Saudi-US Relations Information Service

Keeping Track - Recently on SUSRIS








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US Welcomes Saudi Summit Pledge [Nov 24]
"US officials have welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia to attend next week's Middle East peace conference at Annapolis in the US. 'This is a signal that they believe this will be a serious and substantive meeting,' the US state department said. Speaking at an Arab League meeting in Cairo, the Saudi foreign minister said he would go but ruled out a 'theatrical show' with Israeli officials.. ..Prince Saud confirmed his attendance but admitted there had been opposition. 'I'm not hiding any secret about the Saudi position. We were reluctant until today. And if not for the Arab consensus we felt today, we would not have decided to go,' he said.." [more]

Saudi, Jordan Kings to Meet Ahead of US Conference [Nov 24]
"The kings of Saudi Arabia and Jordan will meet in Riyadh on Sunday, two days before a Middle East peace conference in the United States which their countries will attend, official media said Saturday cited by AFP. Jordan's King Abdullah II will visit Riyadh for talks with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on "regional and international issues of common concern," in addition to ties between their two countries.. ..It did not give details, but the planned meeting precedes the conference aimed at reviving stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations which will be held in Annapolis, Maryland on Tuesday.." [more]

Saudi Cuts Key Deposit Rate as Markets Test Dollar Peg [Nov 24]
"Saudi Arabia cut some borrowing costs on Saturday to relieve pressure on its dollar-pegged currency that has mounted on growing bets Riyadh will allow the riyal to appreciate, bankers said. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), the central bank of the world's largest oil exporter, reduced the reverse repurchase rate by 50 basis points to 4.25 percent, three bankers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said.. ..'They are doing this to calm down the market and prevent speculation on the local currency,' said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB, HSBC's Saudi affiliate. 'Investors will find it less attractive to hold deposits in riyal,' he said. The Saudi riyal hit a 21-year high on Thursday of 3.70 and investors are betting on an appreciation of as much as 3.2 percent appreciation in the riyal in a year.." [more]

Saudi Financial System in an Era of Change [Nov 24]
"..the woes in international financial markets might induce more Saudi investors to repatriate funds to safer havens in terms of returns and the Saudi banks continue to report increase in their deposits. As such, their ability to fund Saudi or regional projects on a co-financing basis, will not be affected by the global credit crunch. What could affect them is a perceptible and sharp recession in the US that will lead to lower demand for Saudi oil and petrochemical exports, leading to domestic tightening of credit allocation to non-prime borrowers.." [more]

Seasonal Workers Descend in Droves [Nov 24]
"The Haj is known to be the world’s largest annual gathering, where millions of Muslims come to fulfill their religious obligation. But the Haj brings another kind of pilgrim, too: the seasonal worker.. ..City officials estimate that at least 25,000 additional jobs are created during the Haj season, many of them as guides and drivers for the Tawafa organizations, the licensed Haj guilds. Other jobs include street vendors and municipal cleaners.." [more]

7 Million People Covered in Drive Against Measles [Nov 24]
"A senior Health Ministry official announced yesterday that 7.1 million people in the age group of nine months to 18 years were covered by the massive vaccination drive against measles that ended on Wednesday.. ..In accordance with the comprehensive national plan set out by the GCC Health Ministers Council in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), the ministry is determined to wipe out measles from the Kingdom by 2010, according to Mishkas. Mishkhas said that measles was eradicated in the Americas in 2000 and that Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean have set 2010 as the time limit for eradication. The Western Pacific has fixed a 2012 target.." [more]

Saudis to Attend Mideast Conference [Nov 23]
"Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said today he would attend a conference to restart talks on ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Prince Saud al-Faisal made the announcement at a news conference which followed an Arab League meeting in Cairo. Asked if Saudi Arabia would attend the Annapolis talks on a ministerial level, Prince Faisal said: 'As long as there is an Arab consensus to attend, and at the ministerial level, then the kingdom will follow the attendance and the Arab consensus in this context.' Saudi Arabia and Israel have no diplomatic ties, but an Israeli government spokeswoman welcomed the participation of Prince Faisal.. ..The influential Saudis add credibility to any future deal among Palestinians, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be able to say a deal holds out the prospect of wider peace with the Arab world.." [more]

Sovereignty of All Countries Must Be Respected: Sultan [Nov 23]
"Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, was awarded yesterday an honorary doctorate at the prestigious Moscow State University of International Relations University in appreciation of his efforts to promote international cooperation and security.. ..Reiterating the Saudi policy of nonintervention in the affairs of other countries, the prince said: 'The Kingdom has adopted its foreign policy based on the sovereignty of all countries and nonintervention in the internal affairs of other countries.' After receiving the doctorate, Prince Sultan underscored the close cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Russian Federation.." [more]

Riyadh to Compensate Poultry Firm Owners [Nov 23]
"Saudi Arabia announced that it would compensate owners of poultry farms whose birds were culled on suspicions of catching the deadly bird flu virus. 'In line with the directives of the Council of Ministers, the government will pay 80 per cent of the losses [incurred] by owners of poultry farms,' Minister of agriculture Fahd Balghunaim said in statements yesterday. The authorities said more than 3 million birds have been culled so far to contain the spread of the H5NI virus.. ..He noted that the disease is still confined to limited areas as the kingdom has more than 341 poultry farms, with only 108 located
in the Riyadh region.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's Tadawul Gains 1,360 Points in Four Weeks [Nov 23]
"The Saudi stock market has gained around 1,360 points or 17 per cent in the last four weeks. The Tadawul All Share Index started this week with a slight drop shedding about 130 points or 1.4 per cent. The index, however, recovered to close at 9,518.87 points on Wednesday, the last trading day of the week. It ended up 2.7 per cent from last week. Trading value reached 49.8 billion Saudi riyals, up from last week's 45.3 billion riyals.. ..The Tadawul index has seen a steady rise of 22 per cent since October 6 backed by the positive performance of listed companies.." [more]

Saudi Rape Victim to Appeal Verdict [Nov 23]
"A Saudi woman sentenced to six months in jail and 200 lashes despite being gang-raped has vowed to challenge the ruling in a case that has received wide publicity, embarrassing the Saudi government. The case 'sums up the major problems that the Saudi judiciary faces,' said the young woman’s lawyer, Abdurrahman al-Lahem.. ..After the rape in October 2006, she was sentenced to 90 lashes for having been in a car with a man who is not a relative. The Higher Judicial Council granted a retrial but, on November 14, a court toughened her sentence to six months in jail and 200 lashes. The judges decided to punish the woman further for “'her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media,'.." [more]

Oil Could Fall to $75 if Opec Boosts Production [Nov 23]
"Oil could tumble as low as $75 a barrel if Opec decides to raise output at next month’s meeting and if the winter season is mild, former Saudi oil minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani said yesterday. But he warned that prices could surge as high as $200 if the US attacked Iran. 'If there are no disasters, then next year’s prices could fall to around $75 per barrel after the winter,'.. ..Oil rallied to a lifetime peak of $99.29 a barrel earlier yesterday. Yamani said prices could ease if Opec agrees to increase production further at its meeting in Abu Dhabi on December 5. The group has already pledged to raised output by 500,000 bpd from November 1.." [more]

Lashing Saudi Rape Victim an Outrage: Clinton [Nov 22]
"Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner, yesterday called on George W. Bush, the U.S. President, to express disapproval at the sentence of 200 lashes and six months in prison meted out to a Saudi rape victim. 'This is an outrage,' she said in a statement, condemning the Bush administration for declining to call for a reversal of the sentence on the grounds it was an internal matter for its Saudi ally. 'I urge President Bush to call on King Abdullah to cancel the ruling and drop all charges against this woman. As president, I will once again make human rights an American priority around the world.'.." [more]

Blair Meets Saudi King [Nov 22]
"Saudi King Abdullah has met with Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair, the state news agency SPA said, amid a flurry of diplomatic activity ahead of an international conference in the United States.. ..Blair flew into Saudi Arabia from Egypt, where he discussed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak 'ways of reviving the peace process ahead of the international conference' next week.. ..US officials say the meeting will launch the first full-fledged Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations since former president Bill Clinton tried to broker a final settlement near the end of his presidency in 2000. Arab foreign ministers are due to meet in Cairo to decide on their participation in Annapolis. Despite its close ties with Washington, oil-rich Saudi Arabia has declined to confirm its attendance at the meeting unless the core issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict are addressed.." [more]

Russia Can Play Vital ME Role: Sultan [Nov 22]
"Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, arrived here yesterday at the start of a landmark visit and stated that Russia can play a vital role in bringing about a just and comprehensive Middle East peace settlement.. ..He said cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Russia, being the world’s largest oil producers, would have a great impact in stabilizing the world oil market. 'Achieving world oil market stability is a joint responsibility of producers and consumers,'.. ..The three-day royal visit reflects growing relations between Riyadh and Moscow. According to diplomatic sources, the visit will strengthen Saudi-Russian military cooperation. Sultan is accompanied by a high-level delegation.." [more]

Nationality Plays Strong Role in Who Gets Freed From Guantánamo [Nov 22]
"In May 2006, the U.S. military delivered the news that Ali Muhammed Nasir Mohammed was desperate to hear: He was heading home from the prison at Guantánamo on the next plane to Saudi Arabia. There was just one problem. Mohammed is from Yemen. When he explained the mistake, the plane left without him. He remained in his cell for 18 months. Mohammed's case highlights the powerful role of nationality in determining who is released from Guantánamo. Saudi Arabia, a wealthy, influential U.S. ally, has seen more than 100 of roughly 130 citizens return home from Guantánamo, including dozens a military review panel found were security threats. But Yemen, a poor country that lacks close ties to Washington, has had only 13 of about 110 citizens repatriated, including the body of one who committed suicide.." [more]

Jihad and the Saudi Petrodollar II [Nov 22]
"BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy investigates Wahhabism, Saudi Arabia's austere brand of Islam, which is accused by its critics of funding religious extremism. In the second of his two-part series, he meets top US investigators who have had the frustrating task of finding out where Saudi cash ended up.. ..In 2004, at a joint press conference in Washington, the US and Saudi governments announced the closure of five branches of a prominent Saudi charity, al-Haramain. Eventually 10 branches - stretching from the Netherlands to Indonesia - were designated "financiers of terrorism" and shut down.. ..The Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel Jubeir, told me the kingdom was not responsible for the overseas branches of its charities.." [more]

Bahrain May Opt for Saudi Riyal in GCC Shift [Nov 22]
"Oman could keep its rial pegged to the tumbling US dollar and Bahrain may choose to fix its dinar to the Saudi Arabian currency if their Gulf neighbours decide to abandon dollar pegs, Citigroup said yesterday. Expectations that Gulf countries will reform fixed exchange rates has mounted in the past week after the UAE central bank governor said he could track a basket of currencies in concert with Gulf neighbours to help contain inflation. The Saudi Arabian riyal hit a 21-year high this week after a source familiar with Saudi policy said that Riyadh could consider a revaluation to keep plans for monetary union with five other Gulf states alive. The source said Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia - but not Oman - could shift together to a common fixed exchange rate against the dollar to 'facilitate monetary union'.." [more]

Saudi Demand for Expat Workers Soars [Nov 22]
"Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Labour has said that it has issued 878,737 working visas in the first nine months of 2007 showing a 57% increase from a year earlier, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. The ministry, which uses the Islamic calendar, said that number of visas issued in the month of Ramadan (which started on Sept.12) for this year was 90,619 visas, signaling a 104% increase over the same month a year earlier. The ministry said that 50% of the working visas issued in Ramadan were for engineering professions. Services professions came next with 25% present and all other professions shared the remaining 25%.." [more]

Al Shaer Wins Big Contract to Expand Saudi Airport [Nov 22]
"Saudi Arabia has awarded Al Shaer Engineering a five-year contract worth 256 million Saudi riyals to expand the King Abdul Aziz Airport. The project seeks to raise the airport's capacity to 30 million passengers a year in the first phase. Al Shaer will also construct facilities to allow big jets such as the A380 superjumbo to land and dock at the airport. The latest contract is part of a 112 billion riyal overhaul of the airport, which includes doubling the capacity of the Haj terminal from 4.5 million to 9.2 million passengers by 2025.." [more]

Bush Phones Saudi King Ahead of Mideast Meet [Nov 21]
"US President George W. Bush telephoned Saudi King Abdullah to discuss the Middle East on Tuesday, the state SPA news agency reported, as Washington began issuing invitations for a key peace conference. The two leaders discussed relations between the close allies, as well as 'regional and international developments, chiefly events in the Middle East,'.. ..Despite its close ties with Washington, oil-rich Saudi Arabia has declined to confirm its attendance at the meeting unless the core issues of the Middle East conflict are addressed. Arab foreign ministers are due to meet in Cairo on Thursday to decide on their participation at the US-sponsored conference.." [more]

Saudi Crown Prince to Discuss Iran's Nuclear Program in Visit to Russia [Nov 21]
"Saudi Crown Prince Sultan began an official visit to Russia Wednesday to discuss regional issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Middle East issues, including Iran's nuclear program. The royal court, in a statement, said the three-day visit, by invitation from President Putin, was as part of the kingdom's policy 'to maintain contacts with world leaders in the interest of the people of Saudi Arabia and the Arab and Islamic nations issues.' Aside from issues related to Iraq, Lebanon and the Middle East peace process, Saudi diplomatic sources said Prince Sultan will discuss the six Gulf Arab nations offer to Tehran to set up a consortium to provide Iran with enriched uranium to help resolve its conflict with the West over its nuclear program.." [more]

Musharraf Lands in Saudi Arabia [Nov 21]
"In his first trip out of the country since declaring emergency rule, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss the future of one of his main political rivals, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who lives in exile there. Saudi Arabia, one of Pakistan's closest allies, has indicated Sharif should be allowed to return to his homeland to take part in parliamentary elections, Pakistani officials and Western diplomats said.. ..Musharraf would be trying to dissuade the Saudis from releasing Sharif. "'rom the Saudi point of view, Benazir Bhutto is here, but Sharif is not allowed," Iqbal said. "By having him in Saudi Arabia, they become involved in party politics here, and they don't like that'.." [more]

Saudi Rape Victim Crushed by Ordeal [Nov 21]
"The husband of a Saudi rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison said his wife is "a crushed human being," and blamed one judge with a personal vendetta -- and not the Saudi judicial system -- for treating her as a criminal.. ..The case, which has sparked media scrutiny of the Saudi legal system, has drawn a strong reaction from Washington where State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said U.S. officials had "expressed astonishment" at the sentence, though not directly to Saudi officials. Human Rights Watch said it has called on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah 'to
immediately void the verdict and drop all charges against the rape victim and to order the court to end its harassment of her lawyer.'.." [more]

Qatif Case Verdicts Get Ministry’s Backing [Nov 21]
"The Ministry of Justice made its first public statement regarding the second verdict in the so-called “Qatif Girl” rape trial, justifying the decision to punish the victims with lashes and jail time on the basis of 'some proved charges.' The statement, which was released through the official Saudi Press Agency, said the ministry 'welcomes objective criticism that benefits the general good, away from emotional responses.'.. ..The decision to increase the punishments came after the woman’s lawyer, Abdul Rahman Al-Lahem, requested that the courts review the sentences issued to the rapists.." [more]

Shoura Calls for Quick Steps to Contain Bird Flu [Nov 21]
"The Shoura Council has urged the health and agriculture ministries to take quick measures to eradicate bird flu in the Kingdom and keep the public updated about the deadly virus. During a meeting in Riyadh, many Shoura members called upon the ministers of health and agriculture to explain to the public the reason for the bird flu outbreak in the Riyadh region.. ..Officials said this week 220,000 birds have been culled so far, as teams combed other areas near the capital, which has a population of around four million. Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani said it has large stocks of Tamiflu anti-flu tablets in case the virus spreads to humans.." [more]

Jeddah Motor Show Set [Nov 21]
"The Saudi International Motor Show (SIMS), Saudi Arabia’s 29th international event for motor vehicles, motorcycles, auto parts, accessories and garage equipment, is set at the Jeddah International Exhibition & Convention Center from Nov. 25-30.. ..Driven by the volume of new car sales — over 270,000 vehicles are imported annually — and its preowned car sector continuing to grow, the Kingdom is the largest market in the Middle East for auto parts, accessories, service and garage equipment.." [more]

Indian Trade Team Clinches Huge Deals in Saudi Arabia [Nov 21]
" A group of 40 Indian industry managers, currently visiting Saudi Arabia with the support of the Indo-Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IACCI), has signed multimillion-riyal trade, technology and investment deals, said Sushil Jiwarajka, IACCI chief, in a business conference on Monday night. The occasion also saw the launching of India Business Forum (IBF), an organization set up by the local Indian business leaders under the umbrella of the Indian embassy.. ..Established in 1980, IACCI has a mandate to provide a dynamic link for the promotion of commercial relations between India and Saudi Arabia on the one hand and between India and the Arab world on the other.." [more]

Cisco Plans to Invest $268 Million in Saudi Arabia [Nov 21]
"Cisco plans to invest $268 million in Saudi Arabia over the next five years and has set up an initiative to develop and recruit local network consulting engineers (NCE). In information made available to Khaleej Times here, the company said Jordan would act as a hub and cater to trainees across the Gulf Cooperation Council states the Levant and North Africa. It explained that the initiative to develop NCEs is part of a bid in emerging countries to employ and train 96 recruits in fiscal year 2008 and 200 by fiscal year 2009 at the professional and associate levels. Selected students will be put through a rigorous programme that combines theory, industry exposure and hands-on experience at regional Cisco technology academies.." [more]

US Saudi Arms Package Faces Fight in Congress [Nov 20]
"Lawmakers are striking a note of alarm over reported US plans to sell sophisticated satellite guided bombs to Saudi Arabia, as part of a 20 billion dollar arms sale. A coalition of 188 members of the House of Representatives warned that if the technology fell into the "wrong hands" it could harm US forces in the Middle East and threaten Israel. 'Any sale of JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) technology to Saudi Arabia must come with guarantees backed by strict conditions notified to Congress followed by regular reporting,' the lawmakers said in a letter to President George W. Bush. They also called for tight congressional oversight of the sale, and intense US consultations with key US ally Israel.. ..Saudi Arabia remains in a formal state of war with Israel -- the preeminent democracy in the Middle East," the members of congress wrote in the letter. 'Additionally, Saudi groups continue to export Wahabi extremist ideology throughout the world -- an anti-American ideology we face on battlefields of the Global War on Terror.'.." [more]

Saudis To Sign Russia Arms Deal [Nov 20]
"Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is to travel to Russia tomorrow for talks that could pave the way for Riyadh to buy Russian weapons for the first time, a Russian diplomat said yesterday. Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, who is also defence minister, was invited to Moscow by President Vladimir Putin after the Russian leader visited Saudi Arabia in February, the diplomat said. The diplomat, who declined to be named, said he expected a 'framework agreement for military co-operation,' which would allow Russian weapons to be sold to Saudi Arabia, to be signed during Prince Sultan’s three-day visit. An official Saudi source confirmed the prince’s upcoming trip. Riyadh, a close US ally in the Middle East, has traditionally used Western defence systems, but is seeking to diversify its sources of weaponry.." [more]

Aramco Gas Pipeline Fire Toll Rises to 41 [Nov 20]
"The death toll in the Saudi Aramco gas pipeline fire rose to 41 after four new bodies were found on Tuesday. The death toll is expected to reach 48, according to informed sources. The giant state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, said in statement on Sunday that the fire erupted on a gas pipeline 30km from Al Hawiya gas plant in the eastern province of the Kingdom during routine maintenance carried out by one of its contractors. The bodies of victims were charred beyond recognition. Authorities have moved 37 bodies to Safwa hospital in Dammam, in the eastern part of the Kingdom, for DNA tests to identify the victims.." [more]

Enhanced Strategic Partnership With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [Nov 20]
"Under the auspices of the Royal Court, the United Nations World Food Programme has been discussing this week with the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ways to further strengthen their humanitarian partnership to help feed the hungry poor around the world.. ..The World Food Programme is a leading United Nations Agency in humanitarian action.. ..'A strategic partnership between the two in the area of humanitarian assistance is a natural alliance which would benefit millions of the world's most vulnerable and needy people', said WFP Deputy Executive Director John M. Powell who is leading the delegation's official visit to the Kingdom.. ..Since 2006, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed over US$40 million in support of WFP's humanitarian efforts worldwide.." [more]

Saudi Authorities Trying to Arrange Meeting Between Musharraf and Former Prime Minister [Nov 20]
"Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has left for a visit to Saudi Arabia. Officials there tell The Associated Press that authorities are trying to arrange a visit between Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif -- the prime minister he toppled in 1999. Sharif was sent back to Saudi Arabia last month when he tried to return home from exile, even though the Supreme Court ruled he could not be kept out. There is no immediate indication Musharraf intends to visit Sharif, who told a Pakistani newspaper that no meeting was planned. Musharraf frequently visits Saudi Arabia, which is a close ally.." [more]

Singapore Strengthening its Business Ties With Saudi Arabia [Nov 20]
"A business delegation from Saudi Arabia is in Singapore to drum up investments in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is seeking to build its non-oil sectors, such as infrastructure, mining, water desalination, power generation and high technology projects. Speaking at the second Saudi-Singapore Business Council forum on Tuesday, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan said there are many opportunities in Saudi Arabia that Singapore can tap upon. He noted that there were various new initiatives by the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA).. ..Last year, trade between Singapore and Saudi Arabia rose by 2.2 per cent to S$15.9 billion.." [more]

Malta, Saudi Arabia to Collaborate on Diplomatic Studies [Nov 20]
" Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation has been signed between the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies of the University of Malta and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Ministry said the aims of the MoU are to establish and strengthen cooperation in the areas of information, research activities and training programmes and exchange documents, studies and expertise between the two parties.. ..Both parties also agreed to exchange invitations to specialists to attend workshops, symposia and conferences, expertise in areas related to library organisation, education and administration of educational institutions, exchange lecturers and students with the aim to upgrade their professional qualifications and promote meeting and discussions on issues of mutual interest with the participation of ministers, officials, diplomats, students and faculty members.." [more]

KSA Heads Relief Efforts for Dhaka [Nov 20]
"Saudi Arabia led relief efforts for Bangladesh's cyclone victims on Monday, pledging $100 million in aid as US ships powered to the disaster zone with dozens of helicopters for evacuations. King Abdullah also ordered the dispatch of food, medical and other relief assistance to the victims in the disaster-prone South Asian Muslim nation, according to a statement from the royal court. The Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference has called on governments and civil bodies in its 57 member states to send urgent assistance to impoverished Bangladesh, battered by a colossal storm Thursday night that swept entire villages away. Soldiers and relief workers were racing to get aid to millions left homeless by the cyclone, as officials said the death toll had topped 3,100 and was certain to keep rising. According to the Red Cross, the final toll could be anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000.." [more]

Bird Flu Arrives in the Heart of Riyadh [Nov 20]
"A poultry market in the Aziziyah district of Riyadh was cordoned off after inspectors identified four cases of bird flu there yesterday during a random inspection. An emergency team, assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture to control the deadly virus, cordoned the market off. The team comprises officials from the police, the municipality, the ministries of health and agriculture and the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWD). 'There are 85 poultry shops in this market and each will have a minimum of 1,000 birds. The team plans to cull the birds and disinfect the whole area to stop the virus from spreading,.. .. the authorities have so far culled 222,000 birds in Al-Kharj, Durma, Muzamiyah and Al-Hayati.." [more]

Pakistan's Musharraf to Visit Riyadh on Tuesday [Nov 19]
"Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is to visit Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and meet with Saudi King Abdullah.. ..Musharraf and Abdullah would discuss bilateral relations and means of boosting ties between their nations in 'several domains, as well as regional and international issues of common interest,'.. ..The agency said Musharraf will also visit the holy city of Mecca for a minor Hajj pilgrimage. It did not give further details. Musharraf frequently visits Saudi Arabia for talks with the kingdom's ruler. Both nations are U.S. allies. Riyadh said Musharraf will brief Abdullah on the latest situation in Pakistan.." [more]

Iran Considers Saudi Plan to End Nuclear Impasse [Nov 19]
"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has for the first time signalled that Iran may be interested in a facesaving way out of the international crisis triggered by its suspected nuclear weapons programme. The President said in Riyadh yesterday that he would discuss Saudi proposals for a consortium for uranium enrichment in a neutral third country such as Switzerland, which represents US interests in Tehran. The Iranian leadership had rejected similar Russian proposals. Mr Ahmadinejad did not reject the Saudi plan out of hand, telling Dow Jones newswires: 'We will be talking with our [Arab] friends about the scheme endorsed by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. He did not comment further.." [more]

Oil Prices Hold Onto Earlier Gains on News of Fire at Saudi Plant [Nov 19]
"Oil prices held onto earlier gains, underpinned by news of a fire at one of Saudi Aramco's facilities this weekend, and by calls from some OPEC members for oil to be denominated in a basket of currencies other than the dollar. Chief OPEC hawks Iran and Venezuela said at this weekend's OPEC summit in Riyadh that cartel members need to consider pricing oil in other currencies in order to safeguard their oil revenues. Although dollar weakness was not mentioned directly in the summit's final communique, the cartel has reportedly agreed to form a committee to study the issue.." [more]

Kingdom Explores Investment Prospects in Asian Oil Refineries [Nov 19]
"Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi said here yesterday that the Kingdom was scouting for investment opportunities in oil refineries in Asia within the framework of the Riyadh Declaration to maintain oil supplies.. ..The Kingdom was planning to double its own oil refining capacity from the current level of 3.2 mbpd to six million barrels per day (bpd) within the next five years, 'but we would also be interested in investing abroad. Already, we have set up or are establishing joint ventures in refineries in various Asian countries like China, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.' Though he did not mention India by name when he spoke about their interest in expanding these areas of cooperation, both countries are considering a proposal to set up an oil refinery in India as part of a joint initiative to boost their bilateral relations in the energy sector.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Gives 100 mln usd to Cyclone-hit Bangladesh [Nov 19]
"Oil-rich Saudi Arabia said it is giving Bangladesh 100 mln usd in emergency aid to help victims of a devastating cyclone which left thousands dead. King Abdullah also ordered the dispatch of food, medical and other relief assistance to the victims, according to a statement from the royal court. Soldiers and relief workers were racing to get aid to millions left homeless by the cyclone in Bangladesh, where officials said the death toll had topped 3,100 and was certain to keep rising.. ..The Jeddah-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference has called on governments and civil bodies in its 57 member states to send urgent assistance to Bangladesh.." [more]

Profits of Saudi Listed Firms Jump to SR23.26 Billion [Nov 19]
"The profits of the Saudi listed companies jumped to SR23.26 billion in the third quarter as compared to SR20.77 billion in the same period last year. The rise is skewed by the figures of Kingdom Holding Co., whose profits were not included in last year’s figures. For the nine months, the total profit increased by 8 percent to SR64.06 billion as compared to SR59.50 billion in the first nine months of 2006. That is an improvement over the first and second quarter of the year and is an indication of a recovery in the corporate performance, according to a Quarterly Corporate Update 3 by Al-Rajhi Financial Services Co.." [more]

Rape Victim’s Lawyer Refuses to Give In [Nov 19]
"The lawyer representing a Saudi rape victim in Qatif has criticized the second ruling issued by the Kingdom’s Higher Court of Justice doubling the woman’s punishment to 200 lashes and six months in jail, saying that the ruling 'sums up the major problems that the Saudi judiciary faces.'.. ..'Basic Islamic law states that an appeal shall not harm the person appealing,' said Al-Lahem, adding that lodging an appeal is the right of anyone accused of a crime and something crucial for a just trial. 'Once this rule is ignored, then people who appeal verdicts are only left terrorized. From now on people will be apprehensive to appeal fearing they might be punished or have their sentences doubled. That’s exactly what’s happened to the rape victim, who only wanted justice,' he said.." [more]

Gulf States Ban Saudi Poultry [Nov 19]
"A recent decision by several Gulf countries to ban the import of poultry products from Saudi Arabia may cause huge losses to Saudi farmers and exporters, said Riza Al-Naghmoush, a poultry farmer in the Eastern Province. Kuwait and United Arab Emirates said they have imposed the ban following bird flu reports in the Kingdom. According to a source at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manama is expected to follow suit.. ..Saudi Arabia annually exports 10,000 tons of poultry products to the UAE and Yemen. Meanwhile, Sultan Al-Fohaid, director of customs at the Al-Khafji border, said on Saturday that his office had not registered any trucks carrying Saudi poultry being refused entry into Kuwait.." [more]

OPEC Pledges to Harness Clean Oil [Nov 19]
"The 13 leaders of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) unanimously declared here yesterday that they would continue to support the importance of technology to enable the use of 'clean oil', notably carbon capture and storage, to help fight global warming. 'We insist on the importance of clean technologies for the protection of the world’s environment and insist on the importance of developing technologies that can help combat the problem of global warming, such as carbon sequestration,' a statement from the Riyadh final communiqué read by OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Badri. Al-Badri said that OPEC countries would continue to work with other governments, international organizations and business communities on investments in the field.." [more]

Saudi Gas Pipeline Fire Kills 28 [Nov 18]
"An explosion and fire killed 28 people working on a natural gas pipeline in eastern Saudi Arabia, the Saudi national oil company said Sunday. It said the cause of the fire was an accident during maintenance work and it did not expect a disruption in gas supplies. 'The fire broke out while contract workers were linking a new pipe' to the pipeline late Saturday, Aramco said. 'The company is taking all necessary measures to guarantee the continuation of the normal gas output.' It said 28 workers, including five Aramco employees, had died in the fire, which was put out early Sunday.." [more]

Iran Nuclear Compromise Not Discussed in Riyadh: Saudi [Nov 18]
" Iran has not discussed a Saudi-backed plan proposed by Arab states in the Gulf to create an international consortium to enrich uranium in a neutral country outside the Middle East, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said Sunday. 'They haven't discussed it. As a matter of fact, they refused it,' Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told AFP. The plan was proposed by Iran's Arab neighbours in the Gulf at the beginning of November, but was swiftly turned down by Tehran. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in Riyadh for a two-day summit of leaders.." [more]

Saudis Start Deploying Special Security Force [Nov 18]
"The first trained members of a security force dedicated to the protection of Saudi oil installations have started deploying, as the government pursues its counter-terrorism campaign despite a marked improvement in security.. ..According to General Mansour Al Turki, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, 9,000 members of the force are now either deployed or trained and another 8,000 will be added every year, to reach full strength. The new force is now working with other existing forces, including the military and the national guard, but will gradually replace these as its numbers increase.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Mulls Revaluation [Nov 18]
"Saudi Arabia could consider revaluing the riyal with other Gulf oil producers, but has no plans to drop its peg to the sliding dollar to track a currency basket, a source familiar with Saudi currency policy said. Any revaluation by the world's biggest oil exporter would be 'very small' and designed to keep plans for Gulf monetary union alive, the source said, communicating the Saudi response to growing market expectations of a Gulf exchange-rate shift. 'Saudi Arabia will definitely not shift to a basket of currencies,' the source said.." [more]

Saudi Arabian Economy Will Probably Grow 5% in '07 [Nov 18]
"During the Regional Economic Forum for the Middle East and North Africa that took place in Saudi Arabia recently, a Saudi economist stated that the Kingdom's economy is forecast to grow by 5 percent, with the private sector projected to grow by about 8 percent in 2007, Arab News reported. The economist attributed the high inflation rate in the Kingdom, which reached 4.4 percent at the end of August of this year.. ..He also said that unemployment rate which stood at 8 percent in 2000
increased to 12 percent in 2006.." [more]

The Global Competitiveness Forum 2008 to Convene in Riyadh [Nov 18]
"Riyadh is set to grasp the global business realm's attention when hosting the Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) 2008, a premier conference in the international business calendar, between 20 and 22 January 2008.. ..Themed 'Competitiveness as an Engine for Economic Growth' the two-day forum will bring together some 50 international businesses, corporate and political leaders who will debate and address a range of issues challenging the global and local economic landscape.. ..Mr. Amr Al Dabbagh, Governor of SAGIA said that the GCF play host to a wide array of leading speakers from the worlds of commerce, politics and academia who will address some of the primary international issues to help set reform priorities in the wake of recent world events.." [more]

Saudi Bourse in Biggest One-Day Decline in Two Weeks [Nov 18]
"Saudi Arabia's bourse, which has risen almost 20% since hitting a two-month low on Oct. 7, recorded its biggest one-day decline in more than two weeks yesterday as investors sold stocks that have rallied this month. The benchmark of the Arab world's largest stock market fell 0.57% to 9,212.32 points, its sharpest single day drop since Oct. 30. Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world's biggest chemicals firm by market value, slipped 2.08% after gaining more than 13% this month to its closing price last week.." [more]

Petromin Sold to Dabbagh-Hinduja Alliance for $200m [Nov 18]
"The Dabbagh Group of Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Hinduja, a major Indian conglomerate, bought Petromin — a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Mobil Investments — for $200 million (SR750 million), a senior official of Petromin told Arab News on Friday. The Petromin takeover by Dabbagh Group and Gulf Oil International, a subsidiary of Hinduja, represents a significant trend in the oil sector that not only underlines growing investment in the Saudi downstream oil industry but also inflow of capital from India into the Kingdom’s energy sector. Petromin, the largest manufacturer of lubricants in the Kingdom, exports to over 20 countries. Prior to the takeover, it was a joint venture between Saudi Aramco (71 percent) and Mobil Investments (29 percent).." [more]

Business Talks With West [Nov 18]
"Some six American companies specializing in the commercial and industrial fields have met with Saudi businessmen and women at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) recently. The American delegation, headed by the Director of the International Trade Office for the Development of Economic Relations in Virginia Mark Meyerk, aimed to open investment and joint venture opportunities with the Saudi owners and entrepreneurs.. ..'The Saudi businessmen and representatives of the American companies underscored the need to support trade and economic relations between the two countries, pointing out that the economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US are growing rapidly in the light of the availability of direct and rapid transportation,'.." [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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