Lebanon legitimized�indeed, after 1990, it was promoted to suzerainty. Iraq was bolstered in the 1980s by the United States as a buffer and counterbalance to revolutionary Iran, and later, throughout the 1990s, it was preserved but contained. Saudi Arabia helped manage the finances of this scheme and helped maintain Arab consensus when possible. And the United States saw out the end of Soviet influence in the region, secured a military foothold in the Gulf, and gained in political influence: first as a broker of Israeli�Egyptian peace in the late 1970s, then as the architect of a pro-Iraqi containment policy against revolutionary Iran in the 1980s, as the leader of an Arab and international coalition to liberate Kuwait from an Iraqi invasion in the early 1990s, and as the patron of another major peace initiative launched in the Madrid peace conference. Today, this system is in ruins.."

"Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are to hold their 108th ministerial session on Tuesday, September 2, in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. The meeting of the six GCC states; Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, will be headed by Qatar this year.."

"The Iraq War, war on terrorism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may have made the U.S. and outside forces unpopular, but this has done little to push Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE towards finding an effective collective alternative to dependence on the U.S. All are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), but the GCC remains largely a myth in war fighting, deterrence, and force development terms. The Southern Gulf states have not yet adjusted their national force plans to take account of the disappearance of Iraq as a major regional threat, and must now further adjust their forces to deal with Iran�s growing missile forces and the threat it will become as a nuclear power. They also face the risk that the power vacuum in Iraq will become a threat of a different kind and/or give Iran decisive influence over a Shi�ite-dominated Iraq. This latter risk seems to be steadily diminishing but cannot be ignored.."

"Saudi Arabia's ties to the United States, and in particular, California, go back over 70 years. In fact, it was the Standard Oil Company of California -- the predecessor of today's Chevron -- which took the pioneering step of signing a concession agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to explore for oil. I wonder what those early geologists and engineers would say if they could see the vast Saudi Arabian oil industry that exists today -- an industry which their early efforts helped to create. The story of our relationship involves much more than oil. For over 70 years, our two countries have worked together on all levels for regional and international peace and economic prosperity. The relationship, particularly in the fields of trade and investment, have expanded and diversified since the early days.."

Saudi Arabia - Country Analysis Brief
Energy Information Administration
Aug 15, 2008

"..Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). With approximately one-fifth of the world's proven oil reserves and some of the lowest production costs, Saudi Arabia is expected to remain the world's largest net oil exporter in the near and long-term.."

"Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from
Muhammad to the Present" - Introduction
Mark Weston
Aug 12, 2008

"..Saudi Arabia is both the economic and the spiritual center of the Middle East and a crucial ally of the West. It has a quarter of the world�s oil; the United States has just 2 percent. At present, if the United States were forced to rely on its own resources, it could run out of oil in less than five years. Three families control more than 40 percent of the Earth�s oil reserves: the al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, the al-Sabah of Kuwait, and the al-Nahayan of Abu Dhabi. By far the most powerful of these families is the al-Saud, the rulers of Saudi Arabia, the world�s only country that is named after a family. Their desert kingdom is almost as large as the United States east of the Mississippi River.."

"Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from
Muhammad to the Present" by Mark Weston
Foreword by Amb. Wyche Fowler, Jr.
Aug 11, 2008

"..As a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, I welcome "Prophets and Princes" as a balanced and comprehensive history of this vital, oil-rich nation. Many excellent (and some dreadful) works have been written about the kingdom, but the scope of Prophets and Princes is particularly ambitious. In one volume, Mark Weston describes the development of the Arabian peninsula from the era of Muhammad and his successors and the beginnings of the Sunni-Shia split in the seventh century to the strategic importance and the many social and economic changes that characterize the Saudi kingdom today. This is a rare work of fact and analysis, a guide to understanding Saudi Arabia�s policies, politics, and application of Islam to modern life.."

"In April, the head of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Hamad Al-Sayari, warned that inflation in the Kingdom could cross the 10-percent threshold. However, he thought it would ease in the second half of the year as the government�s anti-inflationary measures took hold and global demand for commodities fell. He was spot-on about the first part. Inflation, according to the government�s own figures, hit a 30-year high in June: 10.6 percent, as opposed to 10.4 percent the previous month.."

"..King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005 on the passing of King Fahd. Abdullah, in his capacity as Crown Prince, has been recognized as the de facto regent of the country since Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995. The transition from Fahd to Abdullah was a smooth affair, in full accordance with the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia and was followed by pledging of allegiance to the new King by officials and citizens in the Kingdom.." In his first television interview since assuming the title and role of King, Abdullah chose ABC News reporter Barbara Walters. The interview was conducted at the new king's palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and aired on ABC in the United States on Friday, October 14, 2005.

SUSRIS Reprint
King Abdullah Interview - Redux
Richard Haass Comments
Aug 6, 2008

"..He has something of a reputation as a reformer. He's an intriguing man. We couldn't do better right now than Abdullah if we had to choose who would run Saudi Arabia. The real question again is time. How hard he is willing to press it. Whether on the issues you've raised, like women, on democratic reforms more generally, on doing something about the quality of Saudi society which really isn't part of the modern world. One has to hope, though, that he does have the time, because it is very difficult to see one of the alternatives doing better.."

"..One of the first things I would like to tell you is that I support whatever is in U.S. interests. That is because whatever is in the interest of the U.S. is also in the interest of Saudi Arabia. The America that is of your parents is one of equality, justice and fairness. I believe America has moved away from those principles. America has deviated from that way. In the past few years America has said not one word about the conduct of Israel. Does this mean that Israel has committed no errors? America has interests and they have suffered. America's friends have stood up and defended it but it has become harder to stand up and defend America. This is not good for America. America and the American people are good and their approach to issues is based on equality and justice and non-discrimination.."

SUSRIS EXCLUSIVE
King Abdullah: Racing or Nudging to the Future?
A Conversation with Mark Weston
Aug 5, 2008

"..King Abdullah was 21 years old before the oil money started to come in to the Kingdom. So he witnessed the extensive changes Saudi Arabia has gone through and his values were formed before there was oil money. The details of his youth � what he did day to day � and before he became Commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard are difficult to come by. However, unlike King Fahd he never had a �playboy� reputation and therefore he has had more stature with conservative elements. So when it was the right time to move forward with reforms it has been easier for him to do so.."

SUSRIS EXCLUSIVE
The Rule of King Abdullah: A New Paradigm
A Conversation with Jean-Francois Seznec
Aug 1, 2008

"..King Abdullah�s greatest achievement is pushing the Kingdom kicking and screaming into the 21st century. He is trying to bring enormous economic growth to the Kingdom and he knows economic gains can only be achieved if he marginalizes the most conservative Muslim elements that are now in control of society. In the last three years, his main actions have been against these conservative elements.."

Update on the Relationship - Amr Khashoggi on "Middle East Interviews"
July 26, 2008

"..This week Saudi businessman Amr Khashoggi talked with syndicated radio talk show host Todd Feinburg about changes and challenges in US-Saudi relations since 9-11. You may recall Mr. Khashoggi's "Open Letter" which was highlighted in SUSRIS in 2006 with a follow on interview in 2007 in which he forthrightly challenged Americans and Saudis to address the shortcomings on both sides.. ..Today we are pleased to highlight for your attention Khashoggi's recent interview with Todd Feinburg (link below) and suggest you check out some of the other recorded conversations at Feinburg's "Middle East Interviews" blog.."

The New Arab Diplomacy: Not With the U.S. and Not Against the U.S.
Marina Ottaway & Mohammed Herzallah
July 21, 2008

"Arab countries are undertaking diplomatic initiatives that clearly contradict U.S. policy, because they no longer trust the U.S. capacity to contend with escalating regional crises. Even Arab countries traditionally aligned with the United States are no longer willing to follow Washington's lead on policies toward Iran, Lebanon, or Hamas, concludes a new paper from the Carnegie Middle East Program.."

"..The three-day international interfaith conference, which concluded here yesterday, emphasized the need for promoting dialogue among religions and cultures in order to strengthen world peace and stability. Nearly 300 delegates representing Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and other faiths from across the world attended the conference, which was opened by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Wednesday in the presence of Spain�s King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jos� Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The participants reminded the world of the Declaration of the UN General Assembly in 1994, which called for tolerance and the spread of the culture of peace. The final declaration issued by the conference rejected the notion of the so-called �clash of civilizations� and warned against the danger of campaigns seeking to deepen conflicts and destabilize peace and security.."

"..It is therefore incumbent upon us to declare to the world that difference must not lead to conflict and confrontation, and to state that the tragedies that have occurred in human history were not attributable to religion, but were the result of extremism with which some adherents of every divinely revealed religion, and of every political ideology, have been afflicted. Mankind is suffering today from a loss of values and conceptual confusion, and is passing through a critical phase which, in spite of all the scientific progress, is witnessing a proliferation of crime, an increase in terrorism, the disintegration of the family, subversion of the minds of the young by drug abuse, exploitation of the poor by the strong, and odious racist tendencies. This is all a consequence of the spiritual void from which people suffer when they forget God, and God causes them to forget themselves. There is no solution for us other than to agree on a united approach, through dialogue among religions and civilizations.."

"..the conference has adopted the following recommendations:
� To reject theories that call for the clash of civilizations and cultures and to warn of the danger of campaigns seeking to deepen conflicts and destabilize peace and security.
� To enhance common human values, to cooperate in their dissemination within societies and to solve the problems that hinder their achievement.
� To disseminate the culture of tolerance and understanding through dialogue so as to be a framework for international relations through holding conferences and symposia, as well as developing relevant cultural, educational and media programs.
� To agree on international guidelines for dialogue among the followers of religions and cultures through which moral values and ethical principles, which are common denominators among such followers, so as to strengthen stability and achieve prosperity for all humans.
� To work on urging governmental and non-governmental organizations to issue a document that stipulates respect for religions and their symbols, the prohibition of their denigration and the repudiation of those who commit such acts.."

"..The groundbreaking three-day interfaith World Conference of Dialogue which closed yesterday in Madrid appears to have caught international imagination, perhaps in no small part because Saudi Arabia, a conservative state to some, was the prime mover behind the gathering. In his opening address Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah told the 300 attendees, mostly Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy, that the world�s major religions had to turn their backs on extremism and embrace �constructive dialogue�.. ..There will, of course, be those who will claim as the pace of dialogue quickens, that participants will be going over the same ground again and again. And that will no doubt be the case. That is the nature of mature and sincere dialogue. From such detailed and exhaustive deliberations will come the answers both to interfaith misunderstandings that bedevil relations and inspire bigotry and terrorism and also to how people believing in different religions can find ways to respect the principles of decency and humanity that each religion seeks to express.."

"..The need for dialogue between believers of different religions and cultures is called for by the current world conditions and the many crises faced by human communities. Also, the growing challenges that threaten to worsen existing economic, political and social problems and to deepen human suffering. Such conditions prevail at a time characterized by widespread injustice, corruption and immorality, and the breakup of the family � the basic unit of all societies. Humanity is moving away from noble values and principles that form the essence of all religions and beliefs. We are part of this world. We influence and are influenced by it. We are a nation of a sublime mission and deeply rooted cultural heritage. Our religion urges us to embrace the principle of dialogue and call upon us to cooperate and coexist in peace with others, and promote understanding, peace, accord and good values among all humankind. My optimism stems from the broad positive response to the call for dialogue on the part of many circles, both inside the Muslim world and at all level of various religious and cultural levels around the world.."

"..The six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE -- are enjoying a spectacular economic boom-one that we expect to continue over the medium term. The GCC economy is set to surge past $1 trillion in nominal terms in 2008, marking a three-fold increase in only five years. This will push the GCC economy past that of South Korea and put it on a par with India. Real GDP growth, which is expected to reach 8.2 percent in 2008, has tended to fluctuate in line with oil output (four of the six countries are members of OPEC). The contribution of the non-oil sector has been more vigorous and more stable, and has been the engine of the current boom. Assuming non-oil GDP growth this year of 8.5 percent, the five-year average for the 2004-08 period will be a robust 7.7 percent, a full percentage point higher than overall GDP growth.."

"..During his talk at the Middle East Institute, prominent member of Saudi Arabia�s Majlis al-Shura -- or the Consultative Council -- Usamah al-Kurdi imparted his views on the developments that have been underway in the Kingdom since 1993. Al-Kurdi�s presentation traced the series of reforms that have begun to alter the way that the Saudi people live, work, and participate in government. Central to these reforms were the rights of individuals to challenge the government and the removal of those barriers that have heretofore preceded the limited engagement of particular groups (most notably women and foreigners) in Saudi Arabia�s government, society, and economy. All in all, al-Kurdi�s message was clear: while change occurs slowly in Saudi Arabia, it is underway, and the country will one day enjoy a more democratic society.."

"..The Bush administration's Freedom Agenda--an undertaking rich in rhetoric and bombast and poor on substance--has been an unqualified disaster. It has not helped bring about change in the region, but it has undermined US credibility. Yet the next administration must not succumb to the temptation to simply dismiss the idea of democracy promotion in the Middle East. The deficit of democracy denounced by the UNDP Arab Human Development Report remains large. In countries like Egypt the problem is more acute, with gains made in the last two decades steadily eroded by a resurgence of authoritarianism. Most important, the demand for democracy or at least for more openness and participation remains high in the region, even if it is ineffectual. It comes in part from liberal organizations and intellectuals who embrace the concept of liberal democracy. Theirs is not a powerful demand, because liberal organizations in the Middle East generally lack organized constituencies, hence are not significant political players. Demands for participation and democracy are also being set forth by Islamist political parties that have chosen to participate in the electoral political process of their countries, taking advantage of whatever opportunities exist to establish themselves as mainstream political actors.."

"..Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.. ..will open the international interfaith conference in the Spanish capital Madrid on July 16.. ..King Abdullah first announced his plan to hold an interfaith conference when he met delegates attending a cultural dialogue between Japan and the Muslim world in Riyadh last March. He said such a dialogue was essential to promote world peace. Abdullah presented the idea when he held talks with Pope Benedict XVI during their historic meeting at the Vatican last November.."

"..The World Petroleum Congress wrapped up yesterday in the shadow of record crude prices, with concern growing about a third oil shock but with little consensus about what to do about it. After four days of meetings between the leading political and corporate energy bosses here, divisions between consumer and producer countries on what or who is to blame for the high oil prices appeared to sharpen. Saudi Arabia, the world�s leading oil exporter, expressed concern yesterday about new records for benchmark crude of over $146 a barrel and again said it was committed to dialogue between consumers and producers. Those discussions show no sign of finding a solution to market tension, however, with both sides citing different reasons: consumers are clamoring for higher supplies while producers blame financial speculators and the falling dollar.."