The
Dynamics of Economic and Commercial Reform:
Near-Term Prognoses Usamah Al-Kurdi "Well,
reform is serious business in Saudi Arabia.Very few people actually know that it
started in 1993 when the four famous laws were
issued.The
law to create the Shura Council.The law to create regional councils in
the 13 different regions of Saudi Arabia.What we call the Basic Law of Governance
of Saudi Arabia was issued that year.And, the new law stipulating a term of
four years for the ministers in Saudi Arabia.So, these four laws were issued in 1993
and ever since I have been following the
different reform steps that were taking place in
Saudi Arabia very closely."
-- H.E. Usamah Al-Kurdi
Why
Reforge the U.S. and Saudi Relationship? An
Interview with Anthony Cordesman
"Earlier
this year Dr. Anthony Cordesman wrote an essay
called, "Ten
Reasons for Reforging the U.S. and Saudi
Relationship," that appeared in the
Saudi-American Forum. It is an excellent
starting point for a discussion of where
U.S.-Saudi relations are today and where they
are going.."
Virginia
Exports: Diversifying for New Saudi Demand By
Grant F. Smith "Virginia
has diversified manufactured and service exports
to Saudi Arabia during the past five years.Lower value added export categories, such
as tobacco and beverages, have gradually ceded
to machinery, computer equipment and electronic
components.Saudi imports currently provide just
under 7,000 service and manufacturing jobs in
Virginia.Jobs
could reach 10,000 in Virginia by 2013 under a
modest growth scenario.."
Saudi-US
Relations Information Service (SUSRIS) &
Saudi-American Forum (SAF) Quarterly Summary A Review
of July-September 2004 Production
This summary
provides a compilation of SAF and SUSRIS essays,
items of interest and special reports issued
between July 1 and September 30, 2004.
"Reform
& Terrorism in Saudi Arabia"withAmr Khashoggi
The
National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce and
the Center for International Private Enterprise
invite you to attend a roundtable discussion on
"Reform & Terrorism
in Saudi Arabia"withAmr Khashoggi on Thursday,
October 7, 2004
from 10:00
a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
This event will be held at the National
U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, 1023 15th Street,
NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005.
To
RSVP for this event, please click
here for a PDF registration form and
fax this form to (202) 289-5938. If you
have a problem opening the PDF form or for more
information, please contact Christopher Ross at
(202) 289-5920 or by e-mail at [email protected]
.
A
Congressman who shows the political courage to
tell Congress and the public about the
importance of US-Saudi relations should be
commended and encouraged by his constituents and
other Americans.
Kingdom
to Host Global Anti-Terror
Conference Feb. 5-8 Arab News
"Saudi Arabia
yesterday [September 27]
announced it would host an
international conference
on combating terrorism,
but warned that peace and
security in the Middle
East will fail if Israel
holds on to policies
'totally incompatible with
the fundamental principles
of the peace
process..'" Complete
report ..
SPE:
Saudi Aramco aims at
sustained deliverability Oil & Gas Journal
"Contrary to recent
speculation about an
imminent sharp decline in
Saudi Arabian oil
production capacity, Nasen
G. Saleri,
manager-reservoir
management of Saudi
Aramco, told participants
at the Society of
Petroleum Engineers Annual
Technical Conference and
Exhibition in Houston
Monday that Saudi Aramco
is pursuing a strategy of
maintaining low depletion
rates in its fields of
1-3%/year for at least
20-25 years.." Complete
report ..
Securing
U.S. Energy in a Changing
World Middle East Policy
Council "The Council's
most recent Capitol Hill
conference, "Securing
U.S. Energy in a Changing
World," was convened
at a time of record oil
prices and public
questioning of the lack of
a coherent U.S. energy
policy. Chas. Freeman,
president of the Middle
East Policy Council,
chaired a panel of
renowned energy
specialists: Frank
Verrastro, director of the Energy
Program at the Center for
International and
Strategic Studies; James Placke,
senior associate at the
Cambridge Energy Resource
Associates; and Alan Hegburg,
senior fellow of the
Energy Program at the
Center for International
and Strategic
Studies.." Complete
report ..
Saudi
Arabia, a golden
opportunity AME Info By
just about any stretch of
the imagination, the
figures involved are
massive. Rocketing oil
prices and production
lifted way over the OPEC
quota have combined to
give Saudi Arabia, the
world's dominant oil
exporter, a colossal and
unexpected revenue
windfall. Complete
report ..
Energy
Developments in the Middle East By Anthony H. Cordesman
Book
Description
The
Middle Eastern and North African
region (MENA) dominates world energy
exports today and will likely do so
for decades to come, even if world
consumers make steady progress in
conservation, renewable energy
sources, and increases from gas,
coal, and nuclear power. The MENA
region, however, has been the scene
of both internal crises and external
conflicts. On several occasions,
these crises have affected either
the flow of MENA energy exports or
the development of energy production
and export capacity. The politics,
economics, and social dynamics that
shape threats to regional stability
are complex. Cordesman details the
factors behind these diverse forces
and outlines current supply levels
and future trends, taking each of
these variables into consideration.
The MENA area includes at least 22
states, with a combined population
of nearly 300 million, each with
different political, economic,
demographic, and security conditions
and needs. It is divided into at
least four subregions including the
Maghreb (Mauritania, Morocco,
Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia); the
Levant and the Arab-Israeli
confrontation states (Egypt, Israel,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria); the
Gulf (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
Oman); and the Red Sea states
(Yemen, the Sudan, and Somalia).
This important guide outlines the
forces affecting each subregion,
including supply, demand, and
financing, and forecasts the likely
impact that different scenarios
would have on energy resources under
varying world conditions.
[Book
Note: The SUSRIS provides listings
of books on subjects relating to
US-Saudi relations as a service to
subscribers but does not necessarily
endorse the views expressed.]
Letter
to Congressional Leaders on the Sale
of AWACS and Other Air Defense
Equipment to Saudi Arabia
August
5, 1981
One
of the essential elements of the
Administration's Southwest Asia
strategy will come before Congress for
review in the near future. It is to
provide Saudi Arabia with a package of
equipment and training to improve its
air defense capabilities. The package
will include five E3A AWACS aircraft
as well as enhancements for the F-15
aircraft which we have agreed to
provide.
I
am convinced that providing Saudi
Arabia with this equipment will
improve the security of our friends,
strengthen our own posture in the
region, and make it clear both to
local governments and to the Soviet
leadership that the United States is
determined to assist in preserving
security and stability in Southwest
Asia.
We
have not previously submitted this
package to the Congress, although it
was decided upon in principle some
time ago, for two reasons: the
priority we needed to place on
securing passage of our economic
program, and the necessity of working
out a set of understandings with the
Saudi leadership which will ensure
that the equipment provided will be
employed to our mutual benefit and
that the U.S. technology and systems
involved will be fully protected.
I
am aware that information from a
variety of sources has been
circulating on Capitol Hill regarding
this sale and that many Members have
been under some pressure to take an
early position against it. I hope that
no one will prejudge our proposal
before it is presented. We will make a
strong case to the Congress that it is
in the interest of our country, the
Western Alliance and stability in the
Middle East. Meanwhile, as the
Congress prepares for its August
recess, I would appreciate your
support and assistance in urging that
Members do not prejudge this important
issue until they have had the
opportunity to hear the
Administration's views.
Sincerely,
Ronald
Reagan
Note:
This is the text of identical letters
addressed to Senate Majority Leader
Howard H. Baker, Jr., Senate Minority
Leader Robert C. Byrd, Speaker of the
House of Representatives Thomas P.
O'Neill, Jr., and House Minority
Leader Robert H. Michel.
The Saudi-US
Relations Information Service (SUSRIS) provides
you information resources and interactive
features through a web site and weekly
newsletter -- all designed to enhance your
understanding of the historic relationship
between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-US Relations Information Service is a
public service of the National Council on
U.S.-Arab Relations as an element of its mission
to educate Americans about Arab countries, the
Middle East, and the Islamic world.
We invite you to
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see what we've added -- what you see today is
just the beginning.
Users
of the The Saudi-US Relations Information
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our terms
and conditions and legal
disclaimer.
Copyright 2004
"
Letter
to Congressional Leaders on the Sale
of AWACS and Other Air Defense
Equipment to Saudi Arabia