Saudi-US Relations Information Service

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Bush Urged to Free Saudis Held at Gitmo [Jan 12]
"Saudi Arabia’s National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has called for US President George W. Bush’s intervention for the release of remaining Saudi detainees in Guantanamo and Saudi student Humaidan Al-Turki. The call comes on the occasion of the US president’s landmark visit to Saudi Arabia. In a letter submitted to the US Embassy in Riyadh, the NSHR said the release would contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries. 'The issues of Guantanamo and Humaidan Al-Turki have left a negative impression on the American administration and had a negative impact on the six-decade-long relations between peoples of the two friendly countries,'.." [more]

Saudi Releases Activist Ahead of Bush Visit [Jan 12]
"Saudi Arabia has released a reform activist just days before a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush. Mohammed al-Bijadi was detained by state security police in the northern town of Buraida on Wednesday, the latest of a series of measures against government critics in the absolute monarchy dominated by the Saudi royal family.. ..Bush arrives in Riyadh on Monday as part of a Middle East tour. Washington rarely makes public criticism of Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter which relies on U.S. military support in the Gulf, over its political and human rights record. But Bush spoke out against a Saudi court verdict condemning a gang rape victim to 200 lashes in a case that provoked international outcry in November.." [more]

Mideast Stock Markets to Get Additional Momentum [Jan 12]
"Middle East stock markets kept their upward trend last week and financial analysts said yesterday they expected regional bourses to receive an additional momentum from US President George W. Bush’s current tour of the region. 'I believe Arab stock markets stand to gain from Bush’s trip, particularly if it succeeds to bring about a breakthrough in the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict,'.. ..The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) climbed 6.9 percent last week, closing at 11,643.18 points from 10,892.64 points previous week. 'Positive economic indicators fueled by soaring oil prices are at the heart of the surge in investors’ confidence,' the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) said in its weekly report.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Should Revalue its Currency [Jan 12]
"Saudi Arabia should revalue its currency because imported inflation owing to riyal's peg to the weakening dollar is hurting the Saudi middle-class, an economist said. Saeed Al Shaikh, chief economist at National Commercial Bank, said a currency revaluation should be on top of the agenda to contain inflation in the country. He said 'the time has come for us to reconsider the continued pegging' of the Saudi riyal with the US dollar and called for a gradual ending of the peg. 'The impact of inflation has expanded to include the middle class,'.." [more]

Citi May Get Cash From Saudi Prince [Jan 12]
"Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Citigroup shareholder that came to the bank's rescue during the credit crisis of the early 1990s, might do so again now, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The billionaire from Saudi Arabia, along with China Development Bank, is expected to invest about $2 billion in Citigroup Inc., one person said, according to the Journal. The Journal also said, however, there is a chance the deal could fall apart. The cash-strapped Citigroup, hurt by the mortgage crisis that boiled up last year, has already gotten $7.5 billion from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. On Nov. 26, the ADIA bought a 4.9 percent stake in Citi, becoming its largest shareholder. Alwaleed may take back that title if he makes another investment in Citi, though the report said his total stake is likely to remain below 5 percent to avoid regulatory scrutiny.." [more]

America's Freedom Agenda is Still Valid [Jan 12]
".. highlights the need for continued emphasis on human rights and promotion of democracy. Indeed, growing cynicism in this regard is a dangerous trend, because this is the one issue that still appeals to the people of the Middle East and can help immensely in the Western powers' battle to win hearts and minds in our region. Washington's 'freedom agenda' is not the cause of its current travails in the Middle East. The problem has been a lack of consistency in promoting the agenda, failure to develop broader international support, and the behavior of the US itself, which has presented it as a martial plan, rather than a Marshall Plan. Whatever the cause of these shortcomings, the lesson that US and European policymakers should draw is that the objective -- facilitating democratization and modernization -- remains valid, despite the need for a change in tactics. Abandoning the freedom agenda would reaffirm the still-popular notion that all the US really cares about in the Middle East is oil and Israeli security, at the expense of everything else including regional development and the well-being of Arab and Muslim peoples.." [more]

Saudi-German Trade Stronger [Jan 11]
"The volume of Saudi-German investment in the Kingdom is estimated at at SR4.1 billion in 115 projects, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) said. 'This shows the success of the Kingdom's steps to attract foreign investments with a target of SR620 billion over the next few years,' Saleh Turki, chairman of JCCI, said following a meeting with Consul General of Germany Dr. Michael Zickerick at the chamber headquarters here yesterday. The mutual trade between the two countries rose by 15 percent in 2006.." [more]

Saudis Boycott Products to Fight Price Rise [Jan 11]
"A boycott campaign has popped up. This time it’s not targeting American or Danish products for political or religious motives, but rather to face the current rising prices of basic products. Since the beginning of 2007, there has been an unprecedented hike in food prices in the Kingdom. Inflation was 2.5 percent last year. Economists predict 4.1 percent in 2008. A group of activists have called to boycott consumer goods whose prices have risen sharply. An SMS has been distributed recently calling for a boycott of milk products, for example, whose prices have noticeably increased.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Covered With Snow in Coldest Winter for 20 Years [Jan 11]
"Northern parts of Saudi Arabia are covered with snow with schools, mosques and administrative bodies paralyzed, local media reported Friday. The oil-rich kingdom is being hit with subzero temperatures and snow storms with freezing winds of up to 50 km/h (30mp/h). Some regions have been experiencing problems with water supplies as pipes have frozen, and livestock has died from the cold. The Saudi Gazette reported late in December that the winter was expected to last 89 days, with temperatures reaching below zero. National media said the winter is the coldest in the country for 20 years.." [more]

Saudis Search for Inflation Scapegoat [Jan 11]
"George W. Bush is widely blamed in the Arab world for creating political crises. But in the Gulf the US president is at risk of also taking the heat for the spike in inflation as ordinary people focus their grievances on the impact of a weak dollar.. ..Although Middle Eastern governments like to blame domestic troubles on outside factors, Riyadh is seeking to deflect perceptions that the dollar is behind inflationary pressures.. ..'If the Saudis allow this issue to be externalised then they would have to bow to pressure for devaluation or de-pegging,' says one analyst who asked not to be named. 'But the peg is a political issue and the authorities are not willing to do it when the dollar is at its weakest. It could drive it further down and it wouldn't be well received in the US.'.." [more]

Jeddah Hosting Knowledge-Based Economy Forum [Jan 11]
"More than 700 experts on knowledge-based economy from 60 countries will participate in the first annual conference organized by the Arabian Knowledge Economy Association (AKEA), in association with Al-Aghar Group think tank and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The two-day forum under the theme 'Towards a Knowledge Economy' will start tomorrow.. ..The conference is the sign of the increasing awareness of the role the knowledge economy could play in the Saudi and Arab economies, he added. The founding of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Rabigh is a major step taken by the Kingdom toward a knowledge-based economy.." [more]

BMG Saudi Index Bounces Back, Turnover Jumps by 59.3 Percent [Jan 11]
"The BMG Saudi Index reversed its performance, ending the week with an upward trend of 9.7 percent, closing on Wednesday at 656.7 points. The total weekly turnover experienced a very strong jump, up by 59.3 percent to register SR28 billion ($7.5 billion) over the week’s trading, versus the previous week’s SR17.6 billion ($4.7 billion). The average P/E ratio for 2006 earnings was 31.7 times, whereas the price to book ratio was 6.53 times. Most of the sectors in the index gained.. ..The best performer was Saudi Kayan Petrochemicals which registered the highest positive percentage change over the week at 11.9 percent with a value of SR10.04 billion traded on 363.5 million shares, to finally close at SR28.25 per share. SABIC was the third best performer among the BMG Saudi Index stocks.." [more]

Bush Sees Middle East Peace Treaty Within Year [Jan 10]
"US President George W. Bush told Palestinians on Thursday that he believed a peace treaty between Palestinians and Israelis would be signed before he leaves office in 2009. 'I believe.. .. there will be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office.' Bush said on his first visit to Ramallah, adding, 'I am confident that with proper help the state of Palestine will emerge.' Bush said he is ready to provide political and economic backing but that Palestinian and Israeli leaders must 'come together to make hard choices'.." [more]

Saudi King, Bush to Discuss Case of Arrested Student [Jan 10]
"The case of a Saudi student jailed in the US since 2004 will be among the issues to be discussed between the Saudi King, the Crown Prince and US President George W. Bush during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week. 'The custodian of the two Holy Mosques [King Abdullah] and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz will discuss a number of issues that concern Saudi Arabia, including the Middle East peace process, bilateral relations and the case of Saudi student Homaidan Al Turki, who is under arrest in the US,' Prince Bander Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, the secretary general of the Saudi National Security Council, said.." [more]

Saudi FM Urges Restraint by US and Iran [Jan 10]
"Saudi Arabia's foreign minister urged the United States and Iran on Wednesday to show restraint after this weekend's naval confrontation in the Persian Gulf and warned of the grave consequences of such incidents. Prince Saud al-Faisal's remarks at a news conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier came after the Pentagon reported that several Iranian boats had approached U.S. warships in the gulf Sunday. 'We are in continuous dangers from any escalation and self restraint is imperative from all the players in the region,' Saud told reporters. The confrontation, which ended without any shots fired.. ..Saud said that 'such incidents might have very dangerous consequences for the world economy and oil prices'.." [more]

Saudi Not Set to Sell More for Feb Despite $100 Oil [Jan 10]
"Saudi Arabia is unlikely to offer extra crude for February to Asian buyers, even after oil hit $100 last week, as most refiners have little need and ability to process additional heavy sour crude, refining sources said. The kingdom raised term exports to Asia by a tenth for November to full contracted volumes after it convinced other OPEC members to boost daily output by 500,000 barrels from Nov.1, in response to a jump in prices past $80 a barrel for the first time in September.OPEC's largest exporter has kept supplying at full volumes since November and could offer more in an attempt to cool down prices after U.S. crude surged above $100 and held above $90 as the country has the largest spare output capacity. But refiners said they did not need much more Arab Light, Medium and Heavy grades that Saudi Aramco could offer because they can get higher-quality grades from alternative sources such as West Africa, albeit at higher prices.." [more]

Critics of Saudi Academy Say Textbooks Promote Intolerance [Jan 10]
"Some textbooks used by an Islamic school in Fairfax County contain language intolerant of Jews and other groups as well as passages that could be construed as advocating violence, according to two reviews of the materials.. ..Commission member Nina Shea said the panel is concerned that Saudi Arabia is using its educational system, and connections to schools worldwide, to export intolerant and militant religious teachings. The school's board of directors is headed by the Saudi ambassador, and Shea has called the school an extension of the Saudi Embassy.. ..Parents of academy students said that they do not think their children are learning intolerance and that many religious schools sometimes teach material intolerant of nonbelievers. Constitutional lawyers say there is no legal restraint against teaching intolerance in nongovernmental schools.." [more]

Mass. College of Pharmacy Wins Saudi Grant [Jan 10]
"Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) has landed $450,000 from a Middle Eastern university, according to the school. MCPHS received the grant from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia to help KSU's College of Pharmacy develop a clinical practice faculty, implement a doctor of pharmacy curriculum, create post-graduate residency and fellowship programs, and conduct research. MCPHS president Charles F. Monahan and KSU rector Abdullah A. Al-Othman signed the agreement this week at a ceremony at the university in Riyadh.." [more]

U.S. Levies Sanctions on Arab Channel [Jan 10]
"The Bush administration Wednesday imposed financial sanctions on a satellite television operation in Syria that has outraged U.S. officials with broadcasts of attacks on Americans troops and calls to violence. The administration also imposed sanctions on the Iraqi businessman who owns the station, along with a top general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard and two men accused of directing terrorist attacks.. ..The station became an irritant to U.S.-Saudi relations because the Saudi-controlled Arabsat satellite operator was carrying its signal, despite entreaties from American officials. Saudi officials believed it represented a point of view that they had to tolerate, U.S. officials said.." [more]

Saudi Detains Activist Ahead of Bush Visit [Jan 10]
"Saudi Arabia has detained another reform activist, a colleague said on Thursday, in the latest of a series of measures against government critics ahead of a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush. Mohammed al-Bijadi was detained by state security police in the northern town of Buraida on Wednesday, Matruk al-Faleh told Reuters. Bijadi was previously held for three months over his role in two protests by women over the indefinite detention of their husbands, Faleh said. Critics say the authorities have exploited their battle with militants to crackdown on democracy campaigners, who face a revolving door of arrest, release and re-arrest.." [more]

Japan’s JGC to Expand in Kingdom [Jan 10]
"Japan’s biggest engineering firm, JGC Corp., has announced plans to accelerate expansion in the Middle East, setting up a unit in Saudi Arabia this spring to oversee petroleum, natural gas and other petrochemical projects in the region. 'Our purpose of establishing this new company is to contribute to further economic growth of the Kingdom and to strengthen the relationship between the Kingdom and Japan,' Masahiro Aika, managing director of JGC Arabia Ltd., Saudi Arabia, said yesterday. He added that JDG would be the world’s first major engineering company to have the capacity to handle all phases of plant construction in Saudi Arabia.. ..'By setting up a local unit, the firm hopes to find more business opportunities, mainly medium-sized projects worth $500 million,'.." [more]

Bush Launches Key Mid-East Tour [Jan 9]
"US President George W Bush has arrived in Israel on a landmark visit to the region to try to advance peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Mr Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. He said he saw a 'new opportunity for peace here in the holy land' as he began his first visit as president.. ..But his visit was not welcomed by Hamas, the militant group cut off by Israel and the West after winning Palestinian elections. 'Bush has come to the region only to give political, moral and material support to the Israeli occupation and also to widen the internal Palestinian rift,' Sami Abu-Zhuri, a senior Hamas official, told the BBC. 'Bush is not welcome because he is one of the most prominent reasons for the suffering of the Palestinian people'.." [more]

Sarkozy Visit to Boost Ties With Kingdom [Jan 9]
"French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to Riyadh next week is expected to highlight the political, economic, strategic and cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom will be the president’s first stop on his Gulf tour, which will also take him to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. According to French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot, Sarkozy will arrive on Sunday afternoon and will hold discussions later in the evening with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. The king will host a dinner in the French president’s honor.." [more]

Nokia Wins Massive Saudi Deal [Jan 9]
"Nokia Siemens Networks has won an order worth $935 million from Kuwait telecom operator Zain. Reuters is reporting that the mobile phone manufacturer is to build second- and third-generation mobile networks in Saudi Arabia. Nokia Siemens said it would be the sole supplier for the core network, but other vendors could bid to deliver radio network technology. The deal also includes a managed services contract for five years.." [more]

OPEC's Ability to Tame $100 Oil Limited [Jan 9]
"OPEC's ability to tame oil prices that hit a record high above $100 a barrel last week is curbed by limited unused production capacity, officials from the exporter group and analysts say. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries says it holds around 3 million barrels per day of production in reserve. Since many members have expressed unease with record prices, that begs the question: why are they not raising output?.. ..While OPEC says it could boost output by an additional 3 million bpd -- enough to flood the 86 million bpd world market -- other analysts say that figure is too high.The U.S. government's Energy Information Administration pegged the group's reserve much lower at 1.6 million bpd in its monthly outlook on Tuesday.." [more]

Premarital AIDS and Hepatitis Tests Become Mandatory [Jan 9]
"Engaged Saudi couples who are about to marry will have to undergo extra premarital medical tests beginning this new Hijra year. AIDS and Hepatitis B and C will join the other mandatory medical tests that are already required in order to continue issuing marriage certificates. 'This is a decision that we have been working on and decided to implement starting this Hijra year 1429,' Dr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general of Labs and Blood Banks at the Ministry of Health, told Arab News. Premarital medical tests were previously done to test genetic compatibility including blood genetic diseases that are spread in Saudi Arabia, such as thalassemia, due to consanguineous marriages that are common in Saudi society.." [more]

Tunisian, American and Iraqi Scholars Honoured [Jan 9]
"Two US Professors, a German, an Iraqi and a Tunisian have been announced as winners of King Faisal International Prize (KFIP) in medicine, science and Arabic literature respectively.. ..This year's KFIP in medicine was shared by Professor Donald Dean Trunkey, from United States and his countryman Professor Basil Arthur Pruitt, for their outstanding work in the field of trauma management.. ..The award honours work done by international bodies, national NGOs and individuals in separate categories.." [more]

Leaders Prepare for Key Bush Tour [Jan 8]
"Israeli and Palestinian leaders are meeting in Jerusalem to try to ease problems in the Mid-East peace process ahead of the US president's key tour. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli PM Ehud Olmert had vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008. But conflict over Israeli settlements and security have soured the process. George W Bush hopes to kick-start it when he arrives on Wednesday for his first visit to the region as president.." [more]

King Asks Govt Agencies to Simplify Procedures [Jan 8]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday instructed all government departments to implement qualitative changes in their performance and simplify procedures.. ..King Abdullah also told policy planners that the priority of the Kingdom’s financial and economic policies was to achieve economic growth. 'The policies should improve the citizens’ standard of living and increase their purchasing power,' he said.. ..The meeting referred to the link between public spending and salaries as well as that between price hikes in Saudi markets and the world economic situation.." [more]

This Day in History, Ibd Saud Names Country Saudi Arabia [Jan 8]
"On this day in 1926 Abdul Aziz ibn Saud became the king of Hejaz, whose name he changed to Saudi Arabia. He was the country’s first king. Ibn Saud was born into the Saud family who turned to wahabism. The Saud family supported the wahabists since the 18th century.." [more]

Saudi to End Self-Sufficiency in Wheat [Jan 8]
"Saudi Arabia plans to end its self-sufficiency in wheat supplies and import all of its 2.5 million tonnes-per-year of needs within eight years in a bid to save water, government officials said. The government will start this year reducing purchases of wheat from local farmers by 12.5 percent per year, officials from the agriculture and finance ministries said on Tuesday. 'The reason is water resources,' said one official, who did not want to be identified. Local farmers will be banned from exporting wheat until 2016.." [more]

Saudi Telecom Gets $450m Term Loan [Jan 8]
"Saudi Arabia's state-controlled Saudi Telecom Co obtained a $450 million loan from the country's Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corp to help finance its purchase of a stake in a Malaysian mobile-phone firm. Saudi Telecom had in June agreed to buy 25 per cent of Malaysia's biggest mobile operator Maxis Communications and 51 per cent of its Indonesian unit for $3 billion, from Binariang GSM Sdn Bhd, Maxis' biggest shareholder. Saudi Telecom will use the 10-year ringgit-denominated term loan to subscribe to half of a $900-million Islamic bond issued by Binariang.." [more]

West Finds Ways Into Saudi Growth Story [Jan 8]
"As foreign interest in the Saudi stock market reaches unprecedented levels, international investment houses are looking to develop products designed to provide western institutional investors with new means of gaining access to the booming Gulf’s largest bourse. The kingdom’s financial services sector has gone through a dramatic transformation in the past couple of years as it has been liberalised and opened up to foreign institutions. But direct investment in the Tadawul All-share index is restricted to Saudi residents and citizens of the other five Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states. Recently, however, licensed investment houses have begun testing products that will go some way to meeting demand from western investors.." [more]

Abbas Rejects Saudi Initiative for Reconciliation With Hamas [Jan 7]
"Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas has rejected a Saudi initiative for talks with the rival Hamas faction, a source in Ramallah revealed on condition of anonymity. Drawn up in coordination with Hamas, the six-point initiative was presented to ‘Abbas by the Saudi monarch, ‘Abdallah Bin ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz, during their talks in Riyadh on Sunday. According to the source, the Damascus-based Hamas leader, Khalid Mash’al, was involved in drafting the initiative when he visited the kingdom early last month. The initiative, which seeks to restore unity between Gaza and the West Bank, calls for rebuilding the security forces, sacking the Faya’d government, forming a new Hamas-led unity cabinet, implementing the Saudi-sponsored Mecca deal, ending media incitement, and honoring the outcome of the 2006 elections. Almost a year ago, the Saudi king mediated a deal between Hamas and Fatah that led to a short-lived unity government that was later fired by ’Abbas after the Islamic group’s takeover of Gaza last June.." [more]

Saudi Crown Prince Hopes Bickering Politicians Would Be Wise [Jan 7]
"Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz has expressed hope that bickering Lebanese politicians would have enough "wisdom" to solve their country's lingering crisis.. ..'We hope for wisdom, understanding and success in appointing a head of state' for Lebanon, he said. His remarks came as Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo agreed on a three-point plan, namely the election of a head of state, forming a government of national unity and the adoption of a new electoral law to solve Lebanon's crisis which worsened after President Emile Lahoud's term expired in November with bickering camps unable to choose a successor.." [more]

U.S. Well-Served by Saudis [Jan 7]
"Of the six Arab nations President Bush is visiting this week, four are monarchies.. ..if the U.S. is to have any Arab friends at all, we cannot spurn the support of monarchies. By far the most powerful royal family is the al-Saud, the rulers of Saudi Arabia.. ..The alternative to Saudi Arabia's royal family today is not some Arabic-speaking version of the Swedish parliament, but a Sunni version of Iran's Shi'ite theocracy. America's 60-year friendship with the Saudi government needs to be nurtured, not censured. Without Saudi Arabia as an ally, the world's oil supplies would be less secure, and peace between Israel and Palestine is improbable.." [more]

Market Determines Oil Prices: Naimi [Jan 7]
"Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi said yesterday that the rise in oil prices to a record high had been determined by market forces. 'The market fixes the price of oil,' Naimi told reporters at an energy conference in Riyadh when asked to comment on oil’s surge to a record above $100 last week. Naimi declined further comment on the price or what the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would decide at its next meeting on Feb. 1 in Vienna. US crude hit a record of $100.09 a barrel on Thursday. High energy costs have caused concern among some members of OPEC about the potential impact on the global economy. But ministers say there is little they can do to tame the price, which is driven by political tension and speculators and not supply and demand fundamentals.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Internet Users Spent Over US$ 3.28 Billion in B2C E-Commerce During 2007 [Jan 7]
"Saudi Arabia's Internet users spent over US$ 3.28 billion in B2C e-commerce during 2007. A new Arab Advisors Group major survey of Internet users in Saudi Arabia reveals substantial adoption of e-commerce in the affluent and booming economy. 48.36% of Internet users in Saudi Arabia reported purchasing products and services online and through their mobile handsets over the past 12 months. Based on the survey findings, the Arab Advisors Group estimates e-commerce users in Saudi Arabia to exceed 3.5 million consumers representing 14.26% of the population.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Offer $25 mln Loan to Assist Education in NW China [Jan 7]
"Saudi Arabia on Monday agreed to provide a loan of 25 million U.S. dollars to assist an education project in Tianshui City, northwest China's Gansu province. The loan was offered by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), a fund chaired by Saudi Arabia's Minister of Finance. A loan contract was signed in Beijing on Monday between the Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Li Yong and the Director-General of the SFD Yousef I. Al-Bassam. According to the contract, the SFD will offer the loan at an annual interest rate of 3 percent with a term of 20 years, including a five-year grace period. The fund will be used to build classrooms, laboratories, libraries, gymnasiums and student apartments for three schools in Tianshui.." [more]

Power Grid to Link Four GCC States [Jan 7]
"Four GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait — will be linked in a power grid this year in the first phase of a major project aimed at connecting the six-member GCC states in an electricity network.. ..Upon completion of Phase I and the reduction of generation capacity, the total cost savings rate of return after four years of operations would be $2.5 billion. The total cost saving rate of return after three years of operations is projected at $3.35 billion. The GCC countries gave the go-ahead for the power grid project in late 2004 after the project was declared technically feasible.." [more]

Bush Lauds Abdullah’s Push for Peace, Reforms [Jan 6]
"US President George W. Bush, who is visiting the Kingdom next week, has expressed his personal appreciation and admiration for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, for his role in supporting the Middle East peace process. 'I personally appreciate the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques because he is a person whom, whenever he speaks, everyone listens,' Bush said in a statement during a meeting at the White House with an Arab press delegation.. ..'King Abdullah is head of a state having a distinguished geographical location in the world. In addition, he is executing praise-worthy reforms.' 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been playing a laudable role in serving the holy sites.' Bush also praised Saudi Arabia's participation in the Annapolis conference.." [more]

Faisal Prize for Abdullah [Jan 6]
"King Abdullah has been named winner of this year’s King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam, Crown Prince Sultan announced yesterday following a meeting of the prize’s jury, chaired by him. So far 35 Saudi and international personalities and organizations have won the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam. Saudi Arabia topped the list with 10 winners. followed by Egypt (four), Kuwait, the UAE, Pakistan and Malaysia (two each). Other winners were from Sudan, Lebanon, India, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, South Africa, Indonesia, Bosnia, France and the former Republic of Tataristan (one each).." [more]

Foreign Affairs Minister to Visit Saudi Arabia [Jan 6]
"Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier will leave this Wednesday for his first visit to the Middle East. Bernier will visit the West Bank and Israel, but his trip will also take him to Saudi Arabia and India. In a release, Bernier says he is taking a clear message to the Middle East that Canada supports efforts that will 'lead to a peaceful and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.' Bernier says that includes the creation of a Palestinian state that exists in peace and security with Israel.." [more]

Motorola Wins $150 Million Contract from Saudi's Number-Two Mobile Operator [Jan 6]
"Etihad Etisalat Co., Saudi Arabia's second mobile operator, has awarded a $150-million contract to Motorola Inc. to help the company expand its GSM network in the kingdom. "The network expansion that was put in place for the northwest and southwest regions last year has already helped Etihad Etisalat to increase its subscriber base capacity," the operator's chief executive Khalid Al Kaf said in a statement. Etihad Etisalat, known as Mobily, competes with Saudi Telecom in the kingdom's mobile sector.." [more]

Family Member Given Access to Detained Blogger [Jan 6]
"Authorities yesterday allowed a family member to meet detained Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan in prison, Arab News has learned. Al-Farhan’s father-in-law met him for one hour inside at Jeddah’s Dahban Prison where the Saudi blogger has been held for the past 27 days. 'His spirits are high,” said one of his blogger friends. “He hasn’t been told of the charges (against him). He said he’s interrogated for 15 minutes every day.' Until yesterday, Al-Farhan’s family had been denied access to the 32-year-old Jeddah-based owner of a small IT business who runs a web journal that discusses Saudi social and political issues.." [more]

Blue-Chip Firms Push Saudi Stocks Up [Jan 6]
"Expectations of strong fourth-quarter results will continue to drive up UAE bourses, market experts said, even as the Saudi Arabian index closed 4.8 per cent higher Saturday. This was the Tadawul All-Share Index’s strongest rise since December 11, according to Reuters data, and it was driven by gains in all blue-chips that are expected to post high earnings for the fourth quarter of 2007. The index closed at 11,416.49 points on the back of a SR15.75 billion (Dh15.7bn) turnover, the highest since December 12. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation closed 4.5 per cent higher and Al Rajhi Bank rose by the maximum 10 per cent.." [more]

Bloggers Protest with Silence Today [Jan 6]
"Bloggers in the Kingdom and around the world will be spending most of Sunday in silence to protest against the arrested Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan. On Sunday bloggers will not write on their blogs, instead they will post a banner demanding release of Al-Farhan. 'The idea to have a day of silence on the global level was made by Esra Shafie, a Bahraini blogger based in Europe,' said Ahmed Al-Omran, a blogger known as Saudi Jeans and a good friend of Farhan. 'We are trying to spread the word to as many people as we can,' said Omran. Omran has also begun an online petition to free Farhan which has more than 424 people sending an email letter to Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Adel Al-Jubair, Saudi Ambassador to the US , Nicholas Burns, US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, and Ford Fraker, US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.." [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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