Saudi-US Relations Information Service

"..Saudi Arabian King Abdullah will begin a state visit to the People's Republic of China on Sunday, January 22, 2006. The journey is the first for a Saudi ruler to China since diplomatic relations were normalized in 1990. The visit comes at a time when Saudi-Sino economic cooperation is booming. Bilateral trade was up 59% for the first eleven months of 2005 compared to the same period a year earlier and China's rapid industrialization has spawned a growing energy appetite. Against this backdrop King Abdullah will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao.."

Saudi Arabia's Accession to the WTO: Is a "Revolution" Brewing?
Middle East Policy Council Capitol Hill Conference Series
on US Middle East Policy

"..We've come together today to discuss a neglected topic, one on which there are more spurious opinions than facts out there. And that is, Saudi Arabia and its accession to the WTO. Saudi Arabia is a unique place, and the impact of its accession to the WTO is likely to be enormous. Saudi Arabia has, because of its history and its oil wealth, been able to make up its own rules for investment and foreign trade, and to play by its own rules. But it is now embracing international norms for the first time. It's doing so in its own interest and in furtherance of King Abdullah's effort to promote reform in the kingdom. WTO accession really marks the end of an era in many respects. That was an era where some people quipped that the national motto in Saudi Arabia was "progress without change." This era has come to an end and much change is now in store.." -- Amb. Chas Freeman

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz urged Vice President Dick Cheney to give diplomacy more time before pushing for Iran’s referral to the United Nations Security Council over its nuclear program, the Arab News reported today. Egypt also urged Cheney to give negotiations with Iran more time.

King Abdullah and Cheney met yesterday for a wide-ranging discussion at the King’s ranch near Riyadh.

The talks addressed Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as growing tension between Syria and Lebanon. Both King Abdullah and Cheney agreed on the need for Syria to cooperate with the UN probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, according to a Saudi official.

King Abdullah underscored the need for the US to help the Palestinian Authority and to support efforts to implement the road map and achieve President Bush’s stated vision of an independent Palestinian state. The king expressed satisfaction with US facilitation of the Jan. 25 Palestinian legislative elections.

Oil Soars Above $67 [Jan 21]
"World oil prices on Friday surged past $67 in New York and breached $66 here as the market was shaken by Al-Qaeda's apparent threat to the United States and supply worries over Nigeria and Iran. US light crude hit a peak of $67.45 a barrel, taking gains since the start of 2006 to more than 10 percent.. ..The bullish trend in the oil market was confirmed by the market's indifference on Thursday to news of rising US crude inventories, analysts said.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Invites Indian Companies in Gas Exploration Sector [Jan 21]
"As India prepares to receive the Saudi Monarch next week, the oil-rich Gulf country on Saturday invited Indian companies to participate in gas exploration projects in Saudi Arabia.. ..The invitation comes ahead of Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz's three-day visit to India from January 24. The King would also be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations.." [more]

Abdullah Visit to Boost Sino-Saudi Relations [Jan 21]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s three-day visit to China that begins tomorrow is expected to strengthen political, economic, commercial and cultural ties between the two Asian economic giants. China has warmly welcomed news of Abdullah’s forthcoming visit, his first to a foreign country since ascended the throne in Riyadh on Aug. 1 and first by a Saudi king since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1990.." [more]

World Demand for Oil to Rise 1.9%: OPEC [Jan 21]
"Worldwide demand for crude oil is expected to rise by 1.9 percent in 2006 to 84.8 million barrels per day (bpd), OPEC said in a report yesterday. This estimate is down slightly from a December prediction by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that foresaw demand rising to 84.9 million bpd. The report, published shortly before a Jan. 31 meeting of the 11-member organization, came as Iran called for a reduction in oil production this year.." [more]

New Sino-Saudi Petrochemical Firm Planned [Jan 21]
"A group of three Saudi companies announced last week that they are in the final process of forming a joint-stock petrochemical company with a Chinese partner.. ..The new company is set to establish an SR22 billion ($6 billion) petrochemical complex in the Jubail Industrial City, located in Eastern Province, and is expected to create 2,500 new jobs for Saudi nationals.." [more]

ESCWA Puts Kingdom’s GDP Growth at 5 Percent [Jan 21]
"Saudi Arabia posted the fifth highest real economic growth in the Arab World during 2005, preceded by Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt and Kuwait, according to a report compiled by the Eonomic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), a UN agency.. ..The higher growth in the Arab World was attributed to the record high prices of oil in the international market.." [more]

Saudi Business Directory Latest Edition Issued [Jan 21]
"The Saudi-American Business Council has issued the seventh edition of 'The Directory of Business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia'. The new edition contains comprehensive information on various sectors of the Saudi economy and the available investment opportunities.. ..The Directory was published for the first time in 1996.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Seeks Big Business from Asia Tour [Jan 20]
"Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, aims to raise its economic and political profile in booming Asian countries when senior officials start a tour of the region next week that will include China and India. After joining the World Trade Organisation in December, Saudi Arabia's protected but growing economy is opening to the outside world and the kingdom is also eyeing new export opportunities in Asian giants. King Abdullah and a large business delegation including Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi will arrive in China on Sunday, then move to India, Malaysia and finally Pakistan from Feb. 1-3.." [more]

Abdullah’s Visit to Boost Cooperation: Malaysian Envoy [Jan 20]
"Saudi-Malaysian cooperation in the fields of trade, joint ventures and higher education are among the topics that are expected to figure during the visit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to Malaysia. The Saudi monarch will meet Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to discuss various issues of mutual and international concern.." [more]

Kingdom Plans to Recruit 50,000 Vietnamese Workers [Jan 20]
"Saudi Arabia is planning to recruit about 50,000 Vietnamese workers this year, a source at the Saudi Arabian National Recruitment Committee (SANARCOM) said here on Wednesday. The plan to recruit skilled and non-skilled workers including housemaids from that Asian country will help diversify the Kingdom’s labor imports, while cutting reliance on the traditional labor-exporting countries.." [more]

No Bird Flu Virus in Saudi Arabia [Jan 20]
"The Health Ministry issued a statement yesterday saying that the Kingdom is free of the avian influenza virus following a recent outbreak of bird flu in Turkey.. ..The Kingdom banned the import of birds from all countries last year. It banned the import of birds from Turkey last September. This limits the chance of the virus getting into the Kingdom.." [more]

GM Makes Record Sales in ME [Jan 20]
"The sales of US car giant General Motors have increased sharply in the Middle East region in 2005. GM reported this week an increase of 28 percent in its sales in the Middle East over the last year.. ..GM has invested $8.4 million in training and development in the Middle East since 2001, and in 2005 the company began registering Saudi students in its technical training institute in Riyadh.." [more]

Saudi's Eye Iraqi Investment [Jan 20]
"A group of Saudi investors, who partnered with prominent Iraqi businessmen, will soon set up a joint Saudi-Iraqi commercial bank in Baghdad, a Saudi co-founder of the project said Thursday. Mansour Al-Malik, the CEO of Riyadh-based Mansour Almalik Holding Company, which holds abou 50 percent of shares in the bank to be capitalized at $32 million, said the main objective of the proposed bank will be to facilitate the Saudi investors in the rebuilding of Iraq.." [more]

Prince Saud and Prince Turki Pay Their Respects in Kuwait [Jan 19]
"Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal traveled to Kuwait today to pay his respects to the family of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who died January 15. Prince Saud was accompanied by Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Turki Al-Faisal.." [more]

SR633m Goes Up in Smoke Yearly [Jan 19]
"The hazardous habit of smoking, the main cause of lung cancer that kills more than 1.5 million worldwide annually, is growing in Saudi Arabia, especially among its younger population. According to a report issued by the executive office of Gulf Cooperation Council health ministers, Saudi Arabia consumes more than 15 billion cigarettes worth SR633 million a year. The Kingdom is one of the world’s largest importers of cigarettes.." [more]

Map Wars: The UAE Reclaims Lost Territory from Saudi Arabia [Jan 19]
"After years of quiet diplomatic frustration, the oil-rich Persian Gulf federated state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has publicly reopened a dispute with neighboring Saudi Arabia over two parts of their common border. A map in the 2006 edition of the official UAE Yearbook shows the UAE extending westward as far as Qatar, across territory currently controlled by Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Looming Iran Showdown Gives Oil Trade New Worry [Jan 19]
"While world leaders and diplomats debate how to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions, the real source of worry among analysts these days is the fate of the country's oil. A standoff against Iran might have been easily shrugged off a few years ago, when the world comfortably sat on millions of barrels of untapped oil capacity. But today, the picture is quite different: Iran's production is greater than the world's remaining spare capacity.." [more]

India to Sign MoU on Combating Crime with Saudi Arabia [Jan 19]
"The Indian Government approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Saudi Arabia on combating crime and ratified it, a press release issued by the government said here Thursday. The MoU aims at cooperation in combating crimes in all their forms, in particular international terrorism, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and illegal trafficking in items of historical value and artifacts.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Tries to Create a Safer Hajj [Jan 19]
"Saudi authorities are turning toward Islam and technology to prevent another tragedy like last week's stampede during the hajj pilgrimage that killed at least 363 people. Interior Minister Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz this week called on Muslim clerics to find religious dispensations that would give pilgrims more time to perform the hajj stoning ritual, currently three days from noon until sunset, during which the stampede took place.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Needs Over One Million Housing Units to Shelter Its Poor [Jan 19]
"Saudi Arabia needs at least one million housing units immediately in order to provide decent housing for its poor, says Dr. Yousuf Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the King Abdullah Charitable Housing Foundation.. ..The foundation, which was established three years ago, has already completed a large number of low-cost housing projects for the poor in various parts of the country. The housing units are provided with all facilities including heath care and education.." [more]

SABIC Rally Ups Saudi Stocks [Jan 19]
"Late gains by heavyweight Saudi Basic Industries Co (SABIC) nudged Saudi shares higher yesterday as the market waited for blue chips to report 2005 results. The all-share index closed 0.21 percent higher at 17,635.3 points. Turnover stood at SR29 billion ($7.7 billion), almost unchanged from Tuesday. Analysts have said strong oil prices and expectations of strong corporate earnings could propel the market higher.." [more]

Simpler Procedures for Italian Visa [Jan 19]
"Italy is simplifying the procedures for the issuance of visa to Saudi tourists and businessmen, an Italian Embassy official said here Wednesday while admitting that the Kingdom is still a country of concern for security reasons.. ..He said Italian Embassy is eager to issue visa to Saudis, which in the past comprised around 82 percent of all visas issued. Around 65 percent of Saudis, who visited Italy were tourists and 10 percent businessmen. More Saudis are opting to visit southern Italy, which he said, offers a rich Islamic heritage, cultural similarity and a favorite shoppers destination.." [more]

Saudi Arabia on Business Trip Index [Jan 19]
"The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has ranked the Kingdom s cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar 100, 102 and 103 in the business trip index for 2006. The index is based on a new way of assessing and comparing locations as potential venues for business travel. It takes into consideration both cost-related and environmental factors, which together form an overview of how desirable a destination is likely to be to the business traveller. The index looked at 127 cities worldwide.." [more]

City's Saudi Mission [Jan 19]
"A top level delegation from Saudi Arabia - one of the richest nations in the world - will visit Manchester next week in a bid to forge closer business links. The guests, led by two senior members of the ruling royal family, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf and Princess Loulwah Al Faisal, will meet council officials and senior members of the city's inward investment agency MIDAS.." [more]

Saudi Insurance Market to Touch SR15b in 2009 [Jan 19]
"The Saudi Arabian insurance market is expected to reach SR15 billion in 2009 from the current levels of around SR4.5 billion, which amounts to a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.2 per cent, according to a report by BMG Financial Advisers. The Kingdom's insurance penetration level as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) at 0.5 per cent in 2004 was the lowest in the world.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Privatizes Investments [Jan 19]
"The King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, has decided to privatize business and investment property currently valued over $1.4 trillion, according to the UK Times Online. The privatized investments will become available for foreign investment, creating an influx of capital investment for the country. The decision was made in preparation for the inclusion of Saudi Arabia as a member to the World Trade Organization.." [more]

Saudis Allow Women to Watch Match [Jan 18]
"Saudi Arabia has agreed to allow women to attend a football match against Sweden, reversing an earlier decision. On Monday, Saudi authorities had told the Swedish Football Association that a change of stadium meant women could not watch the match in the capital, Riyadh. But after intervention by Swedish diplomats on Tuesday, the Saudi authorities backed down. The ban on women spectators had caused upset in Sweden, one of the world's leading nations on gender equality.." [more]

Saudi-US Talks Focus on ME, Iran [Jan 18]
"Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the Arab world’s two leading powers, yesterday urged US Vice President Dick Cheney to give negotiations more time in the growing diplomatic conflict over Iran’s nuclear program, officials close to Cheney’s talks in Riyadh and Cairo said.." [more]

Terrorism Not Just a Saudi Battle: Nawaf [Jan 18]
"Prince Muhammad ibn Nawaf, the Saudi ambassador to the UK, pulled few punches in a speech to the Transnational Terrorism Conference here on Monday. Setting the tone for the Kingdom’s stand on terrorism, he laid to rest any doubts about the linkage of terrorist acts and Islam saying that the corrupt and manipulative scholars who teach it 'must be and are condemned'.." [more]

Abdullah Begins Four-Nation Asia Tour Sunday [Jan18]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah begins a four-nation tour of Asia on Sunday, Jan. 22, according to a statement from the Royal Court. The trip will take the monarch to China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan.. ..'The visits aim at strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern'.." [more]

Five Al-Qaeda Militants Arrested in Riyadh Raid [Jan 18]
Security forces have arrested five suspected Al-Qaeda militants, including one foreigner, following a raid in Riyadh. The security forces also learned that the group was planning terrorist attacks in the Kingdom. The statement from the Interior Ministry carried by the Saudi Press Agency said: 'Four nationals and one (foreign) resident were arrested during a raid on a hide-out in Riyadh'.." [more]

Jeddah Economic Forum Kicks Off on Feb. 11 [Jan 18]
"The Jeddah Economic Forum, one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated events in the Kingdom and the Middle East, is expected to exceed expectations this year as preparations are well under way. Scheduled to take place Feb. 11-13, this year’s forum will explore the theme 'Seeding Potentials for Economic Growth: Honoring Identity and Celebrating Common Grounds,' which will address the intricacies of diversity and culture that shape economic growth around the world.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Egypt Tell Cheney to Give Iran More Time [Jan 18]
"The Arab world's two major powers urged Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday to give negotiations more time in the growing diplomatic conflict over Iran's nuclear program. As Cheney wound up a meeting with Saudi King Abdullah at his ranch outside Riyadh late Tuesday, officials close to the talks said the monarch had spoken of 'the necessity of giving negotiations a chance' before pressing for Iran's referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.." [more]

Program brings Saudi students to EMU [Jan 18]
"Eastern Michigan has opened its doors to another portion of the world this semester with the implementation of a new agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. According to recent minutes from a University Faculty Council meeting, the two governments came to the conclusion that roughly 10,000 Saudi students would travel to the United States in the near future to receive higher education at one of 250 colleges and universities.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Presents Plan for Syria and Lebanon [Jan 17]
"Saudi Arabia has presented Lebanon and Syria with a proposed agreement to defuse tensions, amid rising Arab alarm over the steady deterioration in relations between the two countries since last February’s killing of Rafiq Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.. ..Prince Saud made clear the kingdom was not seeking a compromise on the UN probe into the Hariri assassination – an investigation that is continuing but which has already implicated high-level Syrian officials in the murder. 'This [initiative] has nothing to do with the investigation'.." [more]

Kingdom Urges Iran to Forgo Nuke Weapons [Jan 17]
"Saudi Arabia appealed yesterday for Iran to abide by its promise not to develop nuclear weapons and spark a regional arms race, but said the West bore some responsibility by letting Israel build its own nuclear arsenal. The Jewish state has never confirmed or denied having atomic bombs, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.." [more]

Saudi-Chinese Meeting Planned [Jan 17]
"Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy chairman of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chairman of Saudi-Chinese Business Council, said that arrangements were being made to hold an economic meeting with Chinese businessmen on the sidelines of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s visit to China.." [more]

Saudi Investors Set Up ‘Noor Asia’ [Jan 17]
"Saudi investors have established a holding company in Dubai under the name “Noor Asia” with an initial capital of SR100 million. The company aims at establishing and implementing projects in countries in central Asia.." [more]

Saudi Militant Suspects Arrested Over Bomb Factory [Jan 16]
"Saudi security forces said on Monday they had arrested five suspected militants in Riyadh who were accused of setting up a bomb-making factory. A security source told Reuters the five men, including four Saudi nationals and one foreign resident whose nationality was not given, were seized in four different locations around the capital without resistance.." [more]

BEA Systems Sets its Sights on Saudi Arabia's Growing Web Portal Market [Jan 16]
"BEA Systems, the world's leading application infrastructure software company providing the enterprise software foundation that allows thousands of companies to benefit from service-oriented architecture, has set its sights on the expanding web portal market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.. ..A recent study by the Dubai-based Madar Research Group predicts an overall 30 per cent growth in the Saudi portal market.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Sets Liberalisation Schedule [Jan 16]
"Saudi Arabia’s Communications and IT Commission (CITC) has set a schedule to further liberalise the Kingdom’s communications sector following its entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) last month. The CITC said that a full calendar of its activities is currently being developed, including a timetable for receiving and processing applications for new telecoms licences.." [more]

Saudi Woman Poet Honored [Jan 16]
"The Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum, announced yesterday that internationally acclaimed poet and writer Nimah Ismail Nawwab has been named a Young Global Leader.. ..The Forum of Young Global Leaders’ Nomination Committee chose the 2006 selected members from among 3,500 candidates.." [more]

UNICEF, Kingdom Join Forces to Help Curb Child Begging [Jan 16]
"The local chapter of UNICEF will provide technical support to the Kingdom to address the problem of child homelessness and poverty following an agreement signed by Riyadh recently. The Kingdom estimates that there are 100,000 child beggars, mostly from Yemen and a few Asian countries, roaming the country’s streets at any given time.." [more]

British Companies Eye Major Projects in Saudi Arabia [Jan 16]
"British companies are bracing themselves for a major trade and investment offensive over the next few weeks as Saudi Arabia seeks to raise a staggering $624 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next 14 years, of which some 37 percent is earmarked for the oil and gas industries.." [more]

U.S. Faults Saudi Efforts on Terrorism [Jan 15]
"Although Saudi Arabia has cracked down on militants within its borders, the kingdom has not met its promises to help prevent the spread of terrorism or curb the flow of money from Saudis to terrorist cells around the world, U.S. intelligence, diplomatic and other officials say. As a result, these critics say, countless young terrorism suspects are believed to have escaped the kingdom's tightening noose by fleeing across what critics call a porous border into Iraq.." [more]

Saudi Privatizers to Woo Scottish Investors [Jan 15]
"Saudi Arabia's government is sending a high-profile delegation to Edinburgh this month in an attempt to lure Scottish companies into a $1,400bn (£795bn) drive to open up its industries to foreign investors - one of the biggest privatization programs the world has ever seen. Electricity, water, telecoms and infrastructure projects are all part of the 15-year investment program, along with a limited exposure to the kingdom's enormous oil industry.." [more]

Culture an Obstacle to Women’s Career Development: Study [Jan 15]
"Saudi culture is an obstacle to women’s career development, according to a recent research by Sanaa Halawani. Halawani says most Saudis are not ready to accept women as professionals. In research for her just-completed MBA in England, she investigated the current situation concerning women’s employment in the Saudi private sector.." [more]

Haj: Some Lessons for the World [Jan 15]
"Haj was an educating and ennobling experience. Like my last three holy journeys, I learned a lot about myself, ourselves and the world we live in. Here are some of the lessons. Haj is an occasion where people of all colors, races and backgrounds live together, move as one, and do the same thing, the same way, at the same time.." [more]

The SUSRIS project -- an independent, private-sector information resource – offers objective, comprehensive news and information on the history, breadth and depth of the US-Saudi Arabia relationship.
< Read More About SUSRIS >