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Saudi Militant Plot Mirrored 9/11 Attack [Apr 28]
"Al-Qaida-linked plotters hoped to reproduce the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, planning to send suicide pilots to military bases and attack the oil refineries that drive the economy of Osama bin Laden's homeland, the government said Saturday. Revealing new details of the purported plot, a government spokesman said some of the 172 attackers trained as pilots in an unidentified 'troubled country' nearby, hoping to use the planes to carry out suicide attacks. The spokesman, Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, would not say where the training took place: 'It could be Iraq, Somalia, Pakistan, there are so many troubled regions in the world. I can't specify'.." [more]

Saudi Says Qaida Threat Not Over [Apr 28]
"An interior minister on Saturday vowed to maintain a crackdown on Al Qaida, saying the arrest of 172 suspects did not end the Al Qaida threat in Saudi Arabia. 'We cannot say that we are finished from these deviants,' said Prince Nayef told Al Riyadh newspaper. 'But efforts will continue,' he said. Prince Nayef also told the Arabic newspaper that a Saudi man was being held on suspicion of leading a plot to attack oil facilities and military bases.. ..Islamist militants loyal to Al Qaida have vowed to destroy the US-allied Saudi monarchy.." [more]

Crude Rises as Saudi Foils Oil Field Attack [Apr 28]
"Oil prices rose today after Saudi Arabia said it foiled an Al-Qaeda-linked plot to attack the kingdom's oil facilities, rekindling concerns over the vulnerability of world energy supplies. The news came against the backdrop of expectations that the United States will face a petrol inventory crunch when drivers hit the roads this summer vacation season after a slew of refinery outages slashed stockpiles.. ..Opec kingpin Saudi Arabia said it arrested 170 people suspected in a plot to attack oil facilities and military bases, including some trainee pilots preparing for suicide operations.." [more]

Japan to Extend Saudi Ties Beyond Oil [Apr 28]
"Japan and Saudi Arabia need to move beyond oil and build a broad economic partnership that will benefit both their nations and the Middle East as a whole, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday. He is in Saudi Arabia on the first stop of a five-nation Middle East trip aimed at boosting Japan's profile in the region and ensuring a stable energy supply from an area on which it relies for nearly all its crude oil.. ..The Middle East provides some 90% of Japan's crude oil, with Saudi Arabia alone accounting for nearly 30%, and Japan has recently said it is concerned about securing a stable supply of oil in the face of growing competition from China and India.." [more]

Saudi Government Approves Two New Real Estate Firms [Apr 28]
"In a bid to boost real estate investments in Saudi Arabia, the ministry of commerce and industry has licensed two stock companies to operate in the kingdom's market. Up to the end of the second quarter of 2006 Saudi banks have pumped 13.4 billion riyals into financing real estate projects in the kingdom. An official was quoted recently as saying that in order to meet demand, Saudi Arabia will need to build 1.5 million new homes by 2015. The increasing population growth rate, one of the highest in the world, and high demand on housing units means Saudi Arabia, needs to find other financing for real estate sector, besides the government.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Introduces New Gun Laws [Apr 28]
"The Saudi Ministry of Interior has doubled the duration of licenses to own or carry a weapon to ten years [for individuals] and to five years for marksmanship clubs and stores that sell weapons under a new bill for arms and ammunition. The bill which was approved recently by the Interior Minister, Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz, has specified that the age for practicing shooting at clubs would be set at 18 and a license to own and carry a weapon would be granted at the age of 21.. ..Regarding the commercial activity of the arms trade, the bill has outlined conditions for those applying for permits to import personal firearms, air rifles, and hunting weapons to be at least 25 years of age with a valid commercial registration and a bank guarantee of SR500,000 (US $133,000).." [more]

Young Gulf Nationals Left Behind [Apr 28]
"Saudi Arabia's economy is booming. The government and private sector are on an investment spree. But young people like Mohammad, a 23-year-old living in the Suwaidi neighbourhood on the edge of the capital Riyadh, have yet to taste the fruits. Passing the time with his older brother Mahmoud at a juice bar, he said he was still unemployed and did not expect his situation to improve.. ..the two young men, sons of a military officer, are not actively looking for work. Displaying indifference as they live off their family, they said all their friends were jobless. 'We spend our time on the streets,' said Mohammad. 'Saudi Arabia is rich, but you need connections to get a job.' The young men's case is not isolated.." [more]

Abdullah, Abe to Discuss Key Issues [Apr 28]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will receive Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who will begin a two-day visit to the Kingdom today. The visiting prime minister will also meet Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation. They will discuss ways to enhance relations between the two countries and regional and international issues. The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce has arranged a meeting of the Saudi businessmen with the Japanese premier and the 180-strong business delegation, representing leading Japanese companies, accompanying him.." [more]

Russia Hails Antiterrorist Operation in Saudi Arabia [Apr 28]
"Russia supports Saudi Arabian efforts in maintaining security and stability and praises the recent antiterrorism operation in the Middle East country, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.. ..'We can only support the decisive measures by Saudi Arabia to enhance security and stability in the country and to root out a network of terrorism,' Mikhail Kamynin said. 'We view the antiterrorism operation conducted by Saudi Arabian law enforcement bodies as a considerable contribution to the international efforts in the fight against terrorism'.." [more]

Saudi Ambassador Meets With UN Secretary-General on Darfur [Apr 27]
"Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel A. Al-Jubeir today met with United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon at the UN in New York to discuss the situation in Darfur and other regional issues.. ..'The situation in Darfur is a human tragedy," Ambassador Al-Jubeir said. "Enhancing security will save lives and allow for more effective distribution of humanitarian assistance. We commend the Secretary-General for his efforts in this regard'.." [more]

Saudis Hold 170 Terror Suspects [Apr 27]
"More than 170 terror suspects have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, officials there have said. Those detained are said to be both Saudi and foreign nationals, Interior Ministry spokesman Gen Mansur al-Turki told local media.. ..'Some have begun training on the use of weapons, and some were sent to other countries to study aviation in preparation to use them to carry out terrorist operations inside the kingdom,'.." [more]

US Makes Formal Protest Over Dropping of BAE Inquiry [Apr 27]
"US officials made a formal protest to the Foreign Office over Britain's decision to drop an inquiry into allegations that BAE Systems had bribed Saudi royals. The Foreign Office confirmed today that the verbal protest was made by a US embassy official at a meeting at the department in January.. ..Today a Foreign Office spokesman said that the US protest in January was a reiteration of concerns that had been made at a meeting of an anti-bribery working group at the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) a few days earlier.." [more]

HRW Urges Probe of Alleged Torture in Saudi Jails [Apr 27]
"Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Saudi Arabia Thursday to expand on its pledge to investigate a beating at one prison by broadening the inquiry to include all of the country's jails. Recent video footage of a guard beating detainees at Ha'ir prison south of Riyadh "corroborates accounts of beatings collected by Human Rights Watch during a visit to the prison in November," the US-based group said in a statement.. ..HRW noted that the Saudi director of prisons, Ali Al Harithi, was quoted as saying that the government had suspended two guards identified in the video as beating the prisoners and had
begun an investigation into the incident.." [more]

Jeddah to Host MEETES Forum [Apr 27]
"More than 150 exhibitors are showcasing their products and services at the 12th Middle East Education and Training Exhibition and Symposium (MEETES) to be held at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Center on Madinah Road from April 30 to May 3.. ..In focus will be higher education, e-learning and distance learning, and training, especially vocational education and training in the context of the ongoing Saudization program. The exhibition will feature a career and recruitment section, providing an ideal opportunity for students.." [more]

A New Regional Leadership [Apr 27]
"what should have bothered the Americans was that the ruler of an important, longstanding regional ally was so unhappy over US policy and performance in the Middle East that he took the unusual step of distancing himself publicly from Washington. Saudi Arabia always prefers to express its displeasure with the United States in private conversations and diplomatic exchanges. Only rarely in the 60 years of their alliance with America have Saudi leaders felt compelled to issue a public challenge, the last notable example occurring during the oil embargo of 1973 to 1974. What drove Abdullah to say what he did, senior aides said, was seeing the Arab world in turmoil, Arabs shedding Arab blood, and US policies contributing to the problems rather than solving them. America has failed to stabilize Iraq, failed to contain Iran's influence, failed to bring peace to the Palestinians and Israel, failed to relieve the suffering in Darfur, failed to rectify Syrian behavior, failed to protect Lebanon against Israeli attack, and failed to resolve the ensuing Lebanese power struggle.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Lawyer Bemoans Lack of Legal Infrastructure [Apr 27]
"With the idea of setting up family courts in the Kingdom being studied, there is excitement in the legal community. “When family courts are established, that will be the best thing that could happen in the interest of women and children,” Nazieh A. Moussa, a lawyer at the Nazieh A. Moussa Law Firm, said yesterday. 'Family courts will be a boon. Women can look to them for protecting their rights, whether in matters of inheritance, divorce or exploitation, and children for protection against abuse. There is also the question of citizenship of children born to foreign women married to Saudis. Guardianship is another issue that such courts will deal with and is in the interest of both women and children,'.." [more]

Egypt, Saudi Arabia Edge Away From Bush as Mideast Chill Grows [Apr 26]
"President George W. Bush's top Arab allies, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah, are edging away from him, skeptical about his ability to end bloodshed in Baghdad, make progress on Palestinian statehood and contain Iran's nuclear program. Saudi Arabia, the third-biggest exporter of crude oil to the U.S., is cutting a foreign-policy path sometimes contrary to American interests, diplomats and analysts say.. ..Saudi Arabia parted with the U.S. in February by brokering a cease-fire between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas. That
deal produced a unity government that contained intra-Palestinian fighting, while making it hard for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to mediate. The U.S. designates Hamas as a terrorist group and won't talk to its members.." [more]

After Saudis’ First Steps, Efforts for Reform Stall [Apr 26]
"Two years ago, largely at the urging of the Bush administration, the first elections in Saudi history were held for municipal councils in a small number of cities, including Jidda, Riyadh and Mecca. Only men could vote and only half the members were elected, but still the elections were hailed as emblems of change. Increasingly, however, the councils are being dismissed as symbols of the opposite: political stagnation. 'We thought all you do is call for elections and you’re done,' lamented Abdullah al-Otaibi, an advocate of political change who gave up and moved to Dubai last year to help open a research center. 'Now we know things won’t work that easily.' There are many reasons that democratic change has been
put on the back burner, including an economic boom fueled by high oil prices and a more aggressive regional foreign policy, Saudi advocates of such change say.." [more]

Japanese PM Arrives on Saturday for 2-Day Visit [Apr 26]
"Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will arrive in the Kingdom on Saturday as part of a five-nation Middle East tour that will also take him to the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt. During the visit, Prime Minister Abe will hold intensive political consultations with senior Arab leaders on a range of regional and international issues, and seek support to forge closer economic ties with the Middle East nations. 'The Japanese premier will visit the Kingdom for two days on April 28 and 29,' said a statement issued by the Japanese Embassy yesterday.. ..During the trip, Abe’s talks with high-ranking Saudi and Arab leaders will focus on Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran. The Japanese prime minister will also speak about bilateral economic cooperation, including in the oil sector.." [more]

Princely Gesture Frees Death Row Killer [Apr 26]
"A Saudi prince has paid over Dh100,000 in blood money to secure the life of a convicted murderer, who has waited 18 years on death row.. ..Salah Mussaed al-Zahrani has already spent an unprecedented 18 years on death row waiting for the victim's son, Othman, to reach adulthood in order to decide whether to accept the blood money and spare his life.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Makes Progress by Slashing Poverty in Record Time [Apr 26]
"..In December 2002, the Saudi government established a poverty-fighting fund, following a visit made by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to some poor districts in Riyadh. Studies prepared by the ministry of social affairs and independent researchers said poverty in the kingdom has a number of reasons, like low income, early retirements and lack of social awareness among poor families. Al Qusaibi said the kingdom has attained progress in fighting poverty in a record time and even before 2015, the deadline set by the UN.." [more]

Porn Dominates Saudi Mobile Use [Apr 25]
"Up to 70% of files exchanged between Saudi teenagers' mobile phones contain pornography, according to a study in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom. The study quoted in Arab News focussed on the phones of teenagers detained by religious police for harassing girls. The same researcher also found that 88% of girls say they have been victims of harassment using Bluetooth technology. Saudi Arabia has toughened penalties for misuse of mobile phones which challenge its strict social traditions.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Scores 9 Out of 11 in Reaching UN Development Goals [Apr 25]
"..Addressing the media here, Al-Gosaibi unveiled the Kingdom's 2nd United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report. The minister said that Saudi Arabia had achieved nine of the 11 specific goals almost a decade before the deadline. The ceremony was also attended by El-Mostafa Benlamlih, UNDP resident representative. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has surpassed the percentages specified for it in the United Nations Development Goals by meeting the goals before the 2015 deadline,' Al-Gosaibi said. As for the two remaining specific goals in the areas of curbing natural waste and improving living conditions in remote areas, the minister said that even though their deadline had not arrived, efforts were under way to solve them under the national development plan.." [more]

Saudi Forum to Give Participants an Open Dialogue on Employment [Apr 25]
"Those opposing the employment of women will be given a chance to take part and present their views in the upcoming seventh national dialogue forum, said Faisal Bin Muammar, the secretary-general of the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue (KACND). The function will be under the title Work and Employment Fields: A Dialogue Between Society and Employment Institutions. All parties concerned with employment will be invited to participate in the forum, the KACND secretary -general added.." [more]

Authority to Fight Graft in Government Established [Apr 25]
"In a move to fight corruption and tighten government monitoring of the public wealth, Saudi Arabia decided to establish internal control units in every government department. The decision was taken by the Saudi cabinet during its weekly meeting, which was chaired by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on Monday. The directors of the units will report directly to the managers of their respective departments.. ..Earlier, the Saudi cabinet approved a national strategy for combating corruption and set up an authority whose responsibility is to monitor implementation of this strategy. The head of the new authority will have a ministerial rank.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Boost Refining Capacity by 61% [Apr 25]
"Saudi Arabia's refining capacity will reach 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the start of 2012, up 61.9 per cent from its level in 2006, the country's investment authority said. The increase will be achieved once three planned refineries start production, the Saudi General Investment Authority (Sagia) said in a report sent to Reuters. 'The (new) capacity will represent 17 per cent of the global rise in capacity and will be worth investments of more than $20 billion'.." [more]

Terrorism Focus of Saudi-Lanka Talks [Apr 25]
"Combating terror was the focus of talks between Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday. 'The Saudi foreign minister showed understanding and expressed his concern over the terrorist activities in my country,' the visiting Sri Lankan minister told Arab News following his talks with Prince Saud.. ..The two ministers agreed to fast track agreements on combating terrorism, extradition, prisoner exchanges, air traffic and eliminating double taxation.." [more]

Saudi Housing Sector to Draw SR1.2 Trillion [Apr 25]
"The Saudi housing sector is expected to attract investments worth SR1.2 trillion, according to a top official of the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) yesterday. In a function hosted by the EPCCI during the Saudi-British Week organized by the British Trade, Saud ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Gosaibi, second deputy chairman of the EPCCI, said Eastern Province has plenty of investment opportunities in water desalination, real estate and tourism. Gosaibi also underscored the strategic
location of the Eastern Province as a major factor to attract investments.."
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6&section=0&article=95438&d=25&m=4&y=2007

Arab Plan Basic Peace Framework [Apr 24]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday emphasized that the Arab peace initiative, which was relaunched by the Riyadh summit last month, would remain “the basic framework” for Arab overtures to establish peace in the Middle East. The Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, made this comment while reviewing the outcome of last week’s Arab peace initiative committee meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo. The Cairo meeting selected Egypt and Jordan to
take the lead in approaching Israel to promote the peace plan.. ..It envisages Arab recognition of Israel in return for an Israeli withdrawal to pre-1967 borders, the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of Palestinian refugees.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar Refuse Visa for Bangladesh's Former Leader [Apr 24]
"Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar have refused to allow Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia into their countries, complicating a plan by Bangladesh's government to exile her, news reports said Tuesday. The New Age and the News Today newspapers reported that the Saudi embassy in Dhaka has refused to grant her a visa because the embassy was not convinced that Zia was leaving the country of her own volition.. ..The New Age daily said the Saudi embassy wants Zia to be present in person to confirm that she plans to enter the kingdom willingly.." [more]

Saudi Stocks are Down 9.6 Percent on the Year [Apr 24]
"The Saudi Stock Exchange's TASI index slumped more than 100 points yesterday to give the bourse the unenviable title of the region's worst performing market this year to date. At the turn of the year most regional analysts were promoting Saudi as the growth market for 2007 with predictions that after a sticky start it would begin to power ahead after February and add 25 per cent to its value by the year end. But the brief post-February revival appears to have run out of steam as investors now have grave doubts about its short-term direction.. ..A total of 77 Saudi stocks were losers yesterday, with only four advancing, as every sector in the index was in retreat.." [more]

More Saudi Women Join the Workforce, But Limits Remain Strict [Apr 24]
"..Just as in the West, Saudi women are graduating from universities at higher rates than men. And they are demanding opportunities that the ulema – the Islamic scholars who hold vast sway in the Kingdom – have long denied them. They are taking jobs in education, medicine, and banking. Lately, the country's labor minister has been pushing for legal changes that would allow more women to work in retail jobs and factories – a sharp challenge to Saudi Arabia's sex segregation.. ..While most women here say they hope there are fewer obstacles to the success of their daughters, there is no consensus
on how far social change should be allowed to go. ." [more]

Canada Now Prime Destination for Saudi Students [Apr 24]
"With 15 Canadian universities and educational networks participating in the ongoing International Education & Training Exhibition at the Dhahran International Exhibition Center, Canada is emerging as a new destination for Saudi students. The number of Saudi students pursuing education in Canada is increasing every year, making Canada among the top countries providing education and training for young Saudis, according to Simone Juker, regional education officer of the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi. "Last year there were over 2,000 Saudis studying in Canada, and this year we expect this number to increase," she said. Juker said this number excluded about 500 Saudi students who took up medical training programs at various Canadian medical institutions.." [more]

S&P Launches Shariah-Compliant Indices For The GCC [Apr 24]
"Standard &Poor's, the world's leading index provider, today announced the launch of a fully investable GCC Shariah Index for Muslim investors in the Gulf and around the world. The S&P GCC Shariah Series, which have been designed to capture the largest and most liquid stocks across the GCC, will pave the way for the creation of mutual funds, ETF's and structured products that will enhance liquidity and improve risk management across the Gulf's highly concentrated equity markets.. ..The new indices.. ..include only those stocks which comply with Shariah-law.." [more]

A New List of Terrorists on Way — Naif [Apr 23]
" Interior Minister Prince Naif said here yesterday that there is a possibility that his ministry will announce a new list of most wanted terror suspects in the Kingdom. 'There is a possibility of a new list being announced, without a definite time of the announcement'.. ..Saudi Arabia has won international acclaim for its successful handling of militants blamed for a series of terrorist attacks across the country over the past three years. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has reiterated that the government would continue its efforts to exterminate militants and terrorists from the country, no matter how long its takes or how much it costs.." [more]

Private Sector’s Role in Kingdom’s Mega Projects Close to 70% [Apr 23]
"Private sector role in mega economic, industrial and infrastructure projects across the Kingdom is expanding year after year, lessening the burden on the government, a recent report issued by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) said. According to the report, the sector’s investment in large-scale projects, including economic cities, has reached nearly 70 percent. The report also said that the government participation in mega projects, on the contrary, has reduced to 30.3 percent, adding that its investment came from budgetary allocations.." [more]

Sabic Affiliate Signs $400m Murabaha Facility [Apr 23]
"Sabic affiliate National Industrial Gases Company (GAS) yesterday signed a new 1.5 billion Saudi riyal ($400 million) Murabaha loan facility with a club of eight local and Gulf banks to help finance the expansion projects it has underway.The loan agreement was signed by Ebrahim Al Shuweir, Chairman of GAS, and Sabic's Vice-President, Corporate Control and Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank, National Commercial Bank, Samba Financial Group, Arab Petroleum Investments Corp (Apicorp), Saudi Hollandi Bank, Arab National Bank and Gulf International Bank B.S.C.." [more]

GCC, ASEAN Set Out Vision of Cooperation [Apr 23]
"Two regional blocs, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have set out a broad vision of cooperation following talks between GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al-Attiya and ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong yesterday. The talks focused on a regional and international issues and on ways to forge closer cooperation. Yong said that the two organizations share similar views on a host of regional and international issues.. ..A proposal to initiate dialogue between the two blocs was endorsed by the GCC foreign ministers and their ASEAN counterparts, who held their annual meeting on the fringes of 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York late last year.." [more]

Conjoined Twins Have Successful Surgery [Apr 23]
"A surgery to separate the conjoined Cameroonian Siamese twins Pheinbom and Shevoboh has been completed successfully at the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Medical City of the Saudi Arabian National Guard on Saturday. The separated twins have been transferred to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (Picu), said the medical team who conducted the operation. The operation was conduced by Dr Abdullah Al Rabee'ah, a Saudi paediatric surgeon and an expert in Siamese operations.." [more]

Italy's Prodi Addresses Saudi Advisory Council [Apr 22]
"Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi called on Sunday for cooperation to promote economic development and religious tolerance in an address to Saudi Arabia's appointed Shura (consultative) Council. Italy and Saudi Arabia must confront challenges posed by the long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict, sectarian disputes and misunderstandings between the Islamic and Western worlds, Prodi told the all-male 150-member council, according to the official SPA news agency. 'These matters require doubling efforts to establish dialogue as a way of promoting economic and social development... and make the principles of dialogue and tolerance prevail'.." [more]

$266m Saudi Telco in the Pipeline [Apr 22]
"Bahrain Telecommunications Co. (Batelco) said on Sunday a consortium it is leading would set up a 1 billion riyal ($266 million) company to run a fixed-line telephone operation in Saudi Arabia. The consortium, in which Batelco holds 15 percent, was one of three that won initial approval on Saturday to operate Saudi Arabia's new fixed-line phone network, set to end the monopoly of Saudi Telecom Co. Pending approval from the Saudi government, the new telecom firm would sell a 25 percent stake in an initial public offering.." [more]

Riyadh to Host Asian Oil Producers Conference [Apr 22]
"Riyadh will host the second Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable meeting for oil producers and consumers next month, SPA reported. The one-day meeting will discuss energy development in Asia, including the prospects for oil and gas trade in the area. The roundtable will also discuss issues related to oil exploration and development, including energy security and the role of keeping energy reserves. The meeting will be attended by energy ministers from most of the GCC, as well as China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei, and representatives from OPEC and the International Energy Agency.." [more]

GM Announces Record Sales [Apr 22]
"General Motors has continued its record sales growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to register first-quarter sales of 18,857 units, up 20 percent over Q1 2006, the company reported. Chevrolet sales in the Kingdom stood at 13,222 units, with GMC at 5,134 followed by Cadillac and HUMMER at 501 units. Across the region, GM sold 30,679 units, an increase of 16 percent over Q1 2006. March 2007 was the company's 41st consecutive month of record sales. This growth was fueled by a series of launches last year.." [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.
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