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Snapshot of the Week Past |
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VP
Cheney Meets With Saudi Leader In Dallas
"Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah met on [Apr 24]
with Vice President Dick Cheney, one day before
the kingdom's leader was scheduled to talk with
President Bush about record high oil prices and
other issues. The Sunday meeting took place at a
luxury hotel in Dallas, where the Saudi delegation
is staying through [Apr 26], according to Saudi
sources. The White House declined to comment on
Cheney's meeting with the crown prince. Saudi
officials were also unwilling to say what the men
discussed.."
Saudi
Arabia: Bush Should Call for Dissidents' Release
"U.S. President George W. Bush should call on
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah to
immediately release three dissidents imprisoned
for more than a year for petitioning for a
constitutional monarchy, Human Rights Watch said
today on the eve of the de facto Saudi ruler's
visit.."
Bush
Must Urge Saudi Arabia to Fulfill its Promises of
Reform, Respect Human Rights
"Amnesty International urges President Bush
to use his upcoming meeting with Saudi Crown
Prince Abdullah to call for immediate reform in
the Kingdom, including ensuring women the right to
vote, putting an end to secret trials and
detentions, ending arbitrary arrests, and
abolishing public beheadings and other forms of
capital punishment. 'By now it should be clear to
all that Saudi Arabia, a heralded U.S. ally in the
war on terror, has no qualms about terrorizing its
own citizens,' said Alexandra Arriaga, Amnesty
International USA's Director of Government
Relations.."
Conservatives
'Win Saudi Polls'
"Saudi Arabia's conservatives have fared well
in the first nationwide municipal elections,
results of the third and final round of polling
indicate. The elections - in which only men were
allowed to vote - were held as part of a response
by Saudi Arabia's rulers to demands for democratic
reform.."
Clerics
Sway Saudi Vote
"Candidates backed by conservative clerics
dominated the final stage of Saudi Arabia's
landmark municipal elections, according to results
announced [Apr 23]. The seven winners in Jidda
were those whose names appeared on the 'golden
list,' the choices of fundamentalist
clerics.."
Last
Saudi Regions Vote In Polls
"Men in several parts of Saudi Arabia are
taking part in the final stage of landmark
municipal elections. [Apr 22] votes are being held
in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as
in Jeddah and Taif and areas of northern Saudi
Arabia. Women are not allowed to vote or stand.
Only half the 500 members of the country's
municipal councils are being elected - the rest
are appointed. However the polls are seen as a
step towards reform in the kingdom.."
Saudi
Consultative Council Head Approves Free Speech
Within Limits Of Islam
"The president of Saudi Arabia's consultative
council said that its 150 members could express
themselves freely provided they respected the
Islamic religion. 'There are no red lines under
this dome with the exception of that which
contravenes Sharia (Islamic law),' Saleh bin
Humaid said at the opening of the fourth session
of the Shura Council, established in 1993 and
expanded progressively from 60 members.."
Reform
Program to Go On, Says Sultan
"Saudi Arabia will go ahead with its reform
and development programs, adopting strategic plans
in tune with international economic developments,
said Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and
minister of defense and aviation. Addressing the
weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in
Riyadh, Prince Sultan also underscored the
tremendous progress achieved by the Shoura
Council.."
Two
Terror Suspects Seized In Saudi Arabia
"Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said two
men suspected of links with terrorists were
arrested in a furnished apartment in Riyadh.
Ministry spokesman Brig. Mansour Turki was quoted
[Apr 20] as saying that police were tipped off
about the suspects, who were arrested in the
neighborhood of Naseem in the eastern part of the
capital..
Four
Die as Militants in Women's Guise Trigger Shootout
Near Makkah
"Four people, including two suspected
militants, were killed in clashes with security
forces [Apr 22] in the holy city of Makkah, an
official statement said. They said two security
men were also killed and four injured in the
shootout, the fourth incident involving militants
in Makkah in a year.."
Envoy
In Nottingham 'Danger' Row
"The British envoy to Saudi Arabia has
sparked a row after suggesting that it is safer
for a British businessman to visit a Saudi city
than Nottingham. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles told a
Saudi audience Nottingham is "far more
dangerous" than some Saudi cities. But Jon
Collins, the leader of Nottingham City Council,
said the city had been unfairly
stereotyped.."
US
Says Close To WTO Deal With Saudi Arabia
"The United States is close to reaching an
agreement with Saudi Arabia on tariff cuts that
the kingdom needs to make to join the World Trade
Organization, a top U.S. trade official said in a
letter obtained on [Apr 22]. "We are close to
finalizing our agreement on tariffs with Saudi
Arabia, and we are increasingly more comfortable
that the multilateral issues will be addressed
satisfactorily," acting U.S. Trade
Representative Peter Allgeier said in the letter
to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas
Democrat.."
Saudi
Attack Sends Oil Higher
"Oil prices rose more than $1 (U.S.) a barrel
Friday as global supply concerns were stoked by a
terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia and refinery
snags in the United States.. .. In Saudi Arabia on
[Apr 21], suspected militants linked to al-Qaida
clashed with security forces, prompting fresh
fears of a supply disruption from the world's
largest exporter. Two extremists and two policemen
were killed."
Saudi Fails To Assure US Over Oil Supply
"Saudi Arabia failed to provide the United
States with any new promises or assurances over
oil supplies ahead of a key meeting between Crown
Prince Abdullah and George W. Bush at the
president's ranch in Crawford, Texas on [Apr 25].
Mr. Bush voiced concerns this week about Saudi
Arabian production and the country's ability to
increase output in the event of a severe supply
disruption. His comments are the most vocal since
he became president, and mark a departure from
protocol by a US president about the world's
biggest oil exporter, and former special
friend.."
Saudi
Arabia Ready To Use Excess Oil Capacity
"Saudi Arabia is currently producing 9.5
million barrels of oil per day and is willing to
use its spare output capacity if needed, Oil
Minister Ali al-Nuaimi said. 'The kingdom
currently has a sustainable production capacity of
11 mln bpd, which represents excess capacity of
around 1.5 mln bpd,' he said. 'Saudi Arabia has
historically demonstrated not only a tradition of
maintaining excess capacity, but also of not
hesitating to use it when market conditions
require this', al-Nuaimi said, stressing the
kingdom's commitment to 'market stability'.."
New
Oil Field Discovered In Saudi
"Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said [Apr 18]
the Saudi oil company, ARAMCO, discovered a new
field for light crude in central Saudi Arabia. He
said the field of Bir Daiban 1, located 125
kilometers (78 miles) southeast of Riyadh, was
tested on April 11. 'We expect the field to
produce 3300 barrels per day of light and
excellent oil free from sulfur and with a density
of 41 percent on the scale of U.S. Petroleum
Institute'.. Naimi said.."
Saudi
Arabia Vows To Maintain Oil Capacity Cushion
" Top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia will
work to keep spare supply capacity of at least 1.5
million barrels per day, but its ability to curb
price rises is now limited, Saudi Oil Minister Ali
al-Naimi said on [Apr 21]. U.S. President George
W. Bush, who will meet Saudi Arabia's de facto
leader Crown Prince Abdullah on [Apr 25], has said
he is seeking a clear answer from the Saudi
government about the size of its spare oil
production capacity. Naimi reiterated that the
kingdom -- which controls the bulk of the world's
spare production capacity -- aimed to maintain a
cushion of 1.5 to 2 million barrels per
day.."
Kingdom
to Set Up High-Tech Zones
"In a pioneering move, the Kingdom's first
Integrated Technology Zone will be established in
the Eastern Province setting the stage for the
manufacture of high technology products in Saudi
Arabia. A spokesman of the newly established Saudi
Organization for Industrial Estates and Technology
Zones (SOIETZ) told Arab News that the first
technology zone will come up in the Eastern
Province on a site measuring more than 3.5 million
sq. meters.."
Saudi
Arabia to Buy 15 New Aircraft
"State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines said on
[Apr 22] it will buy 15 new aircraft to fly
domestic and regional routes and boost its 139
strong fleet. A company official said all 15
planes will be the same 66 seat model but declined
to give further details. Analysts say the deal
could be worth up to USD$450 million at list
prices and would likely go to Brazil's Embraer,
Canada's Bombardier or ATR, a unit of Airbus
parent EADS.."
Saudi
To Open Up Aviation Sector
"Saudi Arabia will this year grant a license
for a second airline and further liberalize the
telecoms sector as part of a raft of economic
reforms, the chief of the kingdom's highest
economic policy-making body said. "The main
elements of our economic reform program are
institutional and structural reforms,
privatization and more development of human
resources," Abdulrahman Al Tuwaijri,
secretary general of the Supreme Economic Council,
said .."
Riyadh
Forum Floats Idea of Splitting Shares
" A suggestion to split shares and expand the
capital market base was made at the start of the
first Saudi Capital Market Forum that opened here
[Apr 20]. Former Minister of Finance and National
Economy Muhammed Abalkhail inaugurated the forum
which discussed various issues in the light of
reforms in the capital market. The forum has been
jointly organized by the Consulting Center for
Finance and Investment (CCFI) and National Vision
Co.."
Taiwan
Seeks Saudi Stake in IT Sector
"Taiwan, which is particularly strong in the
IT sector, looks forward to greater trade
cooperation with the Kingdom, said Taipei Economic
& Cultural Representative Sheng-tsung Yang..
..Talking about trade relations between Taiwan and
Saudi Arabia, ROC Representative Yang said they
were on the upswing. He mentioned that the Hsinchu
Industrial Science Park, set up on a 571-hectare
site, had 400 companies in operation in 2000. They
employed a work force of 100,000 and had an annual
turnover of $27.3 billion, or around nine percent
of Taiwan's GNP of $313.9 billion.."
Saudi
Trade Team to Visit Turkey
"A 17-member Saudi delegation will visit
Turkey early next month with a view to boosting
Riyadh-Ankara cooperation especially in commercial
and tourism sectors. The mission, to be led by a
prominent businessman Dr. Ghassan Ahmed
Al-Sulaiman, will hold talks with Turkish
businessmen in Istanbul on May 5-6.."
Saudi-Greek
Trade Reaches $1.3 Billion Last Year
" Trade between Saudi Arabia and Greece has
reached $1.3 billion. 'About 90 percent of our
bilateral trade comprises Greek oil imports from
the Kingdom,' Pantelis A. Gassios, first
secretary, economic and commercial affairs at the
Consulate General of Greece told reporters during
the opening of a Greek food festival at Jeddah
InterContinental Hotel on [Apr 19].."
First
Arab Sets Out to Scale Mount Everest
"Two weeks ago thirty-four year old
Jordanian, Mustafa Salameh, started his expedition
to become the first Arab to scale the northern
face of Mount Everest, the mountain's most
difficult approach. Sponsored by ARAMEX, the
experienced mountaineer who has already climbed
the highest mountains in North America and Europe
announced his newest expedition from the banks of
the Dead Sea in Jordan.."
Saudi
Prince Gives £2m To Museum
"The oldest public museum in Britain, Oxford
University's Ashmolean, has been given a £2m
donation by a Saudi prince. The money from HRH
Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, will pay for
a new Saudi and Islamic gallery to be created at
the museum. It will also help fund scholarships
for Saudi students at Oxford University.."
Saudi
Pledges $400 Million Financing For Tsunami Areas
"Oil-rich Saudi Arabia said on [Apr 23] it
would extend $400 million in financing to
countries hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, the
official Saudi Press Agency reported. It said the
Saudi Development Fund would provide $250 million
in soft loans for reconstruction projects and $150
million in export guarantees.."
Expatriates
Can Apply for Citizenship From May 23
" The much-awaited executive bylaw of the new
Naturalization Law is out and qualified
expatriates can apply for Saudi citizenship from
May 23. Application forms will be available at the
Civil Affairs Department from next [Apr 30]. 'The
new bylaw came into effect on [Apr 22], when it
was published in the official gazette,' Nasser Al-Hanaya,
undersecretary at the Interior Ministry for civil
affairs said.."
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As
Saudi Visits, Bush Seeks Help on Lowering Oil
Prices
New Papacy Stirs Some Concern in
the Arab Middle East
