President Bush to Travel to Middle East to Follow Up on Progress Made at Annapolis
[White House Announcement]

President Bush will travel to Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt from January 8-16, 2008.

In Jerusalem, the President will meet with President Peres and Prime Minister Olmert, and in the West Bank he will meet with President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad. The President will then travel to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt where he will meet with Amir Sabah, King Hamad, President Khalifa, King Abdallah, and President Mubarak, respectively.

This visit will follow up on the progress made at Annapolis in helping Israelis and Palestinians to advance their efforts toward peace and achievement of the President’s vision of two democratic states living side-by-side in peace and security, as well as encourage Israeli/Arab reconciliation. The trip will also be an opportunity to reaffirm the enduring commitment of the United States to the security of our allies in the Middle East, especially with the Gulf nations, and our close work with them to combat terrorism and extremism, promote freedom, and seek peace and prosperity in the region. The meetings with leaders will allow for discussions of developments in Iraq, the challenges presented by Iran, regional security, economic ties, and relations between the United States and these close allies.

Source: White House

Editor’s Note:

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims flooded the ports of entry in western Saudi Arabia this week to start the pilgrimage to Makkah. On Friday about one million people crowded the Grand Mosque for Friday prayers before Monday’s start of the pilgrimage and King Abdullah arrived in Jeddah to oversee the Hajj. This year “Standing Day” will be observed on Tuesday, December 18, 2007. The four-day Eid al Adha will start on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.

On the occasion of the Hajj, which begins tomorrow, we are pleased to present several items explaining the pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. First, this report by Carolee Walker of the USINFO Staff highlights a new trend among American Muslims of attending the Hajj earlier in their lives than the typical pilgrims. Second, we will provide for your consideration an essay by Dr. David Long discussing the importance of the Hajj on Saudi Arabia and others in the Muslim World. Last, we will provide a SUSRIS exclusive interview with Dr. Long discussing the pilgrimage. Dr. Long’s essay and interview previously appeared in SUSRIS.

You can find these reports and more articles, links and resources at a SUSRIS Special Section on Hajj 2007.

American Muslims Travel to Mecca for Annual Pilgrimage
More young professionals choose to perform the Hajj

By Carolee Walker
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington — Young American Muslims, many professionals in their 20s, are traveling to the Middle East to perform the Hajj, according to travel industry experts in the United States.

This is a new trend, said Rita Zawaideh, a tour operator based in Seattle who specializes in educational travel to Jordan and other parts of the Middle East. Although Zawaideh handles airline reservations for her clients performing the Hajj, she refers land packages to Muslim tour operators in the United States. “You need to be Muslim to understand the many aspects of booking this kind of trip,” Zawaideh said.

The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, which all able Muslims are expected to perform at least once in their lifetime. Because the journey is expensive and the logistics can be complicated, traditionally many Muslims wait until they are married and their children are grown to perform the ritual.

For American Muslims, however, it makes sense to make the journey when they are still young because they have the economic means and flexibility that may be more difficult to muster as they become married and need to balance their professional and family lives, said American documentary filmmaker Anisa Mehdi.

Mehdi is an Emmy Award-winning journalist whose National Geographic film Inside Mecca follows three Muslims from very different backgrounds as they embark on the five-day quest for salvation.

All Muslims have to factor the Hajj into their long-term plans because the trip may cost several thousand dollars, Mehdi said. Depending on a person’s economic situation, people may need to save money up to 10 years before they are able to afford the trip, she said.

“The Hajj is an arduous undertaking that requires physical strength, endurance and stamina,” Mehdi said. “Traditionally, older people do it because there is great motivation to complete the transcendental journey, but it is easier for people in good health and strong.”

Logistical reasons require countries to impose quotas on visas during the Hajj, so people also need to be flexible in their plans.

Nearly 1.4 million pilgrims already have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, which this year begins on or around December 18, depending on moon sightings, and lasts for five days, according to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington. In 2006, more than 15,000 Americans were among the 2.5 million people making the annual pilgrimage, according to the embassy.

American mosques offer instructions for the Hajj, using PowerPoint presentations to explain the ritual steps of the pilgrimage and the requirements for making a successful Hajj.

Today, people usually spend between two weeks and three weeks making the journey, Mehdi said. “Back in the days when people didn’t fly on airplanes, they would spend the better part of a year walking to Mecca or taking a boat or riding in a caravan.”

The culmination of the Hajj, which occurs on the eighth to the 12th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, takes place outside the city of Mecca. Mehdi said Muslims visit Mecca throughout the year, but the only time that Hajj takes place is during the last month of the year.

As elsewhere in the world, American Muslims not going on Hajj often mark the days leading up to the pilgrimage with acts of generosity. In the state of Maryland, for example, the Montgomery County Muslim Council distributes food baskets to needy families and toys to children before Christmas. The council also coordinates with the county to donate hundreds of kilograms of meat to the needy in December.

(USINFO is produced by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov )

Source: USINFO

Arab Nations To Attend Peace Conference
Saudi Minister Announces He’ll Come To U.S.-Sponsored Middle East Event

(CBS/AP) Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations decided to attend next week’s U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference, but the Saudi foreign minister insisted he would not allow “theatrics” like handshakes with Israeli officials, saying the gathering must make serious progress.

Participation by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal was a key goal of the United States to show strong Arab support for the conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which is to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for the first time in seven years.

Until Friday, the kingdom had balked at saying whether it would attend and at what level, seeking assurances Israel would negotiate the most difficult issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict in negotiations governed by a timetable.

[Complete report]

US State Department – Press Statement
Sean McCormack
Washington, DC
November 20, 2007

Announcement of Annapolis Conference

On November 27, the United States will host Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Abbas, along with the Members of the Quartet, the Members of the Arab League Follow-on Committee, the G-8, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and other key international actors for a conference at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Secretary Rice will host a dinner the preceding evening here in Washington, where President Bush will deliver remarks. President Bush and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders will deliver speeches to open the formal conference in Annapolis.

The Annapolis Conference will signal broad international support for the Israeli and Palestinian leaders’ courageous efforts, and will be a launching point for negotiations leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state and the realization of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Those invited to attend the conference are:

• United States
• Israel
• Palestinian Authority
• Algeria
• Arab League Secretary General
• Bahrain
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Egypt
• EU Commission
• EU High Rep
• EU Pres Portugal
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• India
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Italy
• Japan
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Malaysia
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Norway
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Poland
• Qatar
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sudan
• Sweden
• Syria
• Quartet Special Envoy Tony Blair
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• UNSYG
• Yemen

Observers:

• IMF
• World Bank

Source: US State Dept.

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabian security forces arrested 172 terrorist suspects late last month in sweeps that were said to have foiled attacks against oil production facilities, military installations and other targets in the Kingdom and elsewhere. According to media reports, some compiled by SUSRIS [links below], police seized weapons and more than $5 million in cash from the armed cells. This week terrorist suspects, said to have been awaiting approval of Osama bin Laden to strike before their capture, provided more details on the attack plans through confessions reported by Saudi media. Today we provide for your consideration a comprehensive report on the terror plot by way of P.K. Abdul Ghafour’s article in Arab News.

Captured Al-Qaeda Militants Confess to Massive Terror Plot
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

JEDDAH, 16 May 2007 — The Al-Qaeda network had plans to carry out massive terrorist operations in the scale of 9/11 attacks targeting oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, according to captured militants whose confessions were published in the local media yesterday.

Abdullah Al-Muqrin, one of the militants who were involved in planning the foiled attack on the Abqaiq oil refinery on Feb. 24, 2006, said militants, on the directives of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, carried out the suicide bombing. “Targeting the main oil facilities and areas, such as Ras Tanura and Jubail, was how the idea started,” said Muqrin in confessions aired by Saudi Television late Monday night.

Ras Tanura is the Kingdom’s biggest oil export terminal and Jubail is its biggest industrial complex. Both are located on the Gulf coast. Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest oil producer and exporter, supplying about seven million barrels per day.

“We started planning (the attack) but were told to wait for direct instructions from Osama Bin Laden. I asked how we would receive a signal from him; I thought he was in some mountains. They said it would take from six to seven months to get his approval,” Muqrin said.

Another suspect, identified as Khaled Al-Kurdi, said the Al-Qaeda leadership in Saudi Arabia told them that the attacks on oil facilities would be tantamount to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the US.

“They said it would be a huge operation, equal to the September strike.. ..and its impact would be on a global level,” Kurdi said in his statement. “They said attacks would affect oil prices,” he added.

Saudi security sources said the two men were involved in providing logistic help to the attackers who tried to storm the Abqaiq oil facility, in which two suicide bombers were killed. Saudi Arabia arrested about 170 suspects after the attacks.

The attack on oil installations was planned to lure US forces into the Kingdom. “It was all about luring in America to intervene, irrespective of the expected high loss of human life or economic damage,” Muqrin said.

The attackers sought “to hammer America,” Kurdi added.

The security guards foiled the Abqaiq terrorist operation when they opened fire on two explosives-laden vehicles that tried to enter the oil complex in eastern Saudi Arabia. The vehicles exploded without damaging the facility.

Muqrin said the attack was meant to embarrass the Kingdom, destabilize oil prices in the United States and ultimately draw in US troops to the country to protect oil facilities so that Al-Qaeda militants could fight them on Saudi soil. A few days after the foiled attack, five militants were killed in gun battles with security forces. The five included Fahd Faraaj Al-Juwair, leader of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.

Late last month, police said that they had arrested 172 militants from seven terrorist cells in a month long operation, one of the biggest terror sweeps in the country. Saudi Arabia has won international acclaim for its successful campaign against Al-Qaeda militants after they carried out a series of anti-terror operations across the country, killing and arresting many terrorists and sympathizers.

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

Vice President Dick Cheney was in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 12 for meetings with King Abdullah and other leaders as we discussed in Friday’s SUSRIS Special Report, “Diplomatic Rescue Mission.” For a comprehensive report on the visit check out Todd Gilman’s article, “Cheney turns to Saudis,” in yesterday’s Dallas Morning News. You can also review the index to stories, background materials and more provided below in this SUSRIS IOI. There are also photos (with links to larger images) of Mr. Cheney with King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan from the Saudi Press Agency below.

• Cheney turns to Saudis – May 13 – Dallas Morning News
• Amid Friction, Plans for U.S.-Iran Talks on Iraq – May 13 – NY Times
• “Diplomatic Rescue Mission” – Cheney to the Kingdom – SUSRIS Special Report – May 11, 2007
• Vice President Cheney Touching the Bases in the Middle East – SUSRIS Special Report – May 9, 2007
• Cheney follows Rice to Middle East on Tuesday, but with different agenda – AP/San Diego Union-Tribune
• Cheney And the Saudis – David Ignatius – Washington Post
• Cheney to visit Mideast allies – Washington Times
• Iraq to dominate talks on Cheney’s visit to Mideast – Boston Globe
• Secretary Condoleezza Rice – Interview With Hisham Melhem of Al Arabiya
• Press Availability with Vice President Dick Cheney, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus – Baghdad, Iraq
• Maintaining the Regional Balance of Power: Confidence and Urgency – SUSRIS IOI – Apr 27, 2007
• The “State of the Kingdom” Address – King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz – SUSRIS IOI – Apr 18, 2007
• What Saudi Arabia Wants – Good Neighbors – Rachel Bronson – SUSRIS IOI – Apr 17, 2007
• Iran, Oil, and the Strait of Hormuz – Anthony H. Cordesman – Mar 27, 2007
• Saudi Arabia and Iranian Influence – Dr. Gregory Gause Talks with CFR – SUSRIS IOI – Mar 20, 2007
• Making Sense of Regional Developments – A Conversation with Rami Khouri – SUSRIS Interview – Mar 16, 2007
• National Security Issues and the Saudi-US Relationship: A Conversation with Jean-Francois Seznec – SUSRIS Interview – Mar 12, 2007
• King Abdullah Hosts Meeting with President Ahmadinejad – SUSRIS IOI – Mar 5, 2007
• Regional Crises in the Context of Saudi-US Relations: A Conversation with Flynt Leverett – SUSRIS Interviews – Jan 24, 2007
• Support for Iraq, Middle East Peace Process: Ambassador Turki al Faisal on Relations and More – SUSRIS IOI – Jan 19, 2007
• Defense Secretary Gates Confers with Saudi Leaders – Second Cabinet Official Visit in Days Marks Urgency of Regional Security Issues – SUSRIS IOI – Jan 18, 2007
• Conversation in Riyadh – Secretary of State Rice and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal Press Conference – SUSRIS IOI – Jan 16, 2007
• Regional Issues from the Foreign Minister’s Perspective: Prince Saud al-Faisal’s Remarks to the Press – SUSRIS IOI – Dec 20, 2006
• Riyadh and Washington Maneuver Over Iraq Fears – SUSRIS IOI – Dec 13, 2006
• Iran and Iraq in Focus on Eve of Riyadh GCC Summit – SUSRIS IOI – Dec 8, 2006
• Perspective on Regional Developments – A Conversation with Gregory Gause – SUSRIS Interview – Nov 30, 2006
• A Voice of Peace; A Move Towards Stability – Prince Turki Al-Faisal – SUSRIS IOI – Nov 30, 2006
• Stepping Into Iraq: Saudi Arabia Will Protect Sunnis if the U.S. Leaves – Nawaf Obaid – SUSRIS IOI – Nov 29, 2006
• Fragmented Iraq: Implications for Saudi National Security – Final Report from the SNSAP Iraq Project – SUSRIS IOI – Oct 16, 2006
• Regional Ramifications of the Lebanon Ceasefire: A Saudi View ‘Bitterlemons’ Talks with Nawaf Obaid – SUSRIS IOI – Sep 27, 2006
• Region in Crisis: US-Saudi Relations – A Conversation with F. Gregory Gause, III – SUSRIS Interview – Jul 28, 2006
• “Fractured Iraq: Implications for Saudi National Security,” Saudi National Security Assessment Project – June 23, 2006
• Saudi National Security Assessment Project – SUSRIS Special Section
• National Security in Saudi Arabia: Threats, Responses and Challenges – by Anthony Cordesman and Nawaf Obaid – SUSRIS Book Note – Oct. 25, 2005
• Meeting the Challenge of a Fragmented Iraq: A Saudi Perspective
• Saudi Militants in Iraq: Assessment and Kingdom’s Response

Reprinted with permission from washingtonpost.com and The Washington Post

Cheney to Try to Ease Saudi Concerns
Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 11, 2007

Vice President Cheney faces a diplomatic rescue mission tomorrow in Saudi Arabia, where King Abdullah has told top State Department and Pentagon officials over the past six weeks that the kingdom no longer supports Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and does not believe the new U.S. military strategy to secure Baghdad will work, U.S. officials and Arab diplomats said.

The oil-rich kingdom, which has taken an increasingly tough position on Iraq, believes Maliki has proven a weak leader during his first year in power and is too tied to Iran and pro-Iranian Shiite parties to bring about real reconciliation with Iraq’s Sunni minority, Arab sources said.

Assuaging Saudi concerns is the primary reason for the vice president’s trip — and even a key reason he went to Baghdad this week, U.S. and Arab officials say. During his stop in Riyadh on Saturday, Cheney wants to be able to tell the Sunni world’s most powerful monarch that the Bush administration is leaning hard on the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad to implement long-delayed political steps to help end the Sunni insurgency, U.S. officials said.

The king has balked at recent U.S. overtures to do more to help Iraq politically, beyond pledges of debt relief and financial aid, and has explored support for alternative leadership, including former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi, U.S. and Arab officials said.

The Saudis have been increasingly concerned about reports that Maliki’s government favors Shiite officials in government ministries and Shiite commanders in the Iraqi military — at the expense of qualified Sunnis whose inclusion would help foster reconciliation, Arab officials said.

Although top Saudi royals have long-standing ties to the Bush family, the deepening divide over Iraq reflects Saudi disillusionment with the Bush administration, according to Arab officials, even as the two countries reaffirm their strong economic and security ties. In striking language, the king publicly called the U.S. presence in Iraq an “illegitimate occupation” in March. And Saudi officials now frequently note the administration’s dwindling months in office.

The U.S. Central Command chief, Adm. William J. Fallon, and the State Department’s Iraq coordinator, David M. Satterfield, were both rebuffed in appeals to the king during trips to Riyadh last month. In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, Fallon said the king told him “several times” during their April 1 discussion that U.S. policies “had not been correct in his view.”

“He also told me that he had severe misgivings about the Maliki government and the reasons for that,” Fallon added. “He felt, in his words, that there was a ‘significant linkage to Iran.’ He was concerned about Iranian influence on the Maliki government and he also made several references to his unhappiness, uneasiness with Maliki and the background from which he came.”

In a message that U.S. officials said will be underscored by Cheney, Fallon said he urged the king to show some support for the Iraqi leadership even if he does not like Maliki, because it is “unrealistic” to expect a change in the Baghdad government.

“We’re not going to be the puppeteers here,” Fallon told the Senate committee. “It also, given the many constraints that we’re under.. ..was not very realistic to expect that a new government is going to do any better in a short period of time.”

Satterfield met with Abdullah the week before the May 3 to 4 summits on Iraq in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to try to broker a meeting between the Saudi and Iraqi leaders, but the monarch refused to meet with Maliki.

The scope of tensions between Riyadh and Baghdad was evident in Egypt, where top Iraqi and Saudi officials had a heated exchange after the Iraqis appealed for greater Saudi economic and political assistance, including intervention with Sunni tribes in Iraq, said officials who attended the summit. A top Saudi official turned on the Iraqis and said the kingdom had repeatedly helped while the Maliki government had failed to take a single step on constitutional reforms, provincial elections or revising laws banning former Baath Party officials, which have primarily hurt Sunnis.

In a departure from Cheney’s previous trip last November, the White House asked for the Saturday meeting in Riyadh and built extra stops around it to try to win support from key Sunni leaders in Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, U.S. and Arab officials said. Cheney arrived yesterday in Abu Dhabi, the second stop on his tour after a two-day visit to Iraq.

The vice president will make the case that Maliki was elected and that Allawi, or any other leader, would not be more effective with the current situation in Iraq, U.S. officials said.

On the eve of Cheney’s trip, a senior administration official said that Abdullah’s “political and moral stature” in the region gives him important leverage with Iraq’s Sunnis and that the vice president would press the kingdom to “do everything they can to try and help stabilize the Iraqi government.”

In an interview with Fox News yesterday, Cheney said he plans to “seek advice and counsel” from key allies and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to work with them on “mutual threats.” But U.S. officials are already skeptical that the visit will produce a significant breakthrough, beyond underscoring common interests in regional stability.

Copyright 2007, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive and The Washington Post. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Editor’s Note:

Vice President Dick Cheney met Iraqi officials during a previously unannounced stop in Baghdad today after departing the United States on Tuesday for a visit to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan as well as embarking a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. The focus of the VP’s discussions will be developments in Iraq and Iran according to press reports. This SUSRIS special report provides excerpts and links to overviews of Mr. Cheney’s visit to the Kingdom in news reports and commentary. Additional links to related SUSRIS reporting are also provided below.

Cheney follows Rice to Middle East on Tuesday, but with different agenda – AP/San Diego Union-Tribune
Vice President Dick Cheney is reaching out to moderate Arab leaders for help in bringing stability to Iraq, a mission that will include pleas for postwar support for minority party Sunnis.. ..While Rice’s trip had a wide-ranging agenda that included other tensions in the region, administration officials said Cheney would focus largely on the next steps in Iraq.. ..But some Mideast experts outside the administration suggested that Cheney’s visit also might be an attempt to try to clear up what might be viewed as mixed messages from Rice by some leaders in the region.. ..In particular, the senior administration official said, Cheney will appeal to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to use their influence to help rein in Sunni violence against Shiites in Iraq as well as charting ways to better protect Sunnis from violence at the hands of militant Shiites.

Cheney And the Saudis – David Ignatius – Washington Post
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may make the headlines with her high-profile diplomatic missions to the Middle East. But for a glimpse at the hidden power plays, follow Vice President Cheney’s trip this week to Saudi Arabia. Saudi King Abdullah has emerged over the past nine months as the Bush administration’s most important and strong-willed Arab ally. He launched an aggressive campaign last fall to contain Iranian influence in the Arab world and, in the process, buttress American interests in the region despite U.S. setbacks in Iraq. It’s Cheney, whose blunt, unsmiling demeanor matches Saudi notions of American gravitas, who manages the Abdullah account.

Cheney to visit Mideast allies – Washington Times
Although Syria and Iran will be discussed, Iraq is likely to dominate the talks. Saudi Arabia has expressed frustration with U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq, and some Saudi leaders fear the continued violence will destabilize the entire region.. ..Mr. Cheney will seek to use the influence of King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to stem Sunni violence against Shi’ites, a White House source said. He also will seek ways to protect Sunnis from militant Shi’ites, the source said.. ..The Saudi Arabia stop will be Mr. Cheney’s fifth to the kingdom; his last visit was in November. Shortly after he returned to Washington, it was reported that Abdullah told Mr. Cheney that the Saudis would consider providing financial backing to Iraqi Sunnis if the United States pulled out of Iraq.

Iraq to dominate talks on Cheney’s visit to Mideast – Boston Globe
“..The trip comes amid tensions between the United States and Saudi Arabia because of Riyadh’s worries that violence in Iraq will destabilize the region.. ..”The Saudis are disgusted with what’s happening in Iraq,” said Judith Kipper, a Middle East specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations. “They are concerned with the lack of progress there and the catastrophe that is going on there.”

Secretary Condoleezza Rice – Interview With Hisham Melhem of Al Arabiya
QUESTION: Vice President Cheney is leaving to the Middle East and he will be meeting with the crucial leaders, crucial to your efforts in Iraq in particular. Is this only a follow-up to Sharm el-Sheikh or do you want those key leaders to do more in Iraq?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we had planned for some time now for the Vice President to go. And it’s a very good time after Sharm because really now, the neighbors need to focus on what they can do to help this Iraqi — young Iraqi democracy to succeed. Prime Minister Maliki, I thought, did a very good job at the Sharm conference of showing what Iraq is trying to do. They have a struggle internally because they’re extremists who are trying to destroy the foundation for a democracy. And so the Vice President will follow up. He’ll talk to our allies in the region and I think it’ll be very important for them to take a really hard look at what they’re doing and to say how can they do more to help the Iraqis.

Press Availability with Vice President Dick Cheney, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus – Baghdad, Iraq
Complete item: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-5.html

Saudis Arrest 172 Militants in Plot
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Police arrested 172 Islamic militants, some of whom had trained abroad as pilots so they could fly aircraft in attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil fields, the Interior Ministry said Friday. A spokesman said all that remained in the plot “was to set the zero hour.” The ministry issued a statement saying the detainees were planning to carry out suicide atttacks against “public figures, oil facilities, refineries … and military zones” _ some of which were outside the kingdom.
[complete report]

Saudi arrests suspects planning oil attacks
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia said on Friday it foiled an al Qaeda-linked plot to attack oil facilities and military bases, arresting more than 170 suspects, including some trainee pilots preparing for suicide operations. The Interior Ministry, in a statement read on state television, also said police seized weapons and more than 20 million riyals ($5.33 million) in cash, from seven armed cells.
[complete report]

Daily Press Briefing – U.S. State Department
Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
April 27, 2007

[Excerpt]

QUESTION: Reaction to the Saudi terror sweep?

MR. CASEY: Well, we’ve seen the press accounts of this. I don’t have a lot of information to give you on it. Certainly, I’d refer you to the Saudi authorities for the specifics of this arrest, but I think this shows that the Saudis are continuing their efforts to be a good partner with us in the war on terror.

It’s important that they and other countries continue to do everything they can not only to try and deal with those who are responsible for acts of violence, but to break up those cells and break up those individuals who are intending to commit acts of violence or who, in any other way, whether through financial means or otherwise, are supporting terror networks. So we welcome the arrests by the Saudis today and certainly, again, I think it shows their strength and commitment to the war on terror.

QUESTION: Amongst these 172, some foreign nationals were mentioned. Were there any American citizens, do you know?

MR. CASEY: I don’t have any reason at this point to believe that there were any American citizens involved. Certainly, we will be checking in with Saudi authorities to verify the details of this.

QUESTION: Tom, is there concern that the expansive nature of this plot — I mean, it’s millions of dollars, weapons, does that reflect on the stability of Saudi Arabia?

MR. CASEY: Well, David, I think we’re still gathering information from the Saudis on this, so I don’t want to try and do an analysis of the significance of this. I think they’d be in the best place to do it. But look, it’s certainly clear that terrorism represents a threat to many countries throughout the world, Saudi Arabia included, as well as other countries in the Middle East.

One thing I think that at times gets lost in the discussion about the fight against terrorism is the fact that most of the innocent people who lose their lives in terrorist incidents — certainly, if you look at what’s going on in Iraq right now, if you look at what’s happening in Afghanistan, if you look at what’s happening in other places in the world, most of the victims of these attacks often are the Arab and Muslim citizens of those countries themselves. And so it’s important not only for the United States; it’s important for all countries in the world to be able to take actions against these kinds of groups and these kinds of plots.

We’ve spoken out, as you know, about the importance of political reforms in the Broader Middle East and other parts of the world as well. But everyone certainly understands that as each country moves forward with its own individual political process that that process needs to be nonviolent and that process needs to be one in which the rights of individuals are respected and there can’t be any place in any civilized society for terrorism and for indiscriminate acts of violence. So again I think what the Saudis have done here is taken a step forward in terms of their own ability and their own responsibilities for dealing with the issues of terrorism and certainly we’ll be continuing to talk with them about this issue and we’ll be continuing to work and cooperate with them and other of our partners throughout the world.

QUESTION: Just to follow-up.

MR. CASEY: Yeah.

QUESTION: But most of the Muslim and Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, they have not come out publicly denouncing terrorism and also they have they not sent their troops to die for their freedom. And at the same time, they are providing billions of dollars in the name of charity throughout the globe, including in the U.S., and that money is being used to support terrorism.

MR. CASEY: Well Goyal, as I mentioned in my earlier answer dealing not only with those who are actually committing acts of violence or intending to commit acts of violence is important, but it’s important as well to deal with those who finance terror, to deal with those who provide its ideological underpinnings. And certainly there have been problems in terms of funding going through charities or so-called charities that are actually efforts to finance terrorist organizations. The Saudi Government has taken actions in a number of these instances, but all of us agree that whether it’s the United States or Saudi Arabia or any other country that more needs to be done because being able to cut off the funding for terrorist organizations is an important part of being able ultimately to deal with this problem.

Continued at:
See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/ for all daily press briefings

Editor’s Note:

This SUSRIS Special Report provides an overview of the 19th Summit of the Arab League that opened today in Riyadh. An extensive compilation of news report links are provided as well. SUSRIS will provide additional special reports and IOI articles during and after this important event.

World’s Eyes on Arab Summit
Raid Qusti, Arab News

RIYADH, 28 March 2007 — Much of the world is looking at the Saudi capital as heads of state, kings, and presidents of Arab countries meet today at the 19th Arab summit hosted by Saudi Arabia.

The leaders are expected to reach agreement by consensus on many of the region’s issues — Iraq, Lebanon, the Darfur problem in Sudan and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The leaders are also expected to re-launch the Arab peace initiative, according to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

In preparatory talks on Monday, Arab foreign ministers agreed to revive the plan. It offers Israel normalization of relations if Tel Aviv withdraws from all lands it occupied in 1967, permits the creation of a Palestinian state and allows the return of Palestinian refugees. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the Arab peace proposal would be registered at the United Nations as an international proposal and a basis for peace in the Middle East.

In addition, the leaders are expected to discuss ways to develop education in the Arab world, the establishment of a unified Arab customs union, the revival of inter-Arab commerce and nuclear energy for nonmilitary uses.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah invited United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to attend the summit as a special guest. The secretary-general will attend the opening and closing sessions.

Also attending as special invited guests are Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The Kingdom has also invited the representatives of several Asian, South American, and European countries.

King Abdullah yesterday received a number of Arab heads of state as they arrived in the capital.

They included Syrian President Bashar Assad with whom the King later held a closed-door meeting. This was their first meeting after last summer’s Lebanon war.

Over the past 61 years, 18 Arab summits have been held. The Palestinian problem along with the right of the Palestinian people to a state has always been the center of discussion. The first Arab summit was in Egypt in 1946 at the request of the late King Farouk. Seven Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, which formed the Arab League at that time, participated in the meeting.

In 1967 after Israel occupied the West Bank, Sinai and the Golan Heights, Arab leaders called for an urgent meeting in Khartoum. They strongly protested the Jewish state’s occupation of Arab lands and refused to negotiate with Israel unless it withdrew completely from the occupied territories.

Saudi Arabia continues to lobby the Arab and Islamic cause both in the region and in the world beyond. The Kingdom was successful in bringing Palestinians to Makkah, paving the way for a unified Palestinian government.

Source: Arab News

• March 24 – Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of the Arab League replacing Sudan which chaired the 18th session.
• March 24 – Arab League permanent representatives meeting on Summit agenda.
• March 25 – Finance and economy ministers meeting – final recommendations for economic issues to be discussed at Arab League summit.
• March 26 – Foreign ministers pre-Summit meeting.
• March 28-29 – King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz inaugurates the 19th Arab Summit attended by Arab leaders and a number of foreign dignitaries, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The summit will also be attended by the UN General Assembly President Shaikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf.

Editor’s Note:

This SUSRIS Special Report provides an article by Hassan M. Fattah, writing for the New York Times, which provides a wrap up of the weekend’s meeting between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and King Abdullah. Related materials with links are provided below.

Saudi-Iran Meeting Yields Little Substance
By Hassan M. Fattah (New York Times)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 4 — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia concluded an extraordinary meeting early Sunday promising a thaw in relations between the two regional powers. But they stopped short of agreeing on any concrete plans to tackle the escalating sectarian and political crises throughout the Middle East.

Mr. Ahmadinejad said that the two countries had agreed to try to curb tensions between Shiite and Sunni Muslims and that they had discussed in detail issues related to the Palestinians and Iraq.

The leaders are believed to have focused on finding ways to end the political standoff in Lebanon between Hezbollah, backed by Iran, and the government of Fouad Siniora, which is supported by the United States.

Mr. Ahmadinejad’s first official visit to Saudi Arabia, which began Saturday, was marked by decidedly public shows of warmth and friendship between the leaders, as the men embraced, at times held hands in an Arab sign of close friendship, and smiled to cameras. The event marked the culmination of months of diplomatic efforts between senior Saudi and Iranian officials to ease the political standoff in Lebanon, cool sectarian violence in Iraq and possibly avert a looming Iranian confrontation with the United States.

Analysts were divided on Sunday over the ultimate impact of the summit meeting, held at the behest of the Iranian president.

To some, it promised to break the spiraling cycle of brinkmanship in the region, focusing both countries on constructive solutions to their differences.

Skeptics, however, said the absence of any tangible resolutions or initiatives, coupled with Mr. Ahmadinejad’s continuing aggressive speech, suggested that the meeting was more a public relations offensive meant to help Iran improve its image at home and in the Arab world as its confrontation with the United States appears to be escalating.

On Saturday, diplomats from Germany and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council discussed trying to impose tougher sanctions on Iran for its continued uranium enrichment efforts in defiance of the Security Council. The diplomats, speaking in a conference call, ended their discussion without an agreement.

But after Mr. Ahmadinejad landed in Tehran on Sunday, he repeated earlier warnings of a “conspiracy” to divide the Muslim world. This time, he included Saudi Arabia as one of his partners in resisting the plan.

“Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are aware of the enemies’ conspiracies,” Mr. Ahmadinejad told reporters. “We decided to take measures to confront such plots, and hopefully this will strengthen Muslim countries against oppressive pressures by the imperialist front.”

Saudi officials had no comment about that. But there was conflict over another issue. The Saudi Press Agency reported that Mr. Ahmadinejad had expressed support for a Saudi-led land-for-peace initiative that would have Arab states recognize Israel in return for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the lands occupied by Israel in 1967. Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Sunday agreed to revive the plan ahead of the Arab League summit meeting in Riyadh later this month.

An Iranian official, speaking to Iran’s state-run media, reportedly denied that the initiative was discussed during the summit meeting.

State Department officials on Sunday had no immediate comment on the meeting. But Sean McCormack, the State Department spokesman, said Friday, before the talks, that “it’s going to be up to the Saudi leadership to decide how they interact with the Iranian president.”

Mr. McCormack said, “We would hope that they send a message to the Iranian president that across a wide spectrum the Iranian behavior in the region and around the world is just unacceptable, whether it’s their support for terrorism or their pursuit for weapons of mass destruction or their efforts to block any sort of progress in building a democracy in Lebanon or in the Palestinian areas. We would hope that the message to the Iranian leadership is that they need to change their behavior.”

A Saudi analyst with close ties to the government said, “In the end, they both know this is a geopolitical struggle,” adding, “They can offer big words about ending sectarian strife, but what can they really do about it? Ahmadinejad simply undertook this visit to make himself look cooperative with other Persian Gulf states.”

Mr. Ahmadinejad has come under increased pressure in recent weeks to tone down his comments. In Tehran on Saturday, Akbar Alami, a member of Parliament, said members intended to ask him to appear before them to answer questions about his policies. Mr. Alami said the lawmakers wanted to question his “provocative speeches, positions that are against diplomatic norms and against the country’s national interests,” the ISNA student news agency reported.

Sunni-Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran have vied for regional dominance, each carrying the banner of Islam and seeing itself as defending its majority sect. At the same time, the region’s calculus has changed significantly with the American invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Saudi Arabia in recent months has led an aggressive diplomatic effort to counterbalance Iran’s growing influence in the region, most recently serving as a host for the major Palestinian factions at a meeting in which they said they had agreed to form a unity government.

Saudi Arabia is also said to be working to bring Lebanese parties together to arrive at a peaceful settlement of the three-month crisis. An important part of the discussion on Saturday, some analysts said, was how to bring Syria back into the Arab fold after two years of isolation.

For much of the 1980s, Saudi Arabia and Iran had an adversarial relationship. Their relations thawed with the election of a reformist president in Iran, Mohammad Khatami, in 1997. But relations have cooled significantly since the election of Mr. Ahmadinejad in 2005.

The meeting on Saturday, though initiated by Iran, was an example of Saudi Arabia’s muscle-flexing in the region.

“Saudi Arabia did what people have been asking the U.S. to do for so long, which is to extend a hand out to the Iranians,” said Abdel Monem Said Aly, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. “The Saudis seized on the right time to give the Iranians a window of opportunity to get out of their mess.”

Mr. Aly said the test of a détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran is yet to come. “Will the Iranians be willing to give the Saudis what they didn’t give the Europeans, which is to stop their nuclear activity?” he said. “That will be a litmus test.”

Reporting was contributed by Nazila Fathi from Tehran; Nada Bakri from Beirut, Lebanon; Thom Shanker from Washington; and Rasheed Abou-Alsamh from Jidda, Saudi Arabia.

From The New York Times on the Web (c) The New York Times Company. Reprinted with Permission.

Each year, delegates from around the world meet with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the region, to share their experience and employ their expertise to create new and innovative approaches to deal with regional and global challenges.

The 8th Jeddah Economic Forum closes tomorrow with discussions of energy and privatization and a closing keynote address from former President of Poland Lech Walesa. This SUSRIS special report provides a snapshot of JEF 2007 days 1 and 2.

“Economic Reform: Flourishing Grounds and Expanding Horizons”

Program:

Sunday February 25th am
“Strategies for Economic Reform – Universalism -v- Particularism”

Sunday February 25th pm
“Flexicurity and Reform: A Balanced Social Agenda”

Monday February 26th am
“People are at the Centre – Social Responsibility and Citizenship Initiative”

Monday February 26th pm
“The Legal Structure Must Keep Up”

Tuesday February 27th am
“Changing the Global Energy Paradigm”

Tuesday February 27th pm
“Privatisation – the Indispensable Tool”

Reporting:

US Spin Won’t Work, Says Rania
Lulwa Shalhoub, Arab News
JEDDAH, 26 February 2007 — Building a developed future for Muslims and Middle Eastern generations and correcting the false images of them in the West through reforms in the region was the thrust of Jordanian Queen Rania’s speech during the first session of the eighth Jeddah Economic Forum yesterday. She concentrated on the idea that the older generation in all cultures works for the best of their younger generations and for building a better world. “We are now planting seeds for future technological development,” said the queen. [more]

‘West Skirting Israeli Nuke Issue’
Hassna’a Mokhtar & Rasheed Abou Alsamh, Arab News
JEDDAH, 26 February 2007 — In a tense debate yesterday at the Jeddah Economic Forum on the issues of security in the Middle East, Prince Turki Al-Faisal accused the United States and its European allies of always avoiding the issue of Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons. “The Middle East should be free of all weapons of mass destruction. There is unwillingness on the part of America and its European allies to discuss Israel’s weapons. As you have seen just now Gen. Clark and others will go first to Iran, then other countries, and then to Israel,” said Prince Turki to loud applause from the audience. [more]

JEF Diary: Profound Words Overshadow Sound-System Mix-Ups
Siraj Wahab, Arab News
JEDDAH, 26 February 2007 — The opening hours at the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) yesterday were like the weather outside — dull and dreary. Everything was in fairly bad shape. There were no star speakers. Moderator Sue MacGregor of BBC Radio did try to salvage the situation with her witty comments, but she couldn’t. Most of the speakers were Chinese, and so the language barrier created plenty of obstacles. The translation services provided through the electronic system were absolutely useless. And when MacGregor asked the sound managers to get it right, it got worse. Of course, what the Chinese speakers were saying was absolutely crucial. They were talking about the new Silk Route, reminding the participants how China and the Arabs once had a historic relationship, thanks to the old Silk Route. They talked about the need for a robust revival of the Sino-Saudi trade ties. They also spoke of the emerging role of the East in the global economy. [more]

Saudi official underlines success of Jeddah Economic Forum
MENAFN – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah’s Prince, Abdulmajid bin Abdulaziz Saturday said Jeddah Economic Forum has succeeded in triggering economic reforms over the past seven years. Prince Abdulmajid, in a speech read on his behalf by his son Faisal at the opening of the Jeddah Economic Forum, said the event has attracted key politicians and economists from around the world. He hoped the forum, which would conclude Tuesday, would continue the pace of economic reforms. [more]

JEF Diary: American President’s Brother Building Bridges With Saudis
Siraj Wahab, Arab News
JEDDAH, 27 February 2007 — There are many interesting sessions being presented at the Jeddah Economic Forum, but just as much (if not more) is happening on the sidelines of the forum. International and local businessmen, educators and officials from around the world are sharing ideas, building relationships and negotiating business deals — typical networking stuff. It seems as if there is a conversation going on in every nook and cranny of the Jeddah Hilton with the impromptu meetings occasionally spilling out onto the picturesque palm-fringed seaside promenade just across the street. It was during one such networking sessions that Arab News ran into Mr. Neil Bush, the younger brother of the US president. There was no cause to strike up a business negotiation with the affable brother of the current US president, who runs an educational software company with dealings in the Gulf region, but Arab News did take the opportunity to speak to him. [more]

Value of Jeddah Economic Forum to the Saudi Image
(MENAFN – Arab News) Michael Saba
The Jeddah Economic Forum bills itself as “The Think Tank of the Middle East.” It also could be called “The Image Tank of the Middle East.” For hundreds of Western visitors to the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF), it is their first view of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. And Western popular culture perspectives on Saudi Arabia and the region really can use some image enhancement. The commonly held view of Saudi Arabia in the West is neither realistic nor positive. After having attended the JEF for the past three years and meeting scores of Western attendees who experienced Saudi Arabia for the first time through the JEF, it was very easy to see changes in people’s attitudes. “I had no idea the Saudis were so friendly and hospitable,” is a common statement heard from the attendees. “The Western press doesn’t do this place justice,” is another phrase often heard. The opportunities for direct interaction with Saudis and Saudi culture at the JEF are invaluable components of attending the forum. [more]

Saudi official calls for boosting competitiveness of nat’l production
(MENAFN – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Saudi Commerce and Industry Minister Dr. Hashim Yamani underscored on Sunday the necessity of boosting the competitive ability of national production sectors. During the eighth Jeddah Economic Forum, Yamani said global economy was currently witnessing a very dynamic phase through direct interaction between global markets and great technological advances. Now is an opportunity for every nation to make gains from international competitiveness and achieving better economic levels to meet the needs of current and future generations, he said. [more]

‘JEF a Platform for Saudi Investments’
(MENAFN – Arab News) JEDDAH, 25 February 2007 — The Jeddah Economic Forum 2007 kicked off with Prince Faisal ibn Abdul Majeed formally opening the fifth annual event on behalf of Makkah Gov. Prince Abdul Majeed at the Hilton Hotel last night. “The JEF, with economic reform as its central theme, is a platform for Saudi investment opportunities,” he said. The forum, with its three-day sessions commencing today, is being attended by more than 2,500 delegates from over 52 countries. “The essence of the forum is to showcase cultural, scientific and intellectual discussions in an overview for complete economic reform,” Prince Faisal said. “The forum is much more than an economic phenomena, as it exemplifies a number of social concerns featuring case studies of successes that will help in the development and enhancement of the community from an economic and social perspective,” he added. [more]

‘Mega Cities to Open Floodgate for Business in Saudi Arabia’
Khalil Hanware, Arab News
JEDDAH, 27 February 2007 — After the landmark visit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to China, subsequent visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Saudi Arabia early last year gave a major boost to economic relations between the two countries. Ren Yuling, member of the Standing Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), who is attending the Jeddah Economic Forum 2007, told Arab News in an exclusive interview yesterday that he had a fruitful discussion with Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry Chairman Saleh Al-Turki during this visit. They discussed various economic and historical issues and prospects for further improvement in the areas of economy and trade. [more]

‘Transparency Cornerstone of Trade Policy’
Khalil Hanware & K.S. Ramkumar, Arab News
JEDDAH, 26 February 2007 — Saudi Commerce and Industry Minister Dr. Hashim Yamani yesterday emphasized the need for boosting the competitive ability of national production sectors. Speaking at the opening session of the eighth three-day Jeddah Economic Forum 2007 (JEF) at the Hilton Hotel, he said that the global economy was currently witnessing a very dynamic phase through direct interaction between world markets and great technological advances. “Now is an opportunity for every nation to make gains from international competitiveness and work toward achieving better economic levels to meet the needs of current and future generations,” Yamani said in his address entitled “Enhancement of the Saudi Productive Sector’s Competitiveness in a Changing World Economy.” [more]

Editorial: Economic Forum
24 February 2007 – Arab News
THE Jeddah Economic Forum, which begins tomorrow after an opening ceremony this evening, has become a fixed star in the Saudi economic and business calendar as the interface between world economic trends and Saudi economic practice and needs. There will be few major Saudi business players who are not in Jeddah today, not only to listen to speeches and ideas but to press the flesh, network, or simply see who is there while making sure they are being seen as well. This year the theme, “Economic Reform: Flourishing Grounds and Expanding Horizons” and sub-themes, such as “The Role of Saudi Arabia in Changing the Global Energy Paradigm” and “Flexicurity in Reform: A Balanced Social Agenda” may sound complex, but they go to the heart of what the Saudi economy requires. [more]