Newsletter - March 14-20, 2005 - #100

In This Issue

News In Depth From SUSRIS

Item of Interest From SUSRIS

Item of Interest From SUSRIS

U.S. Ambassador Sketches the Issues
"..the top US diplomat in the Kingdom reviewed a number of areas of interest to Americans and Saudis.  Ambassador Oberwetter, who has been in the post for about 14 months, discussed cooperative academic efforts including student visa availability, economic progress and WTO accession, political reform developments and the historic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.."

In the News - Snapshot of the Week Past

'High Oil Prices Haven't Impacted World Growth'
"Top central bankers meeting in Basel, Switzerland, were generally optimistic about the world economy recording robust growth this year, Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) Governor Hamad Al-Sayari said yesterday. Al-Sayari said that rising oil prices had so far not impacted growth.."

US Free Trade Agreements Split Arab Opinion
"In May 2003, George W. Bush set out his vision of a Middle East Free Trade Agreement (MEFTA). This was an idea born on the politically oriented basis of "those who trade together stay together" rather than from any US economic standpoint. Bush hopes that the MEFTA - perceived by some critics as a political tool in the 'war on terror' or, alternatively, designed to further US global hegemony - will encompass some 20 regional countries, including Israel, and be fully consolidated by 2013.."

Opinion Polls Taken In Saudi Arabia
"Saudi Arabia is to conduct rare public opinion polls across the kingdom within weeks to check whether a massive security media campaign is working, a senior Saudi official said. The kingdom began a programme of television ads, billboards, documentaries and other public outreach last month to show people that terrorism hurts everyone.."

Saudi Arabia Insists Oil Prices Unrealistic
"Saudi Arabia broke ranks with the rest of OPEC on [Mar 8] by insisting that current crude oil prices are 'unrealistically high.' Adel al-Jubeir, a foreign affairs adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, told a news briefing on Saudi security measures that 'we don't see shortage in the physical supply of crude oil.' He added that global markets are 'fairly stretched out' due to shipping pressures to meet rising demand in China, India and the United States.."

Kingdom, Azerbaijan to Boost Cooperation
"Crown Prince Abdullah and visiting Azeri President Ilham Aliyev yesterday held wide-ranging talks that focused on regional and international issues. Special areas of discussion were Saudi-Azeri cooperation in political, commercial and cultural fields. The talks will be followed by the signing of three major agreements between Saudi Arabia and the Muslim-majority Azeri republic here [Mar 9].."

WAMY to Channel Relief Through International Body
"The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Organization of Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross (OARCRC) to channel its relief and humanitarian activities through the organization. The agreement was signed by WAMY Secretary-General Dr. Saleh Sulaiman Al-Wohaibi and General Secretary of OARCRC Dr. Abdullah Al-Hazaa at WAMY headquarters yesterday. OARCRC is an umbrella organization for the Red Crescent and Red Cross societies in the Arab world.."

SRPC Launches eMagazine for Women
"Saudi Research & Publishing Company, the publisher of Arab News, yesterday launched the first electronic newspaper for Arab women named www.ansaph.com. The paper was launched at an annual conference of women in Dubai which was attended by a large number of businesswomen.."

E-Commerce Laws to Be Drafted
" Draft laws to streamline e-commerce in Saudi Arabia are being drafted. Prince Dr. Bandar ibn Salman ibn Muhammad Al-Saud, adviser in the Court of the Crown Prince, and chairman of the Saudi Arbitration Team announced the move at the opening of a three-day seminar on electronic commerce and the implications of e-signature in the light of the Shariah at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).."

Saudi Arabia Announces From Washington Its Campaign To Fight Terrorism
"Saudi Arabia announced on Monday in Washington its new efforts to fight "terrorism" noting that it had arrested 700 persons suspected to be involved in "terrorism" and has started a series of tough measures to control financing of "terrorism." This was expressed in a press conference in the Saudi embassy in Washington during which the foreign affairs advisor of the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Adel al-Jubeir, highlighted the new campaign which is launched by Saudi Arabia. This includes TV programs and posters and school programs aims at fighting extremism phenomenon in the Saudi society.."

Albilad IPO Likely to Set Record
"The initial public offering (IPO) of the Kingdom's new Islamic bank, Bank Albilad, has generated such tremendous interest that half the population of Saudi Arabia has applied for shares.. ..The scramble for a piece of the 30-million-share cake, the IPO for which closed yesterday, marked a record for subscribers for a new listing in the Kingdom, which is slowly opening up its economy.."

Saudi Support to UNICEF Assured
"The Kingdom has extended full support to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) which urgently needs $151.5 million for helping the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank as well as the victims of civil war in Darfur in Sudan. This was announced at a press conference held at UNICEF's Gulf Area Office in the Diplomatic Quarter.."

Saudi Arabia Approval For New Insurers
"Saudi Arabia has licensed 13 new insurance firms with foreign partnerships to operate in its lucrative market, local newspapers reported yesterday. The total capital of the 13 firms is 2.5 billion riyals ($666.7 million), Al Eqtissadiah daily quoted the head of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Amr Al Dabbagh as saying.."

Americans In Saudi Arabia Relocated After Threat
" An unspecified threat has prompted U.S. officials to move American residents in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to another location, a statement from the U.S. Consulate said. The so-called warden message, released by the consulate on Tuesday, warned of an elevated threat 'in the area of the Sierra Village compound.' The message offered no further details.."

Japan Water Desk To Support Investment In Saudi Arabia
"The first Japan Water Desk (JWD) in the world has been established in Jeddah by the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME) in cooperation with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) at the Chamber premises. 'The objective of JWD is to support the promotion of transfer of technology and direct investments from Japan to Saudi Arabia in the private sector in the fields of water resources and water resources-related projects,' Hideki Kono, executive director of JCCME, who made the announcement at a presentation, told a recent large gathering of Japanese, JCCI officials and businessmen at Jeddah Hilton.."

Saudi-American University in the Offing, Says Envoy
"Efforts are under way to establish a Saudi-American university in Riyadh, according to US Ambassador James C. Oberwetter. "King Faisal Foundation is now working with American businessmen to establish the university where courses will be provided in accordance with Shariah," he said.. ..the ambassador said he expected a large number of Saudi students to apply for visas for higher studies in the US.."

18 Terror Suspects Held in Zulfi Raid
"Saudi security forces have arrested 18 terror suspects in a sweep of the northern town of Zulfi, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Mansour Al-Turki. He said the suspects, 17 Saudis and one Afghan, were arrested in a 24-hour search, which began on [Mar 9] night and ended at dusk on Thursday in Zulfi, about 280 km north of Riyadh. Al-Jazirah Arabic daily said the detained men were members of the 'deviant group,' a phrase used by the government to describe Al-Qaeda militants.."

Boxer Introduces Amendment Urging Saudi Arabia to Allow Women to Vote
"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed an amendment offered by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) last week urging Saudi Arabia to allow women to vote and run for office. Boxer stated that 'the Saudi government's denial of basic rights to women is not only wrong, it hurts Saudi Arabia's economic development, modernization, and prosperity. It is in Saudi Arabia's best interest to allow women to fully participate in its society, and this includes the right to vote'.."

No Large-Scale Handout of Saudi Citizenship, Says Top Official
"Contrary to reports appearing in a section of the press, foreigners applying for Saudi citizenship need not fill any special form, Deputy Minister for Civil Affairs Nasser Al-Hanaya clarified.. ..Al-Hanaya said the amended law does not imply any large-scale handout of Saudi citizenship to non-Saudis. The government has simply changed certain rules in accordance with what it sees are in best public interest.."

New Identity Cards: Saudi Women Find Their Feet - and Face Too
"Saudi women will no longer be faceless identities. As of mid-2006, it will be compulsory for every Saudi woman to have her own ID card with her face on it, terminating the age of women depending on the current family card that only carries their names.. ..Hissah Al-Suwaileh, the head of Women's Civil Status Department in Riyadh.. ..said that an ID card for a woman had become a necessity to verify/prove her national identity and that it would be the only card recognized by banks and government sectors in the future.."

OPEC Likely to Keep Output Ceiling
"OPEC ministers who meet in Iran next week are likely to maintain the current output ceiling, OPEC President Sheikh Ahmad Fahd Al-Sabah said.. ..'We have to be very careful because there is still overproduction,' said Sheikh Ahmad, who is also Kuwait's energy minister.."

Saudi Arabia Denies Official Met Israeli
" Saudi Arabia Sunday denied its foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, had met Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres in Madrid. The Saudi foreign ministry, in a statement, said Saud did not meet the Israeli official on the sidelines of an anti-terrorism summit in the Spanish capital, as reported by Israeli Radio, 'because (Saud) did not attend the conference'.."

Saudis Raid Suspected Terrorists
"Saudi security forces shot dead one man and arrested three others in a raid on a suspected militant's flat in Jeddah on Sunday, officials and witnesses said. They said a woman was also killed and five policemen were wounded in the early morning clashes at the apartment in the northern part of the Red Sea city. Officials said the woman was apparently a neighbor.."

Saudi Arabia Sees Glimmer Of Reform
"Until three years ago, the Sunni-led government of Saudi Arabia barred its 2 million Shiites from publicly staging rituals like this February's Ashoura march, driving them into illegal meeting halls and mosques under a long-held policy of stifling non-Sunni expression. But after decades of being sidelined by the state and denounced by powerful clerics, Saudi Shiites are savoring a glimmer of tolerance and, this month, a first-ever local election that is likely to be their greatest step yet into the political mainstream.."

ACDelco Motor Oil launched in Saudi Arabia
" ACDelco has signed a unique agreement with the Arabian Petroleum Supply Company (APSCO) to blend and Omar Balubaid Company to distribute Saudi-produced premium grade motor oil in the Kingdom.. ..ACDelco, which is a subsidiary of General Motors, has been an integral part of the automotive industry for almost 100 years, establishing a reputation for setting industry standards for top quality automotive parts.."

Saudis Detail Alleged Libyan Murder Plot
"Saudi Arabia has concluded that a Libyan plot to assassinate the kingdom's de facto ruler in late 2003 was cloaked to look like an al Qaeda-inspired domestic revolt and was broken up only days before it was to have been carried out, according to Saudi officials and documents that detail the investigation. This month, a religious judge in Riyadh is tentatively scheduled to put 13 suspects on trial who have been in Saudi custody since the plot was uncovered in November 2003.."

Trial Of Saudi Reformists Adjourned
"The trial of three Saudi Arabians accused of calling for a constitutional monarchy has been adjourned for three weeks after a closed-door hearing. The presiding judge granted the prosecutor's request on Saturday to bring more evidence against reformists Ali al-Dumaini, Abd Allah al-Hamid and Matruk al-Falih, who have been held for a year, representatives of the defendants said.."

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