Saudi-US Relations Information Service

Keeping Track - Recently on SUSRIS










Rollover image for info		Rollover image for info

GE Oil & Gas to Supply Equipment for Saudi Aramco Oil Field [Dec 9]
"Saudi Aramco has selected GE technology for the Southern Area Seawater Capacity Expansion Project in Ghawar, the world's largest oil field, and the Khurais oil field.. ..'This project builds upon the long-standing relationship we have enjoyed with Saudi Aramco,' said Claudi Santiago, a GE Senior Vice President and President and CEO of GE's Oil & Gas business. 'Over the years, we have provided more than 50 units for installation at Saudi Aramco facilities throughout the Kingdom.'.." [more]

Corporate Results to Keep Saudi Stocks ‘Volatile’ [Dec 9]
"The Saudi stock market continued to plunge last week. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) tumbled additional 5.02 percent, closing at 7,906.28 points on Wednesday from 8,324 points the week before. The index dived over 6 percent to 7,665.73 on Sunday.. ..The Riyadh-based Bakheet Financial Advisors said.. ..They expected markets to be 'volatile' in the coming weeks with the approaching announcement of annual corporate results.." [more]

Saudi Ambassador Discusses Education in the Kingdom at Princeton [Dec 8]
"Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Turki Al-Faisal discussed education in the Kingdom in remarks at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University yesterday. Prince Turki outlined steps the Kingdom has taken to ensure that its educational system meets the needs of today’s global community.." [more]

Saudi Police Die in Jeddah Clash [Dec 8]
"Two Saudi security force members have been killed in clashes with gunmen in the city of Jeddah, say officials from the Saudi Arabian interior ministry. The gunmen opened fire at guards on duty outside a prison in the Ruwais district of the city.. ..Saudi security forces have been waging a campaign against suspected sympathisers of the al-Qaeda militant movement since a spate of attacks in the kingdom beginning in 2003.." [more]

Saudi Intelligence Chief Says Israeli Nuclear Arsenal is Provoking Arms Race [Dec 8]
"Israel's nuclear arsenal is the largest strategic threat to the Middle East and appears set to trigger a regional arms race, said Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, said here Friday. 'The existing Israeli nuclear capability is the most dangerous strategic threat to Gulf security in the short and medium term,'.. ..the threat posed by the Israeli nuclear arsenal was driving 'some countries in the region to join an arms race'.." [more]

Saud: Iran Must Address Nuke Safety [Dec 8]
"Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal yesterday said that the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states will express their concern to Iran about the prospect of nuclear power plants being developed on its side of the Arabian Gulf coast. 'We hope that Iran would take this into account and cooperate with GCC countries in order to take necessary measures against any calamity, which is likely even in the best of circumstances'.." [more]

Belgium Seeks Consular Access to Detained Nationals [Dec 9]
"The Belgian government is seeking consular access to two nationals who were arrested in Madinah last month in connection with a raid in Egypt that netted several foreigners accused of terrorist links, said Belgian Ambassador Rudi Schellinck. He said Belgium and Saudi Arabia are cooperating on this issue.. ..Saudi police arrested the two men on Nov. 10.." [more]

Saudi Slide Casts Shadow Over Rallying Gulf Stock Markets [Dec 7]
"Most Gulf Arab stock markets rallied yesterday, cheered by institutional buying and hopes a crash was nearing its end, but Saudi shares tumbled again, showing the fragility of sentiment in the region.. ..The Saudi index sank 1.16% as investors scrambled to book profits from a rally of 4% on Tuesday. 'The mentality is ‘better one dollar in the pocket than 10 on the counter’,' said Jamil Matar, regional manager of Emaar Financial Services in Riyadh.'People don’t have the confidence to hold on to gains yet'.." [more]

BBC to Teach English by Radio in Saudi Arabia [Dec 7]
"BBC Learning English, a division of the international radio and online broadcaster BBC World Service, has signed a deal with Radio Riyadh to provide tailored bi-lingual programmes for learners of English across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.. ..The programmes are designed specifically for young people and feature bilingual presenters.." [more]

Teacher Tells Of Saudi Arabia [Dec 7]
"Bosso recently got back from a trip to Saudi Arabia and has been sharing what he learned about the flag, the culture and Islam with his Berlin High School students. Last month, Bosso was among 25 teachers in the United States who participated in a program called Aramco Educators to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco, the sponsor, is the world's largest crude oil supplier.. ..Tuesday afternoon, Bosso told students that, for better or worse, oil and Islam are two major symbols in the Middle East that affect its stability.. ..We need to understand the region" - both politically and culturally.." [more]

UN Urges Freedoms for Arab Women [Dec 7]
"Discrimination against women is holding back economic and social development across the Arab World, a report by the UN's development agency says.. ..The Arab Human Development Report is an annual overview compiled by Arab academics and experts in the field. Islam is not to blame for the problem, the report says, but rather political inflexibility, male domination and war.. ..'The rise of women is in fact a prerequisite for an Arab renaissance,' the report concludes.." [more]

War on Terror Impossible to Win [Dec 7]
"As currently defined, the war on terrorism cannot be won, said Robert Malley, director of Middle East and North Africa for the International Crisis Group.. .."the war on terrorism" was a war to capture the hearts and minds of people in the Middle East. Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of Lebanon's Daily Star, said that so far the terrorists, despite appearances, were not winning the war.." [more]

Historian: Kingdom is a New Story [Dec 7]
"After a quarter of a century away from the Kingdom, Robert Lacey, the British historian and author of the best-seller ‘The Kingdom,’ is back in the Kingdom to pick up Saudi history from where he left off.. ..A few weeks in the Kingdom, however, Lacey realized there was a whole new story to tell, and decided to write a second book about the Kingdom. 'It was clear that I couldn’t just add a few new chapters to the book,” Lacey said in an interview with The Saudi Gazette in Riyadh. “In many ways it has become a completely new story to tell'.." [more]

Kingdom to Host 27th GCC Session [Dec 7]
"The Kingdom will host in Riyadh on Saturday the 27th session of the supreme council of the member countries of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).. ..The session will focus on the GCC leaders’ directives and guidance to continue the march of welfare and development witnessed by the GCC states and the establishment and consolidation of the bases of the GCC entity and ways of strengthening foundations.. ..The GCC is made up of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.." [more]

Saudi Non Oil Exports Surge by 13% [Dec 6]
"Saudi Commerce and Industry Minister said that the country's non oil exports surged by 13 percent annually during the past 10 years, reaching $18.66 billion last year.. ..the minister said that Saudi Arabia is now ranked 38th among the world's top investment centers. It has won the top position among Arab countries in terms of attracting foreign direct investment.." [more]

Rights Group in Key Talks [Dec 6]
"The head of Saudi Arabia's religious police met a Western human rights delegation in what is thought to be the first such meeting in the kingdom. The Saudi news agency SPA said the delegation from US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on a fact-finding mission to Saudi Arabia met Sheikh Ibrahim Al Ghaith of the Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.." [more]

Saudi Stock Index Recovers Over 300 Points [Dec 6]
"The Saudi stock market recovered over 300 points yesterday after tumbling below 8,000 points on Sunday. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) closed at 7,999.45, up 309.74 points or 4.03 percent. Out of 84 shares traded, the only loser was NCCI as its shares dropped slightly to SR107, while all other shares gained yesterday. The stock market turnover was also higher yesterday.." [more]

Islam Cannot Be Defeated, Says Abdullah [Dec 6]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday emphasized that Islam would remain strong despite the efforts by enemies to destroy the religion and weaken its followers. 'I can tell you that there is no power on earth that can defeat your faith'.. ..King Abdullah urged all Muslims to join their hands in the fight against deviants.." [more]

Kingdom’s 1st Private Airline Gets License [Dec 6]
"The board of directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which was chaired by Crown Prince Sultan, yesterday licensed National Air Services (NAS) as a private airline based in Riyadh to operate domestic flights in the Kingdom.. ..Sultan said the new private carriers would be allowed to provide services such as transportation of passengers, goods and posts between the Kingdom’s airports.." [more]

Clerics Should Combat Militant Ideology, Saudi Says [Dec 5]
"Clerics in Saudi Arabia, which is fighting a violent campaign by al Qaeda supporters, must do more to stamp out militant thinking among Saudi youth, the interior minister said in comments aired on Tuesday. All our clerics must act, because it is their role to correct the convictions in the minds of youth everywhere ... and to be constructive and not instruments of destruction," Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz.." [more]

Boeing, Lockheed Martin in Talks Over Saudi Jets [Dec 5]
"US defence groups Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp are in discussions with the Saudi authorities about supplying new fighter aircraft, the Guardian newspaper reported.. ..The pair are holding 'ongoing conversations' with the Saudis, said the article. The news emerged amid fears the future of a supply contract between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems PLC could be in jeopardy because of a long running fraud investigation.." [more]

Decision Time Nears for Saudi Rail Expansion [Dec 5]
"As deadlines for bids to carry out Saudi Arabia's ambitious railway expansion edge closer the detail of what is on offer to the private sector to run the new network is gradually being revealed. A successful bidder will receive a 50-year concession to carry out the build-own-operate east-west 'Landbridge' rail project rather than 30 years mooted earlier. Separate operating licences are expected to be awarded for freight and passenger services on the new line.." [more]

Now is the Time to Tighten Belts,’ says Alabbar [Dec 5]
"..Emaar Properties Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar.. ..Addressing the ‘Arab World Goes Global’ plenary session on Day 2 of the three-day Forum at the Madinat Jumeirah, Alabbar suggested Arab companies should engage in ‘smart acquisitions’ to move away from the complacency that has settled into the region’s markets with regards to decisions on investments in global markets.. ..The problem with the Arab world’s global aspirations is not one of money but mindset, he added. 'We need to look at what we are investing in, and why'.." [more]

Human Rights Watch Starts Work in Saudi Arabia [Dec 5]
"A delegation from the US-based Human Rights Watch has arrived in Saudi Arabia on the first extensive fact-finding mission in the kingdom.. ..The main issues they will focus on include the criminal justice system, political rights, the status of women and foreign worker rights.. ..HRW made a first exploratory visit to Saudi Arabia in 2003. No other major rights groups have been able to conduct field-work in the vast country.." [more]

Militants Planned Series of Suicide Attacks, says Saudi Minister [Dec 5]
"Militant cells recently broken up in Saudi Arabia were planning a series of suicide bomb attacks and
assassinations, the Saudi interior minister said yesterday. Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it had detained 136 suspected militants.. ..'These seven cells were planning to carry out acts and were on the point of carrying them out,' Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz said in comments carried in state media.." [more]

'Ya Hala': Mutawwa Re-trained to Handle Foreigners [Dec 5]
"Saudi Arabia's mutawwa, who have been known to force men to cut their hair, are being re-trained to handle a potential influx of non-Muslim tourists.. ..'It was the Authority that requested that some of its members be able to participate in the Ya Hala (Welcome!) programme,' Majid Al Shiddi, SCT spokesman said. 'It aims to teach how to deal with people of different cultures and develop communication skills'.." [more]

Confidence in Doing Business in Mideast Dips [Dec 5]
"Business confidence in the Gulf declined by five percentage points to 80 this year from last year's 85..
..according to the second Arab Business Intelligence Report.. ..published by PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) and Moutamarat.. ..However, globally business confidence remain unchanged this year, at 76 per cent. 'The high confidence level in the GCC is being primarily driven by Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar,' the report said.." [more]

Kingdom Calls for Dialogue in Lebanon [Dec 5]
"Saudi Arabia reiterated yesterday its support for Lebanon and urged its people to work together toward
strengthening their country’s unity and stability through dialogue, reasoning and wisdom.. ..'King Abdullah emphasized that all Lebanese people should work to unify their rank, strengthen security and stability and give the upper hand to legitimacy, reasoning, wisdom and dialogue in order to overcome the present situation,' the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Saudi ruler warned that the continuation of the present situation would have negative impact on Lebanon’s stability, prosperity and national unity and its ability to take independent political decisions.." [more]

Australia Offers Multiple-Entry Visas [Dec 5]
"The Australian Embassy in Riyadh announced yesterday that tourist and business-travel visas issued to most citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states would be valid for multiple entries for up to two years. From now on, most Gulf nationals can visit Australia “as often as they like over a two-year period with just one visa,” it said. Axel Wabenhorst, an embassy spokesperson, said the visa extension is for tourism and business travel.. ..Saudis who wish to apply for an Australian visa, however, can only obtain it through the Australian Consulate General in Dubai. The embassy says that this shouldn’t cause any additional delay to the application process.." [more]

Defence Firms Fear Saudi Fall-Out [Dec 4]
"One of the largely untold stories about the cooling of relations between Saudi and the UK is the extent to which it has engendered near-panic in leading industrial and defence companies. As one example, the chief executive of a leading defence contractor was all set to give me an interview last Thursday about his concerns that his company and many others were set to lose valuable Saudi business. He pulled out at the last moment, citing pressure from heads of other defence companies to keep his mouth shut.." [more]

Saudi Oil Chief Hints at OPEC Supply Cut [Dec 4]
"Ali al-Naimi, the Saudi Arabian oil minister, has said that inventories of crude oil are too high, indicating that OPEC, which supplies two out of every five barrels, should cut output.. ..Separately, Iran urged OPEC on Sunday to cut production again because of oversupply. Iran's OPEC governor, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency that a cut should be 500,000 to one million barrels a day.." [more]

Saudi Media Discuss Their Role in Development [Dec 4]
"The role of the media in human development and the achievability of the United Nation’s Millennium goals were the subjects under discussion during a two-day seminar of Saudi media representatives held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The seminar, held November 27 to 28, was organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Information. The event was held at the UN office in Riyadh.." [more]

Gulf Property Law Changes and Competition [Dec 4]
"One of the by-products of high liquidity in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been the stock market and real estate booms. While the GCC stock markets saw an average 30 percent market correction in March earlier this year and continue to fluctuate, real estate has maintained its position as one of the premier investment sectors. However, in recent months, a new phenomenon is emerging — competition between some of the GCC countries in changing and effectively liberalizing their hitherto highly protectionist and nationalistic property ownership laws.." [more]

Graduates Must Be Able to Meet Needs of Local Market [Dec 4]
"The sixth National Dialogue Forum in Al Jouf concluded with a call to revise school and university curriculums with a greater emphasis on technical education and vocational training to meet the requirements of the labour market. The participants also stressed the importance of introducing drastic educational reforms according to a set timetable.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Shed 6% [Dec 4]
"Saudi stocks shed six percent on Sunday to close at a two-year low and dive below the 8,000-point psychological barrier in what an economist described as a “black day” for the Saudi bourse. 'It is certainly a black day for the Saudi stock market,' which has been reeling under strong correction pressures since February when it hit an all-time high, leading Saudi economist Abdulwahab Abu-Dahesh said. The Tadawul All-Shares Index (TASI) finished the day at 7,665.73 points, its lowest level since December 11, 2004.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Committed to Japan’s Energy Needs [Dec 4]
"The intricate relationship between future supply and demand, and Saudi Aramco’s attention and commitment to reliably satisfying the future energy needs of Japan and Asia, was the message delivered recently at the Japan Cooperation Center, Petroleum (JCCP) in Tokyo. Speaking on behalf of Saudi Aramco, Dr. Ibrahim S. Mishari, vice president of Marketing and Supply Planning, gave a crowd of Japanese energy executives, engineers and planners a detailed look into the future to 2030 and beyond with an emphasis on energy security.." [more]

Saudi-Oman Border Entry Point Agreed [Dec 4]
"Saudi Arabia and its southern GCC neighbor, the Sultanate of Oman, have agreed to establish a border point in order to facilitate transportation and enhance trade relations between the two countries, it was announced yesterday. The new border point will be in operation within two years.. ..the border point would help link roads in the two countries.." [more]

UK Visa to Be Issued on the Day of Application [Dec 4]
"The British Embassy will now issue visas on the same day of application, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, the country’s ambassador to the Kingdom, announced here on Saturday.. ..'The speedy issuance of visas has been introduced to encourage more people to visit the United Kingdom for educational, business and leisure purposes,' Sir Cowper-Coles explained.." [more]

License to Sell: All-Female Saudi Dealership Opens [Dec 4]
"Saudi women still can't drive cars, but they can sell them. Potential buyers can go to an all-women showroom where, for the first time, other women will help them choose a car and answer questions about horsepower, carburetors and other automotive features. Neither the saleswomen nor the female buyers can take the car out for a test drive because women are banned from driving in Saudi Arabia — even though they have been allowed to own cars for decades and hire male drivers. Almost half the autos belong to women.." [more]

Defence Chiefs Warn Government Jobs Are At Risk From Saudi Backlash [Dec 3]
"Leading defence executives have moved to warn the British government that the industry and thousands of jobs are at risk if the dispute with Saudi Arabia is not smoothed over, press reports this weekend said. The Defence Industry Council (DIC) has written to the government urging that fences be mended.. ..The move follows speculation that the future of a large order to supply the Saudi's with the Eurofighter could be in jeopardy.." [more]

Iraqi Conjoined Twins Separated in Saudi [Dec 3]
"A pair of Iraq conjoined twins completed separation surgery in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Chief surgeon, Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah told CNN reporters, 'They are stable and they are responding very well to the surgery. We have to watch them day by day, but we are optimistic.' The most critical immediate concern is the risk of infection.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Key Player in Peace Brokering [Dec 3]
"Saudi Arabia is emerging as a key player in talks to broker a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace agreement, it was reported Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will soon meet high-ranking Saudi officials to explore the formation of a group of moderate Arab countries to negotiate with Tel Aviv over the future of the Middle East, The Sunday Times of London reported. Olmert already held a preliminary meeting with Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former ambassador to Washington and one of King Abdullah's closest advisers, the newspaper said.." [more]

Saudi Students Return to West After 9/11 Setback [Dec 3]
"Saudi students are returning to the United States after tensions in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks but other Western countries remain an easier alternative for many, Saudis and foreign diplomats said. Saudi Arabia hopes to send 10,000 students to U.S. universities this year as part of a scholarship scheme to return cultural links to their levels before 9/11, when 19 young Arabs, including 15 Saudis, killed 3,000 people with hijacked planes. 'The number of Saudi students in the States is currently about 14,000. This is up significantly from early post-9/11 figures,' a U.S. embassy official said on Sunday.." [more]

Saudi Clears 13 Insurance Firms [Dec 3]
"Saudi Arabia’s central bank said yesterrday it approved 13 local and foreign insurance companies to launch operations in the kingdom, which is liberalising its insurance market. The companies’ applications were forwarded to the industry and trade ministry for approval, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (Sama) said on its website. The companies also need approval from the cabinet before they can start business.." [more]

Iraq Intervention: Saudis Say No Truth in Article [Dec 3]
"Saudi Arabia said there was no truth in an article by a Saudi security adviser suggesting the kingdom would back Iraq's Sunnis in the event of a wider sectarian conflict.. ..'There is no basis in truth to the article by the writer Nawaf Obaid in the Washington Post,' the Saudi Press Agency quoted an "official source" as saying. 'The writer does not represent any official body in Saudi Arabia'.." [more]

Abdullah Lauds Women’s Role in Society [Dec 3]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday commended Saudi women for their active participation in the Kingdom’s development. 'Saudi women are playing a great role,' said Abdullah. 'They make fruitful contributions toward the country’s comprehensive progress in various sectors,' he added. Abdullah made this comment while receiving women participants of the Sixth National Dialogue Forum at his palace in Riyadh separately.." [more]

Forum Pledges ME Solution Parallel With Reforms [Dec 3]
"Foreign ministers of 38 countries, including G-8 powers, ended a meeting at the Dead Sea yesterday by pledging support to “indigenous reforms” in the Middle East countries that should be in tandem with a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to a communiqué.. ..The participants renewed their support for the road map that provides for the setting up of an 'independent and viable Palestinian state that lives in peace, stability and prosperity with Israel'.." [more]

Scientific Research Center for Women Soon [Dec 3]
"As part of the government’s drive to empower women, a scientific research center will be established in Riyadh with modern facilities for nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology. The woman’s educational center will be the first of its kind in the Kingdom.. ..which is to open a new era in women’s education in the Kingdom and help women to make better contributions to society.." [more]

Big Honor for SABIC [Dec 3]
"Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) was named the global “Petrochemicals Company of the Year” by Platts, an information company in the energy industry, on Friday. The award was judged by the following criteria: Strategic excellence, technological commitment, industry leadership, growth, business performance and risk management. The Global Energy Awards ceremony was held in New York and consisted of representatives from the world’s top energy companies.." [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 >