Prince Nayef Named Second Deputy Prime Minister
Mar 28, 2009

"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has appointed Interior Minister Prince Naif second deputy premier, the Saudi Press Agency reported [Mar 27]. Prince Naif has been involved in landmark women empowerment decisions in the Kingdom, including a decision to issue women identity cards in 2001, freeing them from the need to be listed in their husbands� and guardians� identity cards. Prince Naif has also been at the forefront of international relations with numerous countries and has played a key role in fostering excellent neighborly relations. The latest of his achievements in this regard is the signing of the demarcation of borders with Qatari Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in December 2008.."

U.S. Financial Plans Boost Markets
Mar 25, 2009

"..Global markets have responded strongly to two major economic policy initiatives announced by the US government that aim to remove toxic mortgage assets from the financial sector and lift the economy. The US Treasury�s plan to deal with toxic financial assets held by banks was unveiled on Monday. Central to the plan is the creation of investment partnerships between the government and private sector investors. Initially, the government has allocated $75-$100 billion of capital, which combined with private sector money and borrowing facilities provided by the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, could generate a pool of around $500 billion (which could be raised to $1 trillion) to buy bad real estate loans held by banks.."

Amb Chas Freeman Withdraws as Intel Council Chair
Mar 10, 2009

"..I have concluded that the barrage of libelous distortions of my record would not cease upon my entry into office. The effort to smear me and to destroy my credibility would instead continue. I do not believe the National Intelligence Council could function effectively while its chair was under constant attack by unscrupulous people with a passionate attachment to the views of a political faction in a foreign country. I agreed to chair the NIC to strengthen it and protect it against politicization, not to introduce it to efforts by a special interest group to assert control over it through a protracted political campaign.."

Middle East Peace Diplomacy - Faheem Al-Hamid
Mar 2, 2009

"..Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has a busy schedule this week as Saudi Arabia steps up a diplomatic offensive to push forward the Arab peace initiative. Prince Saud is expected to meet with Hillary Clinton for the first time since she became US Secretary of State, on Monday during the international Gaza reconstruction conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Sources said their talks would deal with ways to step up Saudi-US strategic relations and efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of a viable two-state solution � Palestinian and Israel.."

Middle East Peace and the U.S.-Saudi Relationship: A Conversation with Thomas Lippman
Mar 2, 2009

"..If you were in this situation, you would know a certain number of things. You know that there is a deep split among the Palestinians, which Riyadh has made vigorous efforts to at least paper over if not rectify; and you have not succeeded. You know the Palestinians, as before, are their own worst enemies. You know that in Israel, whoever becomes Prime Minister just gave a substantial vote to the forces of power that have no intention of giving up territory. They are not committed to the Arab League Peace Plan or, at this point, any other. You should not have been disappointed by the position taken by the United States because �what�s new?� Why would you expect something different this time? It�s been a long time since 1956.."

The Gaza Crisis: Different This Time - Dr. Abdulrahman H. Al-Saeed
Mar 2, 2009

"..At a distance, the massacre in Gaza may look like a repeat of past events but that is looking only at the surface. Yes, on the surface, this is business as usual: Once again Israel is using brute force to subdue foes and getting away with it. But below the surface is the great bulk of an iceberg invisible to the casual observer but growing exponentially with every atrocity committed against the Palestinians. For better or worse, desperate, frustrated youth may conclude that the prevailing world system is incapable or unwilling to address their grievances by applying universal rules of justice.."

Former US Envoy to Kingdom Named to Top Intelligence Post
Feb 28, 2009

"..The Obama Administration has appointed Ambassador Chas Freeman as chairman of the National Intelligence Council this week. Freeman, who has been President of the Middle East Policy Council, has had a distinguished career including service as United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the period that included Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  Today we are pleased to present for your consideration an article by Arab News Washington correspondent Barbara Ferguson on the "brouhaha" that attended Ambassador Freeman's latest appointment.  The readers of SUSRIS have been the beneficiaries of Ambassador Freeman's insights and perspectives through a collection of essays, speeches and interviews on US-Saudi relations and American foreign policy challenges in the Middle East..."

Crown Prince Sultan Medical Update
Feb 25, 2009

Bolstering Information Ministry's Goals - P.K. Abdul Ghafour
Feb 20, 2009

"..The new Minister of Culture and Information, former diplomat Abdul Aziz Khoja has called on his ministry and media to make better use of technology to tell the Kingdom's development story, and to reflect the reforms advanced under the rule of King Abdullah. Today we provide for your consideration a snapshot of the Mr. Khoja's plans in an article by P.K. Abdul Ghafour of Arab News.."

Special Report - Saudi Arabia Shuffles Government Posts
Feb 15, 2009

"King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has sacked two powerful religious officials in a wide ranging shake-up of the cabinet and other government posts. One of the dismissed men was the head of the controversial religious police force. The other was the country's most senior judge. The king also appointed the country's first-ever female minister and replaced the head of the central bank. Correspondents say such government reshuffles are rare in Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah, who came to power in 2005, has for a long time had the reputation of a reformer - and the latest appointments have the makings of one of the biggest shake-ups in Saudi public life for many years.." 

China: A Powerful New Trading Partner - John Sfakianakis
Feb 14, 2009

"..Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and China were first established in 1990. Yet, without substantial trade or the growth of the Chinese economy, ties between the Kingdom and China would have been far less visible. In many ways, links between the two have grown so dramatically because of each country�s strengths. China is an exporter of goods and Saudi Arabia is a significant importer, while China�s growth and thirst for oil imports has been largely supplied by Saudi Arabia. China is second largest source of imports to the Kingdom (2007 data) and is ranked fifth as a destination for Saudi exports. Indeed, Saudi Arabia is China�s biggest trading partner in the West Asia and North Africa region. Both countries� exports and, as a result, overall trade rankings have dramatically improved over the decade. In 1988, China was ranked ninth in exports to the Kingdom, while in the same year Saudi Arabia was ranked 20th among exporters to China.."

China to Boost Relations with GCC: President Hu
Feb 12, 2009

"..Saudi Arabia and China have pledged to work together to reform the world financial system. �Riyadh and Beijing have agreed to keep close contacts with a view to reforming the global financial institutions,� said Chinese President Hu Jintao after talks with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah. Beijing also seeks to expand its ties with Gulf states within the framework of a new vision of bilateral relations that has been set out by the two blocs: the GCC and China. �Beijing would like to boost links with the six-nation GCC in all sectors,� Hu said.."

Sino-Saudi Relations: President Hu to Visit Riyadh
Feb 5, 2009

"..President Hu Jintao will travel to four countries in Africa and Saudi Arabia from February 10-17, 2009 according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. This will be Hu's second visit to Saudi Arabia and underscores the importance Beijing and Riyadh attach to the bilateral relationship. In January 2006 King Abdullah, on his first overseas travel after ascending to the throne, went to Beijing -- the first Saudi King to visit China. The relationship was expanded through President Hu's visit three months later. This Riyadh trip was the first stop for Hu after a Washington visit and talks with President Bush. [Amb. Chas Freeman's article on the visits provides interesting contrasts on how Hu was received in Washington and Riyadh and analysis of the relationships.] In addition to reporting on King Abdullah's and President Hu's 2006 reciprocal visits, SUSRIS has assembled a broad collection of articles, interiews and special reports on the burgeoning relationship between Riyadh and Beijing, and its effect on US-Saudi relations -- available through links below. Jon Alterman and John Garvey have added to our understanding of these complex relationship through their book, "The Vital Triangle" which was profiled in SUSRIS. To this collection we add today for your consideration an overview of the upcoming state visit in the form of P.K. Abdul Ghafour's report in Arab News.." 

The Vital Triangle - A Conversation with Jon Alterman
Feb 5, 2009

"..With yesterday's announcement that Chinese President Hu Jintao will visit Saudi Arabia next week it seemed appropriate to provide you with another look at the SUSRIS exclusive interview with Jon Alterman.. ..We last caught up with CSIS Middle East Program Director Jon Alterman in May on the sidelines of the Arab-US Economic Forum in Washington where he took time to talk about U.S.-Saudi relations and a host of issues of interest to SUSRIS readers. [Link below] We were pleased to have a chance to get an update the other day on his recent work, a book, written with John Garver, examining the multi-dimensional relationships among China, the United States, and the Middle East.." 

World Food Program Honors King Abdullah
Feb 4, 2009 

"..Last spring the World Food Program (WFP), faced with a mounting global hunger crisis, issued an urgent appeal for help. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia responded with a $500 million contribution. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called it a "contribution of an unprecedented size and generosity" and that it came "not a moment too soon, given the needs of millions of people dependent on food rations," according to a spokesman. The appeal raised a total of $755 million to meet the immediate needs of the world's almost one billion hungry people, according to WFP, which said in a statement: "The money raised from WFP�s appeal in response to high food prices is supporting an additional 23 million beneficiaries in 24 countries in programs which include: Extending school feeding to children through school holidays and using schools as a platform to provide take home rations to vulnerable families � education projects have reached 2.6 million children in six countries: Haiti, Liberia, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Tajikistan. Providing supplementary rations of nutritious food to malnourished children and women � 130,000 malnourished children in seven countries: Djibouti, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Liberia, Senegal and Tajikistan, started their nutrition interventions; another 11 countries are about to start implementation. Last week the WFP honored King Abdullah at the World Economic Forum with its annual "World Champion in the Battle Against Hunger" award. Today we provide details courtesy of the SPA.."

Special Report - President Obama's Mideast Envoy George Mitchell Visits Saudi Arabia
Feb 2, 2009

"..Last week U.S. President Barack Obama told an Al-Arabiya interviewer his approach to the Middle East was, "for the United States to get engaged right away." He outlined the course his envoy George Mitchell would take in addressing peacemaking between Palestinians and Israelis, to "start by listening" and to hear from all the parties. That listening process would lead the new administration to formulate a plan on how to proceed. This weekend Mitchell met with Saudi leaders at the end of a week in the region on his listening tour. Today we present for you consideration a snapshot of those meetings through the reporting of the Christian Science Monitor, Arab News and AFP. Excerpts from their coverage are followed by related stories posted on SUSRIS.." 

Special Report - President Obama Engages the Arab World - Reactions
Jan 28, 2009

"..Veteran journalist Hisham Melham got a phone call from the White House Monday morning, according to Scott MacLeod writing for Time, asking if he would like to chat with President Obama later in the afternoon. The Al-Arabiya interview he had with Mr. Obama was the first since the President's inauguration last week and it set the marker for a new dialogue between the U.S. Government and the Arab world. He said, "..if we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world, that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest, then I think that we can make significant progress." That message generated a flurry of reactions from the Arab and Muslim world and among analysts.."

Ready to Initiate a New Partnership and a Hand of Friendship - President Barack Obama
Jan 27, 2009

"..The most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away. And George Mitchell is somebody of enormous stature. He is one of the few people who have international experience brokering peace deals. And so what I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating -- in the past on some of these issues --and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen. He's going to be speaking to all the major parties involved. And he will then report back to me. From there we will formulate a specific response. Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions. But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead, it's time to return to the negotiating table.."

Special Report - Relationship and Stability at Risk - Prince Turki al-Faisal
Jan 23, 2009

"..In my decades as a public servant, I have strongly promoted the Arab-Israeli peace process. During recent months, I argued that the peace plan proposed by Saudi Arabia could be implemented under an Obama administration if the Israelis and Palestinians both accepted difficult compromises. I told my audiences this was worth the energies of the incoming administration for, as the late Indian diplomat Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit said: �The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war.� But after Israel launched its bloody attack on Gaza, these pleas for optimism and co-operation now seem a distant memory. In the past weeks, not only have the Israeli Defence Forces murdered more than 1,000 Palestinians, but they have come close to killing the prospect of peace itself. Unless the new US administration takes forceful steps to prevent any further suffering and slaughter of Palestinians, the peace process, the US-Saudi relationship and the stability of the region are at risk.."

Dramatic Changes Expected in Education System
Jan 22, 2009

"..The King Abdullah Project for General Education Development (Tatwir) will bring about dramatic changes in the Kingdom�s education system, said Naif Al-Roumi, deputy education minister for planning and development and director general of the project. �We have started implementing some programs under the project on an experimental basis,� Al-Roumi told Al-Riyadh Arabic daily. �Our plan is to develop the Kingdom�s education system making use of the successful experiments in other countries, such as the United States, South Korea, Singapore and Finland,� he said. The government has allocated SR9 billion for the project, which is named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah who wants to introduce drastic reforms in the country�s education system, matching with advanced countries. The current national budget has set aside SR120 billion for education and training.."

Special Report - Arab Economic Summit in Kuwait
Jan 20, 2009

"..Arab leaders tried to patch over their differences as a two-day summit in Kuwait drew to a close, but the Gaza conflict appears to have exacerbated the tensions. Arab leaders began their Kuwait summit, Monday, amid discord, and ended it, a day later, amid more discord. Attempts to find a common position on the conflict in Gaza and towards Israel seemingly failed, leaving rival Arab camps as divided as ever. Arab leaders did, however, agree to a plan to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip, promising a total of $2 billion to reconstruct what was damaged or demolished in the 21-day conflict between Israel and Hamas militants. Iraqi Foreign Minister Houshiyar Zubeiri told Kuwaiti TV that the summit's final declaration avoided a common position on Gaza because Arab leaders had "run out of time" to reconcile their differences, and because "some [leaders] remain entrenched in their positions.".."

An American Ambassador�s Farewell to Saudi Arabia - John Duke Anthony
Jan 15, 2009

"..Looking back on his tenure as American Ambassador in Riyadh, Ambassador Ford Fraker called attention to the following accomplishments: Since the second official visit of President Bush to Riyadh in May 2008, six ground-breaking bilateral agreements have been signed and entered into between Saudi Arabia and the United States. These are an agreement whereby American and Saudi Arabian students, business representatives, and tourists can obtain five-year multiple re-entry visas; the Joint Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Agreement; the Anti-Proliferation Initiative in which the two sides pledged to work to strengthen the existing Non-Proliferation Treaty; an Agreement for Joint Critical Infrastructure Cooperation; a Technical Cooperation Agreement for the Civil Uses of Nuclear Energy; and a Science and Technology Agreement between the United States Department of State and the King Abdalaziz Center for Science and Technology.."

The Gaza Crisis: Regional Consequences
Jan 10, 2009

"..The division in the Middle East region between the so-called moderate pro-western camp on the one side and the Iranian axis that includes Syria, Hizballah and Hamas on the other was clear in the early reactions to the Israeli military operation against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Egypt and Saudi Arabia took the lead in the moderate camp in criticizing Hamas for giving Israel the alibi to wage this devastating onslaught by canceling the lull from its side. Hizballah, Syria and Iran accused some moderate Arab countries, directly and indirectly, of conspiring with the United States and Israel against Hamas.."

US-Gulf Relations Post-Election - 2009 Gulf Forum
Jan 10, 2009

"..Decision makers, scholars, policy planners and academics from the US and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security in the Gulf region and pledged to boost ies during a high-profile US-GCC forum that concluded here yesterday. Attendees, at the same time, were divided in their expectations about policies to be adopted by US President-elect Barack Obama. Majid Al-Moneef, chairman of the GCC energy team, gave an overview of US-Gulf relations in the fields of energy and environment, while Abdulaziz Sager, chief of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center (GRC), delivered the forum�s concluding remarks.A range of issues affecting relations between the US and the GCC were examined at the forum�s three sessions yesterday. Panel members looked in depth at different aspects of political, security, defense, economic and energy issues that play a role in the relationship.."

Leadership Transitions - A Conversation With Thomas Lippman
Jan 9, 2009

"..What they should be thinking about, the real issue, the place where we might look for cracks in the fa�ade of al-Saud unity, you might say, and the potential for troublemaking or opportunism, is not in the succession to the monarchy itself. That new system, the so-called Allegiance Council system, that King Abdullah and the senior princes have put in place will probably work. It seems to me to be a wise system, a good idea in the first place. But the departure from the scene of any of the senior princes opens up a whole bunch of questions about the musical chairs.."

Solving the Saudi Succession Puzzle - Thomas W. Lippman
Jan 9, 2009

"If there is one thing the ruling princes of Saudi Arabia have shown they are good at, it is self-preservation. They demonstrated their skill once again last month with an adroit political maneuver that drew little media notice in this country because of the carnage in Iraq, but could have long-term significance for the Gulf region and for the United States. King Abdullah announced a new system for choosing future kings, designed to ensure smooth continuity whenever the monarchy is vacated. He issued a new "Allegiance Institution Law" designed to cover every eventuality: death of the king; simultaneous death of the king and crown prince; temporary incapacity because of illness; and long-term disability."

Crown Prince Sultan Health Report Questioned: Condition Said Not To Be Grave
Jan 8, 2009

"..A report circulated about the imminent death of Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia is not correct, according to a knowledgeable Saudi Arabian source who talked with SUSRIS today. He said the Crown Prince "is fine and will be heading home after his rest in Agadir," Morocco. He added that Crown Prince Sultan had an operation in New York City, which was a success and that "it never was that he had cancer.".."

Prince Turki al-Faisal Critical of US Gaza Stand
Jan 7, 2009

"The former ambassador to the United States and Britain, speaking at a three-day forum here on relations between the Gulf region and the US, said in a message directed at President-elect Barack Obama: �The Bush administration has left you (with) a disgusting legacy and a reckless position towards the massacres and bloodshed of innocents in Gaza." "Enough is enough, today we are all Palestinians and we seek martyrdom for God and for Palestine, following those who died in Gaza,� he said. Prince Turki also said that Iran is seen as playing a deconstructive role in the region. Around 100 delegates, including princes, ministers, academicians, policy-makers, ambassadors and journalists from the Gulf states were present at opening of the Sixth Gulf Forum to discuss the future of US-GCC relations under Obama."

2009 Gulf Forum Opens in Riyadh
Jan 6, 2009

"..GCC-US relations have seen ups and downs recently, mainly after the September 11 attacks and due to the key role of neoconservative policy makers in the Bush administration. These relations focus on important issues such as energy, trade and economic relations; countering terrorism; GCC internal reform; the situation in Iraq and the Iranian nuclear threat. In light of our previous experience, these relations ought to be seriously re-evaluated, with a broad examination of the priorities and direction, in a way that serves the interests of both sides. The election of a new US President, the global financial crisis and Gulf security as well as the political shifts could be turning points in the US-GCC relations.."