Saudi-US Relations Information Service

Keeping Track - Recently on SUSRIS

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Saudi's Top Cleric Warns Against Giving Money to al-Qaida Linked Charities [Mar 8]
"Saudi Arabia's top religious authority warned Saudis against giving money to charities and organizations financing 'evil' groups.. ..The warning by Grand Mufti Sheik Abdul-Aziz Abdullah al-Sheikh comes just days after police found an audio message from al-Qaida No.2 Ayman al-Zawahri exhorting his followers to collect money for needy families in Afghanistan and Pakistan.. ..The Interior Ministry found al-Zawahri's message on the memory card of a mobile phone of one of 28 militants whose arrest was announced March 3 for allegedly being tasked with rebuilding al-Qaida's network in Saudi Arabia. In October, the government-appointed mufti asked wealthy people to exercise vigilance on where they donate their money. He also warned young 'religious zealots' against becoming tools in the hands of foreign groups 'which play with their feelings in the name of holy war'.." [more]

Saudi to Fund Gaza Reconstruction [Mar 8]
"Saudi Arabia will pay for the reconstruction of all buildings demolished in Gaza by Israel during last week's deadly incursions in which more than 130 Palestinians were killed. Saudi Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said in comments published on Friday that King Abdullah had ordered the reconstruction as part of the kingdom's support for the Palestinian people and their cause.. ..According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), more than 70 buildings were either completely or partially destroyed by Israeli forces. Saudi Arabia has been among the most vocal critics of Israel's incursions into the Gaza Strip, last week comparing the assault to Nazi war crimes. The bloody assault earned Israel international condemnation and caused moderate Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to temporarily cut contacts with the Israelis.." [more]

Arab Rights Fund to Aid Activists [Mar 8]
"An Arab human rights fund was launched in Beirut on Friday to support rights groups and activists in the region, the independent group announced in a statement.. ..'AHRF boasts an entirely Arab board and staff. It aims to provide financial resources and technical assistance to organisations and individuals active in the promotion of all human rights in the Arab region in line with local and regional needs,' the statement said. The Ford Foundation provided startup funds to AHRF.." [more]

Al-Sebail Defends Censors Despite Ministry Aim For More Openness [Mar 8]
"Censorship will be maintained on all publications displayed at the Riyadh International Book Fair, according to Abdul Aziz Al-Sebail, Deputy Minister for Culture at the Ministry of Culture and Information, who is also supervisor general of the fair.. ..Speaking after Wednesday’s uproar by publishers over unauthorized censors prowling around and confiscating books, Al-Sebail denied that he had promised the publishers that there would be no surveillance at the fair. 'We didn’t say that,' he told Al-Hayat Arabic daily. 'On the contrary, there will be censorship and monitoring till the last day of the fair'.." [more]

Al-Qahtani Named New Envoy to Qatar [Mar 8]
"Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Qatar Ahmed Al-Qahtani takes charge Saturday after serving for about three years as ambassador to Syria. His first official task is to make arrangements for the three-day official visit of HRH Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General which starts Monday.. ..The new envoy said the Crown Prince’s visit was part of constant consultations between the two countries in view of critical developments in the region, especially the escalating Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza. Al-Qahtani said the Crown Prince’s visit to Qatar would help consolidate joint Gulf and Arab work and find effective solutions for thorny Arab issues.." [more]

Annan, Carter to Launch Mideast Peace Mission [Mar 8]
"The council of world leaders launched by former President Nelson Mandela is sending a three-person team to the troubled Middle East. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and former Irish President Mary Robinson, will visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia next month to “help people understand the urgency of peace,” the organization known as The Elders said in a statement yesterday. Launched last year to celebrate Mandela’s 89th birthday, the group of 12 world leaders is dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises.." [more]

Blue Chip Stocks Lead TASI Decline [Mar 8]
"Saudi shares suffered from selling pressure last week with blue chip stocks leading the decline. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) shed 2.9 percent last week, closing at 9,984.58 points down from 10,291.47 points previous week. TASI is currently 10.7 percent lower than the year’s start. The weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) attributed the decline to 'selling pressure for profit taking on the majority of the listed stocks that took place despite the fact that some stock prices had reached attractive levels, particularly those of blue chips.' 'It seems that the market is still impacted by regional factors, including economic and political tension,'.." [more]

Saudi Oil Minister Says Speculation Driving Prices [Mar 7]
"Speculation is driving triple-digit oil making it impossible for any organization to control price movement, Saudi Arabia's oil minister said in remarks published on Friday. 'Speculation in futures market is determining prices,' Ali al-Naimi told 'The duty of oil exporters is to make sure that fundamentals are healthy,' said Naimi. 'If these fundamentals were stable and fulfill market needs, then there is no need to raise or decrease production,'.. ..OPEC ministers said recent record high prices had been driven by factors beyond their control, such as a weak dollar, speculation and political strife, not by a lack of oil. Oil held near $106 a barrel on Friday.." [more]

Against Saudi Odds, a Woman CEO [Mar 7]
"When Nadia Al Dossary's husband fell into a coma, she ignored Saudi Arabia's laws and handled his affairs. Now, she runs his multimillion-dollar scrap metal company.. ..In Saudi Arabia, women aren't allowed to drive -- but they can run banks and investment funds. Granted, these businesswomen are usually handed their positions within a family operation, and they're cut off from the rest of Saudi society. But that's not always the story. Kelly McEvers has a profile of one Saudi woman who's doing things differently.." [more]

KAUST Arranges Research Collaboration [Mar 7]
"King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has announced the signing of two collaborative agreements, one with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and another with King Abdullah City for Science and Technology (KACST). The agreements are the first KAUST concluded in the Kingdom designed to expand its mission of supporting research and academic development for the benefit of Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world.. ..The KAUST- KACST collaboration focuses on technology research.." [more]

Kingdom’s Booming Real Estate Sector to Hit New High in 3 Years [Mar 7]
" The Saudi booming real estate sector will hit new high over the next three years backed by several economic, legislative and financial factors, expect property experts. They estimate the growth rate of fixed capital stock at 45-55 percent between 2005 and 2007 following the sharp increase in the Saudi gross domestic product from SR41.7 billion in 2000 to more than SR60 billion now, according to the latest statistics. This surge in capital inflows comes amid annual real estate transactions worth SR200 billion and investments ratcheting up to more than SR1.2 billion. Several factors are cited to be behind this prosperousness, primarily the rising oil prices that have reached an all-time high of $102 per barrel, an unprecedented price tag that is surely to augment liquidity and consequently provide further stimulus to the expanding housing market.." [more]

France Chosen Guest of Honor at Next Year’s Janadriya Festival [Mar 7]
"France, which was one of the first countries to recognize the young Saudi state that united the Najd and Hijaz regions of Arabia way back in 1927, will be the guest of honor at the 24th National Festival of Heritage and Culture at Janadriya next year.. ..France will be followed by Russia, which will be the guest country in 2010, he said. 'France has been given this honor because Saudi-French relations are longstanding and have progressed well over the last decade,' said a member of the Janadriya organizing committee. 'The growing relationship in all sectors, including culture and tourism, has made France one of the oldest allies of the Kingdom,'.." [more]

Guardianship Issue Must Be Solved [Mar 7]
"Hundreds of women attended the conference entitled 'The Saudi Woman Between Economics and Social Reality,' an event targeting Saudi businesswomen, working women and women seeking to develop a business. The objectives of the conference were to identify and discuss the new rules and regulations issued by the government that are related to Saudi working women and to examine ways for Saudi women to play a role in the economy in light of the social reality.. ..Dr. Fawzia H. Al-Bakr, professor at King Saud University, highlighted some major concerns. 'For me, first of all the guardianship issue must be solved. In practicality, a woman’s husband or father is the owner of all her finances and controls her business. In a family, if the husband dies, the guardianship of the woman passes to another man and then what happens to the woman’s business? It is unbelievable that women still need a guardian’s consent to be educated, open a business or even travel,'.." [more]

Arab Foreign Ministers May Freeze Peace Initiative at Summit [Mar 6]
"Arab foreign ministers threatened to freeze their peace initiative during an Arab summit in Syria this
month, unless Israel acts ``positively'' toward the offer and ends an offensive on the Gaza Strip. The
initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia at the Arab League summit in Beirut in 2002, calls for full Arab
recognition of Israel, in return for Israeli withdrawal from the Arab land occupied in 1967 and establishing
a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza, with east Jerusalem as the capital. The decision comes in response to growing popular pressure in Arab countries, especially those with full diplomatic ties with Israel, to act against the Israeli operations in Gaza. Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace accord with Israel in 1979 and Jordan followed suit in 1994.." [more]

Oil Tanker Rescued Off Saudi's Red Sea Coast [Mar 6]
"Saudi Arabia emergency services rescued a 1 million barrel oil tanker drifting without power in the
waters of the Red Sea off the kingdom's east coast, Arab News said, citing the port's general director. The successful response from King Fahd Industrial Port's emergency team in Yanbu prevented an oil spill on coral reef 200 kilometers (125 miles) off the Saudi coast. ..The Greek-registered vessel was sailing to Jordan's port in Aqaba.." [more]

Saudi Aramco to Take 50% Stake in Sinopec's Qingdao Refinery [Mar 6]
"Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state- owned oil company, will take a 50 percent stake in a 12.5 billion-yuan ($1.8 billion) oil refinery that China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. is building. The refinery at Qingdao in Shandong province will start processing crude oil in early April, Zhou Yuan, the vice chairman of Sinopec, as China Petroleum is known, said in an interview in Beijing today. Sinopec will take the remaining 50 percent stake, according to Zhou. China, the world's second-biggest energy-consuming nation, plans to increase oil-refining capacity 25 percent by 2010. The country's biggest oil refiner started construction of the 10 million metric tons-a-year refinery in June 2005 to bolster its ability to supply fuels and chemicals to the world's fastest- growing major economy. ." [more]

OPEC Faults U.S. As Oil Hits New High [Mar 6]
"OPEC on Wednesday accused the U.S. of economic "mismanagement" it said is pushing oil prices to new record highs, rebuffing calls to boost output and laying the blame at the feet of the Bush administration. Oil prices surged past $104 a barrel for the first time after the OPEC announcement and the release of a U.S. government report showing a surprise drop in crude oil stockpiles. The 13-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said it would maintain current production levels because crude supplies are plentiful and demand is expected to weaken in the second quarter. ." [more]

Group Plotted Against Saudi Oil Installations [Mar 6]
"A senior Saudi official said yesterday that a terror cell uncovered this week was plotting attacks on oil
installations and security forces in Saudi Arabia and receiving instructions from Al Qaeda members
operating from an Arab country. Saudis, three Palestinians and a Yemeni were among the 28 militants
arrested Monday in a security sweep on suspicion of seeking to rebuild the Al Qaeda terrorist network in the kingdom.. ..Cell members received instructions from Al Qaeda leaders believed to be operating from a key Arab country, the sources said without naming the country. They said, however, that it was the same country from where Al Qaeda former military commander, the Egyptian Sayf al-Adl, was believed to have given the green light for deadly attacks on housing complexes in Riyadh in May 2003.." [more]

Kingdom, Turkey Sign Agreement to Boost Cooperation [Mar 6]
"As part of an effort to boost Saudi-Turkish cooperation in the tourism and culture sector, Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertugrul Gunay signed an agreement here yesterday. 'This accord with a mandate to promote tourism relation between Riyadh and Ankara is the continuation of the excellent ties between the two countries,' said Prince Sultan.. ..Speaking on his part, Turkish minister Gunay, who also delivered a speech at Janadariya’s opening ceremony yesterday, said: “The two countries had forged closer relation in all sectors.” He added that a Turkish tourism office was also opened in Riyadh yesterday to promote relations in the tourism sector.." [more]

Women’s Employment Rate World’s Lowest, says Princess [Mar 6]
"Five million Saudi women make up half of the adult population of citizens but only half a million of them
are employed. At 5.5 percent, it is the world's lowest rate of women's representation in a country's
workforce, said Princess Adla, daughter of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The
Princess pointed out the limited role of Saudi women in the country's economic growth, while speaking at a forum entitled 'Saudi Woman Between Economy And Social Reality', organized in Dammam by the Saudi Businesswomen's Forum in the Eastern Province. Saudi women have combined financial assets of approximately SR100 billion but only 42.3 billion of this is invested in a very limited range of projects, the Princess said, according to a report in the Arabic daily Asharq Alawsat. The remaining assets are lying idle for want of investment channels. Unemployment among Saudi women is also rising, the Princess said, despite jobs opportunities for them having increased from 21.7 percent in 2002 to 26. 3 percent in 2006.." [more]

Syria to Invite Lebanon, Saudi Arabia to Summit [Mar 5]
"Syria, facing Arab divisions over its role in neighbouring Lebanon, will invite Beirut and Riyadh to attend an Arab summit in Damascus due later this month, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said. Syria, which has strained ties with the Western-backed government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, had said it would wait until Lebanon elects a new president before inviting Beirut and Riyadh to the March 29-30 summit. Saudi Arabia also backs Siniora, who is an opponent of Syria. Syria has invited all other Arab League members, according to Lebanese politicians.." [more]

KEC, Microsoft to Open Windows for Future Saudi IT Leaders [Mar 5]
"Young Saudis will soon be knocking at the gates of the IT world as a result of a strategic partnership forged between Knowledge Economic City Al Madinah (KEC), and Microsoft. 'KEC Al Madinah is the new base for Knowledge Based Industries and spreading knowledge,' Tahir Bawazir, CEO, KEC, told reporters at the press conference on the occasion of the signing of the strategic partnership agreement between the two major companies, today (Feb 25).. ..The main highlights of the partnership include establishing a Microsoft academy to train Saudis on the basic utilization of technology. Complimenting this academy will be the establishment of a Microsoft Library with IT books, trial software and other learning material. The agreement will also drive the formation of incubators to provide young entrepreneurs with an encouraging environment to establish healthy and promising businesses and thrive within a knowledge economy. ." [more]

Negotiations Advance on Typhoon Production in Saudi Arabia [Mar 5]
"The Saudi Arabian Alsalam Aircraft Company, a joint venture between Boeing, Saudi Arabian Airways
and Saudi Advanced Industries Company, has revealed that it is currently involved in high-level
discussions relating to Typhoon and Tornado combat aircraft and Apache attack helicopter programmes in the country. Speaking at the company's Riyadh facility, Alsalam's president and chief executive officer, Mohammed Fallatah, said that no firm contract had yet been signed regarding in-country Eurofighter Typhoon assembly. However, he confirmed that talks with BAE Systems were proceeding well and that he expected a firm agreement 'in the next month or two'. On 17 September 2007 the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) announced its intention to purchase 72 Typhoon aircraft as part of a deal worth GBP4.43 billion (USD8.9 billion).." [more]

Thai Foreign Minister to Reopen Saudi Gems Scandal Case [Mar 5]
"Thailand hoped to restore the former warm relations enjoyed with Saudi Arabia by concluding the 1980s gems scandal case and other cases believed link to the saga, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. Mr. Noppadon met Saudi charge d'affaires Nadil H. Ashri who made a courtesy call on him at the ministry. The foreign minister later told reporters he affirmed Thailand wanted to normalise diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia with the aim of re-establishing the Saudi Arabia Embassy.. .. Mr. Noppadon added diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia could be restored after a conclusion of cases including the Saudi diamond theft and murder of four Saudi diplomats and the disappearance of one Saudi businessman in the 1980s.." [more]

Saudi Unlikely to Revalue, says Deutsche Bank [Mar 5]
"Saudi Arabia will probably keep its currency pegged to the dollar at the same value for the foreseeable
future because factors other than trade, like rents and food, are driving inflation, Deutsche Bank said in a report. Higher government spending rather than lower interest rates are likely to keep up the pressure on inflation in the kingdom because people in Saudi Arabia tend to rely more on savings and non-bank
resources to finance consumption.. ..The world's largest oil exporter, which has kept its currency fixed to the dollar at 3.75 riyals since 1986, has repeatedly said it is committed to the peg because it helps encourage foreign investment.." [more]

Saudi Pumping About 300,000 bpd Over Target [Mar 5]
"Saudi Arabia has been pumping steadily at about 9.2 million barrels per day for several months, a senior Gulf Opec delegate said. The output is some 300,000 barrels per day above the kingdom's formal Opec target. Top exporter Saudi Arabia is the only Opec member that can easily add significant amounts of extra oil to the market. The United States on Tuesday called on Opec to increase its production by a modest 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 500,000 bpd to try to contain economic slowdown. But most of the 13 Opec ministers, who meet in Vienna on Wednesday, have said they think the group's output policy should remain unchanged.." [more]

Saudi's Bourse Leads Gulf Gainers [Mar 5]
"Shares in Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf market, closed above 10,000 and led six out of seven Gulf markets higher Tuesday. The Saudi market ended higher by 2% at 10030.04, led by heavyweights Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), and Al Rajhi Bank. Buying was seen across the board as local investors looked for value deals after recent losses, said an analyst. The market had fallen by about 4.4% in the previous three sessions and is the Gulf region's worst performer this year so far.." [more]

Consul: Muslim Role Growing in Changing Make-Up of US [Mar 5]
"Islam and American Muslims now play significant roles in the fast changing racial, ethnic, religious and
political make-up of the United States, according to John Kincannon, US Consul General in Dhahran.. ..
Addressing a gathering of over 100 invited guests, mostly businessmen, Kincannon said that 'although
hard facts are difficult to come by, some experts now believe that Islam is America's second largest religion and is also the fastest growing religion with more than a million practitioners.' He said there are now some 2,000 mosques in America, an increase by 42 percent since 1990 and up from only 52 mosques at the end of the Second World War. American Muslims are also being appointed in the Foreign Service, he said, citing as examples a Sunni Muslim who is now US ambassador to the United Nations and the nomination of Sada Cumber as the first US ambassador to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.." [more]

Women to Contest Oct. Elections at Riyadh Chamber [Mar 5]
"For only the third time in the history of the Kingdom, women will be running for major office - this latest
contest for board membership in the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). Prince Halah
Bint Abdurrahman Al-Saud, manager of the women's branch at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and
Industry announced that women would be running and voting in RCCI's 15th board elections due in
October. Women have earlier contested in board elections of the chambers of commerce of Jeddah and
Dammam.. .. Princess Halah is urging businesswomen to ensure their participation, by making themselves eligible for both voting and contesting. 'We urge all businesswomen who need to renew their membership with the RCCI to do so as soon as possible,'.." [more]

Rice in Israel in Effort to Resume Peace Talks [Mar 4]
"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel on Tuesday and said she would work toward resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations as soon as possible. She said, 'I'm hopeful we can get through this current situation and get back to negotiations. I continue to believe that they can get to a deal by the end of the year if everyone's got the will to do it.'.. ..Rice was to head to the occupied West Bank for talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah. She was later expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and hold talks with other senior Israeli leaders the following day.." [more]

UN Responsible for Israeli Aggression, Says Kingdom [Mar 4]
"The Council of Ministers said yesterday that Saudi Arabia would stand by the Palestinians with all its
potentials against the Israeli aggression. It held the UN Security Council responsible for the Jewish state’s continuous violation of the international law.. ..'The UN Security Council should take the moral and political responsibility for Israel’s practices and continuous violations of the international law,' the Saudi Press Agency said quoting a Cabinet statement. The Cabinet said Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to unify Arab ranks, help Arabs take independent decisions without foreign influence. It stressed the need for improving inter-Arab relations.." [more]

UC Berkeley to Team With New Saudi University [Mar 4]
"UC Berkeley is set to sign a deal with a soon-to-open graduate university in Saudi Arabia that would give Cal millions of dollars in exchange for its help in hiring professors and collaborating on research. The deal, which is expected to be announced this week, involves Cal's mechanical engineering department and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Al Pisano, chairman of Cal's mechanical engineering department, described it as a mutually beneficial "academic excellence alliance." Few details were made public. The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is being built on the Red Sea at Thuwal, about 50 miles north of Saudi Arabia's second-largest city, Jidda. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009 and will accept students of both sexes.." [more]

Rights Body to Have Women Board Members [Mar 4]
"The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is to appoint Saudi women as board members following a royal decree approving the move, according to the group’s President Turki Al-Sudairi. Saudi women already work part-time at HRC’s headquarters in Riyadh as part of an initial step to fully introduce women into the body. Women also work full time at HRC offices in the Eastern Province and Jeddah. Saudi Arabia’s governmental human rights watchdog announced that it was planning to launch a 24-hour hot line to receive complaints from both citizens and expatriate residents. The announcement was made during a press conference on Monday following the launch of the HRC’s website.." [more]

Riyadh Keen to Boost Arab Unity [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia is keen to boost Arab political and economic ties and bring stability to the region through the Arab League, said Prince Saud Al Faisal, Foreign Minister. Addressing the Shura Council on Sunday, Prince Saud said: 'We are now facing a meeting of the Arab League, which is expected to discuss on all matters relating to the holding of the summit of the Arab leaders. Saudi Arabia considers this summit as a mark of Arab cohesion and unity.'.. ..The meeting took place a day after the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Saturday.." [more]

Saudi Commerce Minister Steps Down Amid Inflationary Pressures [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Monday appointed Abdullah ibn Ahmed Zainal Alireza as minister of commerce and industry. He replaces Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani. According to Arab News, a royal decree issued by the king said Yamani has been relieved of his position 'at his request.' However, observers claimed Yamani stepped down following harsh criticism over rising inflation in the kingdom. Yamani was among officials who was attacked in the Saudi press when inflation amounted to 7 percent last month, its highest level in the country in more than a quarter of a century. The new minister Alireza, who hails from a distinguished business family, has been hitherto a state minister in the Cabinet. Before that he was the chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Additionally, Alireza led the team that negotiated the Kingdom’s accession to the World Trade Organization.." [more]

NY Court: Saudi Billionaire Can Pursue British Claims in the U.S. [Mar 4]
"The author of a book about financing terrorism can't prevent a Saudi billionaire from trying to enforce a
London libel verdict in the United States, a federal appeals court said Monday. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Manhattan author Rachel Ehrenfeld's lawsuit to stop the billionaire, Khalid Salim A. Bin Mahfouz, from trying to collect on a default judgment obtained against Ehrenfeld in London. Ehrenfeld's attorney, Daniel Kornstein, said he was disappointed by the ruling.. ..Ehrenfeld wrote that Bin Mahfouz and his family provided financial support to al-Qaida and other 'Islamist terror groups.' A 2005 ruling by London's High Court of Justice ordered Ehrenfeld to pay Bin Mahfouz $225,000, declare her writings about him to be false, destroy existing copies of the book and apologize .." [more]

Saudi To Turn Solar Power Hub [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, plans to become an expert in another, cleaner field of energy by investing in solar power, the country's oil minister said in an interview released yesterday. For a country like Saudi Arabia ... one of the most important sources of energy to look at and to develop is solar energy, Ali al-Naimi told French oil newsletter Petrostrategies. He added: One of the research efforts that we are going to undertake is to see how we make Saudi Arabia a centre for solar energy research and hopefully over the next 30 to 50 years we will be a major megawatt exporter. In the same way we are an oil exporter, we can also be an exporter of power.." [more]

Aramco Official Calls to Develop New Technologies [Mar 4]
"Saudi Aramco’s operations chief challenged the world’s leading geoscientists to hone existing technologies and help create new ones to maximize oil reservoir recovery and take exploration activities to a new level of performance and sophistication. Khalid A. Al-Falih, executive vice president of operations, made the remarks Sunday at the opening session of the 8th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition being held over three days in Manama. For several years, new technologies for evaluating reservoir conditions have been employed and have provided upstreamers with large volumes of data. Only recently has the interpretation and integration of those data streams started to provide the detail and insights needed to push reservoir management to the next level.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Is Not a Puppet State: Saud [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia will never change its domestic or foreign policies under pressure from the United States, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said here yesterday. Addressing a closed session of the 150-member Shoura Council in the capital, Prince Saud said the Kingdom’s policies were steady and not dictated by the superpower or any other country. 'We have never been a puppet state,' a Shoura member quoted Prince Saud as saying. He said the United States and Saudi Arabia have been sharing 'strategic' relations over decades, but the relationship was built on national interests.. ..Regarding the negative image projected by certain media outlets about Saudi Arabia in the West and the need to improve the country’s image abroad, the foreign minister said it was unfortunate that Western media outlets continue to print misleading facts about the Kingdom.." [more]

Saudi Arrests 28 Suspects For Links With Zawahiri [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia said on Monday it has rounded up 28 more Al-Qaeda suspects after arresting an equal number in December who plotted "terrorist" attacks and were in contact with the group's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. This brings to 56 the total number of members of the same group who have been detained and are linked to the Al-Qaeda leadership abroad, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the state SPA news agency. The group had been instructed by the Al-Qaeda leadership to launch a "terrorist campaign" inside the kingdom.. ..The fugitive Egyptian-born Zawahiri is the right-hand man of Saudi-born Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Security forces have now rounded up a total of 56 members of the group who are of 'various nationalities,' including their leader, the Saudi ministry added, without naming its chief.." [more]

Saudi Compares Israeli Offensive to Nazi Crimes [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia compared Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip to Nazi war crimes yesterday and called on the international community to stop what it called the mass killings of Palestinians. Saudi Arabia, which condemns the Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people and the threats of Israeli officials to transform Gaza into an inferno, sees that Israel is simulating through these actions the Nazi war crimes.. ..Saudi Arabia urges the international community, peace-sponsoring countries and the international Quartet to work to curb the Israeli military machine and stop it from carrying out mass killings and destruction against the Palestinian people and their properties.." [more]

Saudi to Shun Paris Book Fair [Mar 3]
"Oil-rich Saudi Arabia said on Monday it will boycott this year's Paris book fair because Israel is invited as guest of honour. 'Saudi Arabia will not participate in the fair due to Israel's presence as guest of honour,' a Saudi official told AFP, requesting anonymity. Saudi Arabia has taken part in the fair in previous years. Several Muslim countries and writers' associations have said they will stay away from this year's fair on March 14-19, after organisers announced that 39 Israeli writers were being invited to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state. The 50-nation Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has called for a boycott of the event by Muslim states.." [more]

Saudi Money Supply Growth Hits 4-year Peak [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia's money supply growth, an indicator of future inflation, hit its highest in at least four years
in January. This signals inflation in the world's largest oil exporter could accelerate from a 25-year peak.
M3, the broadest measure of money circulating in the Saudi economy, grew to 815.14 billion riyals ($217.4 billion) at the end of January compared with 657.92 billion riyals a year earlier.. ..Inflation in the largest Arab economy, which pegs its riyal currency to the dollar, hit a quarter-century peak of 7 percent in January as rents surged 16.7 percent. The central bank's room for manoeuvre for combating inflation is limited by its need to track US interest rates given the peg.." [more]

Saudi Embassy Received Threats: Lebanon Acting FM [Mar 2]
" Saudi Arabia's warning to its citizens to leave Lebanon, issued this weekend, was based on 'specific threats' received by its embassy in Beirut, Lebanon's acting foreign minister said Sunday. 'The Saudis have specific reasons. They have received specific threats,' Tareq Mitri told the private LBC television channel, though he did not elaborate. Lebanese and Saudi officials on Saturday said Saudi Arabia was advising its citizens to leave Lebanon or exercise extreme caution because of heightened political unrest.. ..Last month Saudi Arabia had advised its citizens against travelling to Lebanon and in August 2007 threats against the embassy had forced Ambassador Abdel Aziz Khoja to leave the country, although he eventually returned.." [more]

US-Saudi Effort Seeks to End Syrian Influence in Lebanon [Mar 2]
"The United States and Saudi Arabia have launched a joint campaign to pressure Syria to end its political interference in Lebanon, including the US deployment of the USS Cole and two other warships off the Lebanese coast, according to US and Arab officials. The new military, economic and diplomatic steps include the toughest actions taken by the Bush administration against the regime of President Bashar Al Assad, such as a recent presidential executive order allowing sanctions against Syrian officials meddling in Lebanon and a member of Bashar's family.." [more]

Motorola Gets $335 mln Pact from a Zain Saudi Firm [Mar 2]
"Motorola Inc. said on Sunday that it received a $335 million contract to supply a communications network and related services to a Saudi Arabian member of Kuwait's Zain Group. The member, Zain in Saudi Arabia, is planning a $1.87 billion initial public offering, and the network will help the company provide voice, data and multimedia telecommunications services, Motorola said. Zain in Saudi Arabia was formed to provide mobile-telecom services in Saudi Arabia under the third mobile license the kingdom awarded last July, Motorola said.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Slowly Opens Doors to Tourists [Mar 2]
"If you were running a restrictive Islamic state where the women can't drive and restaurants are segregated between families and single men, the last idea that might occur to you is to invite Westerners in to have a look. And yet, that's exactly what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is doing. As part of a group of reforms, the kingdom is trying to develop the country as a tourist destination, first for domestic travelers and later for international ones. Westerners are starting to visit the country on small group tours, a process that has become easier with loosened visa rules.. ..in April, the government passed a law allowing domestic travel agencies to bring in foreign tours. If all goes as hoped, the new arrangement will speed the visa process and give foreign tour operators greater flexibility. It is a small step, but one that reflects the Saudi government's new interest in foreign tourism.." [more]

Oil Prices to Stay Above 60-70 Dollars: Saudi Arabia [Mar 2]
"Saudi Arabia's oil minister believes oil prices are set to stay above a minimum price of 60-70 dollars per barrel, signalling a new era for world energy markets, he said in an interview released Sunday. Ali al-Nuaimi, one of the most influential people in the business as oil minister for the world's biggest crude producer, said 'a line has been drawn below which prices will not fall.' His explanation to French oil newsletter Petrostrategies was technical, based on the idea that public policy in many countries was to invest in alternative energy sources to compete with crude. These government-backed alternative sources such as biofuels -- but also alternative oil sources in Canada's tar sands, for example -- can only compete with crude if the price of oil stays above 60-70 dollars a barrel. 'If you take all the subsidies that go into producing a barrel of biofuels, I doubt that anybody can make money in that business with a price less than 60 or 70 dollars,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, IBM to Implement New Project [Mar 2]
"A spokesman for IBM announced that the company is cooperating with Saudi Arabia to implement a new project to look into nanotechnology for cleantech applications.. ..The multi-year project will see Saudi scientists and engineers working together with their IBM counterparts on advanced nanotechnology programs in the fields of solar energy, water desalination and petrochemical applications including recyclable materials.." [more]

Kingdom’s Sovereign Ratings Raised [Mar 2]
"Capital Intelligence, the international rating agency, has raised Saudi Arabia's long-term foreign currency and local currency ratings to AA- from A+ and its short-term foreign- and local-currency ratings to A1+ from A1. The outlook for Saudi Arabia's ratings is ‘stable'. The upgrade reflects the continued strengthening of the public and external finances along with improved prospects for faster economic growth over the medium to long term, the Capital Intelligence report said. As the world's largest producer and exporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia has benefited greatly from the upward movement in oil prices over the past five years.. ..The propitious economic setting has also enabled the authorities to move ahead with structural reforms geared to increasing private sector involvement in the economy, raising the level of foreign direct investment, and enlarging the non-oil export base.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Fail to Maintain Upward Trend [Mar 2]
"Saudi stocks failed to maintain last week’s upward trend as the Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) dropped 113.57 points to close at 10,177.91 yesterday. Industrial stocks led declines on Saudi Arabia’s bourse. The Industrial index fell 1.43 percent to 27,246.11 points yesterday.. ..The BMG Saudi Index started the week with a fall. The index dropped by 1.1 percent to 560.60 points. The market turnover, however, did not follow the performance of the index, experiencing an increase in the value invested by 11.4 percent, ending yesterday’s session at SR5.4 billion ($1.4 billion) compared to 4.8 billion ($1.3 billion) on Wednesday.." [more]

It Is No Slur to Be Called a Muslim [Mar 2]
"Hillary Clinton denied leaking the photo of Barack Obama wearing a turban, but her campaign manager says that even if she had, it would be no big deal. 'Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.' Sure she did. And George Bush put on a poncho in Santiago, while Paul Wolfowitz burned up YouTube with his anti-malarial African dance routines while World Bank president. The obvious difference is this: When white politicians go ethnic, they look funny; when a black presidential contender does it, he looks foreign — and when the ethnic apparel in question is vaguely reminiscent of the clothing worn by Iraqi and Afghan fighters (at least to many Fox viewers, who think any headdress other than a baseball cap is a declaration of war on America), the image is downright frightening. The turban 'scandal' is all part of what is being referred to as 'the Muslim smear'.." [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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