Editor’s Note:

“The Sun Never Sets on Dubai World” according to the banner across its Web site home page, but on Wednesday an eclipse darkened the skies over “Dubai’s flag bearer in global investments.” The holding company announced a $60 billion “standstill” asking for a six-month delay in repaying debt.

The announcement shocked the global financial nervous system sending markets into declines by Friday over renewed fears that economic recovery could be hurt by a further credit squeeze. Banking analyst David Williams at London’s Fox-Pitt Kelton told AP, “What we need for the economic momentum to continue is for banks to feel confident about lending, and clearly what has happened in the last 48 hours is not a step in the right direction.”

Analysts and investors seemed to catch their breath by later in the day Friday. AP reported Raymond James’ chief investment strategist Jeffrey Saut as saying, “People will dig into this over the weekend, but I think balance sheets have healed enough to withstand a shock like this.” On Sunday the UAE central bank announced it would stand behind Dubai banks providing a “liquidity facility” to reassure investors. The short term impact of the Dubai debt announcement may have been partially obscured by the long holiday weekend for U.S. markets and it will not be apparent until Monday. “The consequences of the financial crisis are going to play out for a while,” according to CEO Mohamed El-Erian of global bond trading leader Pimco. He told the New York Times, “Dubai could be the beginning of a series of sovereign debt issues or crisis.. ..What Dubai is going to do is make people think more intensely about the lagging implications of last year’s crisis. It’s going to be a wake up call to the people who thought that the financial crisis was just a flesh wound.”

What does the Dubai World shockwave mean for the financial profile of the Gulf region and, of particular interest to SUSRIS readers, of Saudi Arabia? Today we are pleased to present answers to that question and more from John Sfakianakis, Chief Economist Banque Saudi Fransi – Credit Agricole Group. We thank Mr. Sfakianakis for sharing his analysis “Dubai: after the plunge” with SUSRIS.

Emerging Market Focus
November 27, 2009

Dubai: after the plunge

Summary

• Concerns about Dubai’s potentially crippling default on enormous debts to global creditors have rattled investor confidence across the oil-exporting Gulf region.
• Dubai’s reputation has been impacted in a major way and it will be difficult for the emirate to recover from the negative backlash in the medium to long term.
• However, we believe that Abu Dhabi will come to the rescue.. ..but like all rescues it would have a price. In that case it may well be first of all a political price.
• Abu Dhabi is bound to suffer from the contagion from Dubai for the short term, but we expect the UAE capital will be in a position to overcome any risk profile pressure.
• Credit quality deterioration simply is not an issue in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar and we expect that in the short term, investors will calm down and begin to differentiate between “good” and “bad” bets in the Gulf region.

Assessing the regional fallout of Dubai’s credit disaster

Concerns about Dubai’s potentially crippling default on enormous debts to global creditors have rattled investor confidence across the oil-exporting Gulf region, prompting corporate issuers in the region to postpone or cancel bond issuances (e.g. Gulf Investment Bank) in the wake of the news.

We estimate Dubai’s debt upward of $80 billion. At the heart of the issue is whether state-run Dubai World, which holds more than $50 billion in liabilities, will be able to pay back its creditors. The conglomerate that runs flagship Dubai companies such as DP World, asked banks this week for a “standstill” agreement as it negotiates to extend maturities of debt, including the $3.52 billion in Islamic bonds due next month from Nakheel, the famed palm tree island developer. The bond at the centre of Dubai’s restructuring efforts, the December 2009 Islamic bond from Nakheel, has lost a third of its value since the announcement, the price having collapsed to 72 points from 111 beforehand.

Dubai’s announcement, which happened on Wednesday, sent shockwaves through European equity markets on fears that many banks could face massive writedowns on Dubai debt. Currency and bond markets across the globe were also exposed to developments that have become the source of the biggest destruction of confidence in Dubai’s history. To make matters more interesting the ports operator, DP World announced that it will be excluded from the debt standstill and restructuring of Dubai World and its subsidiaries. The company, the world’s fourth-largest ports operator, is 77% owned by Dubai World. DP World is considered the best asset within Dubai World. We think this move is clearly to differentiate the good assets of Dubai from the bad ones, and DP World is a good asset.

Credit default swaps across the region rose, including in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi which, unlike Dubai, hold rich hydrocarbon reserves. Dubai’s five-year CDS spreads are at three-month highs and there is further upside risk. Dubai, with sparse oil reserves, built its fortunes on real estate and financial services in recent years, borrowing heavily to finance megaprojects including three man-made islands shaped as palm fronds.

Regional bond sales have been impacted as spreads have widened. Gulf Investment Bank, owned by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, have decided to postpone the dollar bond sale. We are informed that other corporates in the region were preparing to tap the international bond market. We think that there will be a temporary lull but renewed activity will begin in the first quarter of 2010 as risk is readjusted for the entire region.

Credit quality deterioration simply is not an issue in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar and we expect that in the short term, investors will calm down and begin to differentiate between “good” and “bad” bets in the Gulf region. The Dubai debt debacle comes shortly after Qatar, the world’s top exporter of liquefied natural gas, sold $7 billion in bonds this month, subscribed mainly by investors in the United States and the United Kingdom. Orders for the bond issue, described as the largest by an emerging-market government, topped $28 billion – underpinning the genuine faith many international investors have in the region.

We think that in the future, global investors will need to differentiate between those Gulf economies that are debt-burdened and those whose leverage levels are incredibly low by global standards. Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, has among the lowest levels of public debt in the G20, with domestic debt levels at 13.4% of GDP last year, compared with 81% in India and 50% in the United States. It also holds enormous foreign assets of SR1.46 trillion at the end of October, most of which is invested in low-risk, liquid investments.

Differentiating regional risk profiles

In view of these nuances, the region is often wrongly sold to the world as uniform when in fact the six states comprising the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) followed very different development models. Even within the UAE, Dubai and capital Abu Dhabi – holder of the majority of the state’s crude oil reserves – had followed two extremely different development paths this decade. Dubai built its economy using high leverage, with revenue streams that were tenuous. Dubai’s volatile real estate and services sectors did well during the boom years but fell victim to the global financial crisis, which triggered a slump in asset values, especially real estate. It should not be ignored that Dubai was above all an interesting real estate play which benefited the early entrants but turned out to be a bubble that burst. This approach differs heavily from Abu Dhabi, which was bringing in hundreds of billions of dollars in surpluses during this decade’s oil boom, but investing it in a more calculated, moderate pace that has mainly avoided the creation of asset bubbles. Despite the real estate development story in Abu Dhabi the authorities did not permit the development of a bubble. Dubai is now in a bind as its debt is more than nine time its 2008 revenues. That pattern is unsustainable.

Once the dust settles, we believe that there will be a flight to quality, with foreign funds favouring Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is bound to suffer from the contagion from Dubai for the short term, but we expect the UAE capital will be in a position to overcome any risk profile pressure. Abu Dhabi controls 90% of the UAE’s oil reserves which are the fourth largest in the world. Despite the global financial crisis, the Abu Dhabi Investment Fund is one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. Clearly, we think Abu Dhabi’s investment program and low key leadership offers reasonable reassurances about the country’s direction to avoid far fewer excesses.

The fate and handling of Dubai’s sovereign risk is impacting the way international markets perceive GCC sovereign risk. The Saad-Algosaibi debt default saga in Saudi Arabia, while shaking the credibility of regional borrowers, did not bring lending to Saudi entities in general to a halt. Rather, the situation forced creditors to reassess the risks involved with lending to different entities and categorise them accordingly. Corporates that are showing signs of transparency will begin to reap the benefits of finance from within the region and outside. However, state entities will continue to receive the bulk of trust from international lenders. In a similar way, Dubai’s debt problems will compel creditors to re-categorize sovereign risk. Dubai entities will have to work hard to bring back confidence in the state-enterprise model of Dubai which was based on high leverage and constraint income.

If there is anything we have learned so far from the global financial crisis is that leverage and debt without a strong revenue base cannot sustain an economy. We find Saudi Arabia to be leading the pack in terms of sovereign strength despite the corporate saga that lingers. Moreover, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi never witnessed the real estate excesses that have punished Dubai in the past year.

There was never a real estate bubble in Saudi Arabia and if anything the property market is severely undersupplied. The government has made sure to pay down government debt during the boom years and budgetary spending has been counter-cyclical – careful during periods of high oil prices and aggressive during cycles of depressed oil prices.

We view Qatar as being equally strong as a sovereign, with a solid revenue base to back up its expansion. The excesses witnessed in the property sector were far more contained and used far less leverage, with most, if not all was locally generated. Hence we see very little risk that Qatar can generate going forward.

After the dust settles: what’s next for Dubai

Dubai’s reputation has been impacted in a major way and it will be difficult for the emirate to recover from the negative backlash in the medium to long term. The lack of transparency surrounding how the emirate plans to pay back debts reaching maturity has compounded investors’ perception of risk. Until the Dubai World announcement, investors had expected Abu Dhabi would provide Dubai with adequate funds to pay back its creditors. Just an hour before the debt restructuring news, Dubai announced it had sold $5 billion in bonds to two banks in Abu Dhabi in which the government holds substantial stakes. But the government quickly clarified these funds had nothing to do with the Dubai World debt restructuring.

Earlier this year, the UAE central bank, based in the UAE capital, subscribed for $10 billion in Dubai sovereign bonds, a portion of which went toward enabling state-linked developers pay outstanding dues to contractors. That move eased investor worries about a potential default by Dubai, but also raised questions about what Abu Dhabi would demand in return. The two emirates, although being part of the same federation, are run by separate ruling families.

The entire debt repayment scenario has now been thrown into question. The Nakheel bond is, after all, the most high-profile of Dubai’s debts and was regarded by many as a litmus test for how effectively Dubai – and Abu Dhabi – would treat maturing debts. Markets, puzzled about why the $5 billion raised by Dubai this week was not going to Nakheel bond creditors, will be watching for news on how the debt restructuring develops and what conditions Abu Dhabi could set for providing funds to pay outstanding loans.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, also prime minister of the UAE, removed this month key executives who helped shape modern Dubai, including replacing the governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, Omar bin Sulaiman, and removing the chairmen of Emaar Properties, Dubai World and Dubai Holding from the board of the Investment Corporate of Dubai, a body charged with managing the emirate’s wealth. At the newly reshuffled board of ICD, two of the ruler’s sons were brought in as directors. The change of guard will have to be tested and the results and management style would be watched closely by the international investor community. Moreover, the larger question of succession would be kept at the back of the international investors’ minds.

There has been little public announcement about the conditions attached to Abu Dhabi aid to Dubai and what level of autonomy the emirate would have to forego in exchange for the financial bailout. We believe that in the end, Abu Dhabi will be willing and able to provide adequate funds to enable Dubai to meet its debt obligations. We are not of the view that Abu Dhabi wants to have a “sick cousin” that would jeopardize the well-being of the Federation. Abu Dhabi wants to see Dubai’s economy return to a healthier state as many Abu-Dhabi based businessmen have invested in the property sector and the economy of Dubai at large. Abu Dhabi will have three avenues to pursue: pay, buy and bail out. This funding, however, will come at a cost not measured in money. Politics in this region is more powerful than simple monetary transactions. But in the end, Dubai will not be able to cover its debts on its own and the de-leveraging process could last not a few months but a few years.

Bailing out Dubai could be good for the Federation but nothing is for free. Will Abu Dhabi ask for additional control over Dubai? Will this make Dubai less autonomous? As there is no free lunch and all services have to be paid back the price that Dubai might have to pay back to Abu Dhabi is some of its autonomy. Dubai would have to yield to the conditions of its rich neighbour in order to save face among global creditors. It is very difficult for Dubai not to prevent Abu Dhabi from gaining additional influence, both at the level of the Federation as well as bilaterally. And the Dubai leadership’s language has changed and become more supportive of the Federation. The most vivid of all was the comments of Dubai’s ruler who said in earlier in November that people who speculated about relations between Dubai and Abu Dhabi should “shut up,” at an investors’ conference in Dubai. The ruling lines of both emirates are “the same family, not only that but the same tribe, the Bani Yas tribe,” he said. They “ruled many many tribes in the Arabian Peninsula for hundreds and hundreds of years.” It is important to note that it was only in 1996 that Dubai integrated its armed forces into the UAE’s military command. The sense of Dubai’s autonomy was also evidenced after the UAE’s establishment in 1971 where there were border check points, for many years, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai even if both were part of the Federation.

Dubai’s economy, meanwhile, is poised to face another backlash from the debt troubles, which are likely to shake investor confidence in its real estate sector once again and send prices that have already halved in the last year down further. Although Dubai’s property developers, controlled by the state, are trying to control real estate prices by holding back the release of additional apartment units onto the market it could be that prices could very well depreciate further. The emirate could also be forced to introduce further delays to infrastructure projects currently in the pipeline.

We think that Abu Dhabi plays a key role in supporting debt-ridden Dubai. Dubai’s leveraged property play has come to an abrupt and crashing end. Going forward Dubai needs to show resolve but also willingness to admit to greater transparency. Dubai also needed to better time the announcement of its the debt restructuring. Dubai is in dire straits and Abu Dhabi will come to the rescue but like all rescues it would have a price. As for the international investor base, it should become apparent to them that Dubai is not core of the GCC and there is far greater depth to the region that remains untapped.

John Sfakianakis, Chief Economist BSF – Credit Agricole Group
Johns@alfransi.com.sa

Certification:
The views expressed in this report accurately reflect the personal views of the undersigned analyst(s). In addition, the undersigned analyst(s) has not and will not receive any compensation for providing a specific recommendation or view in this report.

John Sfakianakis

Calyon – Credit Agricole CIB

Editor’s Note:

This report provides a VOA update to the fight against Houthi rebels by Saudi and Yemeni forces and a link to a video report featured today on Al Jazeera TV’s “Inside Story” via YouTube. Additional reports on the fighting with Yemeni rebels along the Saudi border are compiled on a SUSRIS Special Section (link below).

VIDEO – Rebellion in Yemen – Inside Story – Al Jazeera

As Saudi Arabia mobilises its forces on the Yemeni border, Iran demands that outside forces stay out of the war between the government and Houthi fighters in Yemen. Is a local insurrection turning into a war between the region’s strongest powers? Are we seeing the birth of another proxy war in the Middle East? and who is likely to come out on top?

Report from Yemen and panel among Yemeni, Saudi and Iranian specialists — Abdel-Ghani al-Iryani, Hussein Shobokshi and Sadegh Zibakalam.

Yemen and Saudi Arabia Continue to Battle Houthi Rebels
By Edward Yeranian
Cairo
15 November 2009

Yemen says it has recaptured ground from the Houthi rebels in the northern Saada province, while Saudi Arabia says its paratroopers are conducting mop-up operations along the border.

Saudi TV reports that Saudi special forces units and paratroopers are continuing mop-up operations against Houthi rebels in the region of Jebel Dukhan along the border with Yemen. The report said a number of armed rebels were captured.

The report also said Apache helicopters and long-range artillery were used by Saudi forces in the most recent operations.

The Yemeni military says it has recaptured territory from the Houthi rebels in Saada province, along its side of the border. Yemeni warplanes struck rebel positions in both Saada and Amran provinces, overnight.

Eyewitnesses report Yemeni armed forces moved reinforcements from the capital Sanaa into the flashpoint town of Harf Sufyan, where heavy combat took place.

Meanwhile, a top advisor to Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh complained Iran has been aiding the Houthi rebels. Ali Mohammed al-Anisy warns Iran to “stop interfering in internal Yemeni affairs.”

In Tehran, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani lambasted Saudi Arabia for attacking the rebels “and killing people during Hajj season,” while complaining that the United States was “probably involved in the military campaign, too.”

A group of Yemeni opposition parties criticized the government Saturday for allowing Saudi Arabia to allegedly “violate Yemeni sovereignty.”

Political Science Professor Ahmed Abdul-Karim Saif, of the University of Sanaa, says the Yemeni political parties “are playing a poker game with the government,” but he “doubts if Saudi Arabia is really violating Yemeni sovereignty.”

Saif also said material Iranian involvement in the conflict with the Houthi rebels is probably limited, as well, saying, “..remotely, yes, but directly there is a very minor role played by Iran because of logistic issues, and this is a very political dispute. It has nothing to do with religion. But, religious discourse is exploited to legitimize the war or legitimize the different political stances of different parties.”

As combat continues, civilians on both sides of the border continue to suffer. Thousands on the Saudi side were evacuated from villages in the combat zone in the past several days.

Saudi Civil Defense corps Colonel Hashim Dawoud Saiqal says his unit has been working to find shelter for the refugees. He says 3,900 people have been given shelter in the Liwa tent-city, while 9,850 have been lodged in furnished flats, and others in private homes. He adds that his men were able to carry out the evacuation in under 48 hours.

Professor Saif says civilians on the Yemeni side of the border are not so fortunate, since the Yemeni government has fewer resources to help the thousands of displaced people.

He says the conflict is likely to get worse and could degenerate into a full-scale regional conflict. He says more will be known after the upcoming visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Muttaqi to Riyadh.

Reprinted with permission of VOA

Editor’s Note:

This report provides a VOA update to the fight against Houthi rebels by Saudi and Yemeni forces and a link to a video report featured today on Al Jazeera TV’s “Inside Story” via YouTube.

Video – Rebellion in Yemen – Inside Story – Al Jazeera

As Saudi Arabia mobilises its forces on the Yemeni border, Iran demands that outside forces stay out of the war between the government and Houthi fighters in Yemen. Is a local insurrection turning into a war between the region’s strongest powers? Are we seeing the birth of another proxy war in the Middle East? and who is likely to come out on top?

Report from Yemen and panel among Yemeni, Saudi and Iranian specialists — Abdel-Ghani al-Iryani, Hussein Shobokshi and Sadegh Zibakalam

Yemen and Saudi Arabia Continue to Battle Houthi Rebels
By Edward Yeranian
Cairo
15 November 2009

Yemen says it has recaptured ground from the Houthi rebels in the northern Saada province, while Saudi Arabia says its paratroopers are conducting mop-up operations along the border.

Saudi TV reports that Saudi special forces units and paratroopers are continuing mop-up operations against Houthi rebels in the region of Jebel Dukhan along the border with Yemen. The report said a number of armed rebels were captured.

The report also said Apache helicopters and long-range artillery were used by Saudi forces in the most recent operations.

The Yemeni military says it has recaptured territory from the Houthi rebels in Saada province, along its side of the border. Yemeni warplanes struck rebel positions in both Saada and Amran provinces, overnight.

Eyewitnesses report Yemeni armed forces moved reinforcements from the capital Sanaa into the flashpoint town of Harf Sufyan, where heavy combat took place.

Meanwhile, a top advisor to Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh complained Iran has been aiding the Houthi rebels. Ali Mohammed al-Anisy warns Iran to “stop interfering in internal Yemeni affairs.”

In Tehran, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani lambasted Saudi Arabia for attacking the rebels “and killing people during Hajj season,” while complaining that the United States was “probably involved in the military campaign, too.”

A group of Yemeni opposition parties criticized the government Saturday for allowing Saudi Arabia to allegedly “violate Yemeni sovereignty.”

Political Science Professor Ahmed Abdul-Karim Saif, of the University of Sanaa, says the Yemeni political parties “are playing a poker game with the government,” but he “doubts if Saudi Arabia is really violating Yemeni sovereignty.”

Saif also said material Iranian involvement in the conflict with the Houthi rebels is probably limited, as well, saying, “..remotely, yes, but directly there is a very minor role played by Iran because of logistic issues, and this is a very political dispute. It has nothing to do with religion. But, religious discourse is exploited to legitimize the war or legitimize the different political stances of different parties.”

As combat continues, civilians on both sides of the border continue to suffer. Thousands on the Saudi side were evacuated from villages in the combat zone in the past several days.

Saudi Civil Defense corps Colonel Hashim Dawoud Saiqal says his unit has been working to find shelter for the refugees. He says 3,900 people have been given shelter in the Liwa tent-city, while 9,850 have been lodged in furnished flats, and others in private homes. He adds that his men were able to carry out the evacuation in under 48 hours.

Professor Saif says civilians on the Yemeni side of the border are not so fortunate, since the Yemeni government has fewer resources to help the thousands of displaced people.

He says the conflict is likely to get worse and could degenerate into a full-scale regional conflict. He says more will be known after the upcoming visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Muttaqi to Riyadh.

Reprinted with permission of VOA

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabian military forces continued operations against rebels in the southwest border area calling for Houthi fighters to retreat “tens of kilometers” from the Saudi border. Rebel commander Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the fighters were not backed by Iran and called for a ceasefire with Saudi Arabia telling Al Jazeera TV the fighting was “not in the interest of the two countries.” Iran, which has been named by Yemen as being behind the Houthi rebellion, called for a “collective approach.. to restore security, peace and tranquility” in Yemen according to Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki told reporters, others in the region — without naming Saudi Arabia — “must seriously hold back from intervening in Yemen’s internal affairs,” adding that, “Those who pour oil on the fire must know that they will not be spared from the smoke that billows.”

Today we provide an update, courtesy of Arab News, reported by Muhammad Humaidan, on the situation along the border and in the region.

Border secure against incursions
Muhammad Humaidan | Arab News

KHUBA: Airstrikes against infiltrators will continue until they move away from the Kingdom’s southern border, Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation for military affairs, was quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying on Tuesday.

“We are not going to stop the bombing until the infiltrators retreat tens of kilometers inside their border,” Prince Khaled said during a visit to the Saudi armed forces in the southern province of Jazan.

Prince Khaled said that all areas along the Yemeni border have been cleared of infiltrators. “There is no intruder now along the Saudi border and it will be a death zone for those who dare to enter there,” he said. “The Border Guards are now in full control and they are supported by armed forces.”

He said the infiltrators had not requested for any talks with the Kingdom. Asked whether there was any agreement with Yemen to deal with these armed groups, Prince Khaled replied in the affirmative. “There are agreements and political contacts between the two countries.”

Prince Khaled refuted allegations that Saudi forces had entered Yemeni territory. “We have no enmity toward our brotherly neighbor Yemen and its trustworthy people. So I tell you to shake every hand that is extended to you and cut every hand that attacks you,” he told Saudi soldiers. Prince Khaled also said the Kingdom had fully secured its border against incursions.

The minister cautioned against those who spread allegations that contradict the Kingdom’s foreign policy. “Saudi Arabia will not interfere in the internal conflicts of any Arab country and will not side with countries fighting each other, except for making peace between them.” Prince Khaled confirmed that four Saudi soldiers were still missing. He, however, denied press reports that one of the missing soldiers had returned.

He earlier visited a group of Saudi soldiers on the border. Addressing the forces, the minister said the government was confident of their capabilities. He highlighted their role in protecting the Kingdom’s borders from intruders. “The flag of truth and justice will fly high,” he added.

Prince Khaled said the Saudi leadership was proud of the soldiers’ good work in cleansing the Jabal Dukhan border post of the infiltrators and regaining full control of the region. He said the quick action of Saudi forces had neutralized the infiltrators. “The Saudi people appreciate your actions. You are making history and we honor you. You will get the support of God,” the prince said.

Saudi forces are also engaged in providing shelter to people who have been evacuated from Jabal Dukhan and nearby villages. Brig. Hamoud Al-Hassani, director of Civil Defense in Jazan, said shelter camps in Uhd Masaraha had been provided with relief supplies and necessary facilities such as air conditioners.

Meanwhile, a number of families living in the shelter camps said they had been provided with enough food, clothing and other relief supplies by the Saudi authorities.

Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal thanked GCC countries for supporting Saudi Arabia following the incursion. Addressing a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Doha on Tuesday, he said Saudi forces have completed their operation against the infiltrators, adding that the incident would not affect Saudi-Yemeni relations.

Omani State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi Abdullah, current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council, reaffirmed that the six-member group would stand by Saudi Arabia in its efforts to protect its borders. “We are confident that Saudi Arabia is capable of securing its borders.” Abdullah also pledged GCC’s support for the security of Yemen.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa condemned the border aggression and demanded a speedy end to the internal problems in Yemen.

Syria also denounced the attack by intruders and said the Kingdom had every right to defend its sovereignty, an SPA report said.

— With input from Muhammad Al-Majid

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabian military forces continued operations against rebels in the southwest border area calling for Houthi fighters to retreat “tens of kilometers” from the Saudi border. Rebel commander Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the fighters were not backed by Iran and called for a ceasefire with Saudi Arabia telling Al Jazeera TV the fighting was “not in the interest of the two countries.” Iran, which has been named by Yemen as being behind the Houthi rebellion, called for a “collective approach.. to restore security, peace and tranquility” in Yemen according to Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki told reporters, others in the region — without naming Saudi Arabia — “must seriously hold back from intervening in Yemen’s internal affairs,” adding that, “Those who pour oil on the fire must know that they will not be spared from the smoke that billows.”

Today we provide an update, courtesy of Arab News, reported by Muhammad Humaidan, on the situation along the border and in the region.

Border secure against incursions
Muhammad Humaidan | Arab News

KHUBA: Airstrikes against infiltrators will continue until they move away from the Kingdom’s southern border, Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation for military affairs, was quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying on Tuesday.

“We are not going to stop the bombing until the infiltrators retreat tens of kilometers inside their border,” Prince Khaled said during a visit to the Saudi armed forces in the southern province of Jazan.

Prince Khaled said that all areas along the Yemeni border have been cleared of infiltrators. “There is no intruder now along the Saudi border and it will be a death zone for those who dare to enter there,” he said. “The Border Guards are now in full control and they are supported by armed forces.”

He said the infiltrators had not requested for any talks with the Kingdom. Asked whether there was any agreement with Yemen to deal with these armed groups, Prince Khaled replied in the affirmative. “There are agreements and political contacts between the two countries.”

Prince Khaled refuted allegations that Saudi forces had entered Yemeni territory. “We have no enmity toward our brotherly neighbor Yemen and its trustworthy people. So I tell you to shake every hand that is extended to you and cut every hand that attacks you,” he told Saudi soldiers. Prince Khaled also said the Kingdom had fully secured its border against incursions.

The minister cautioned against those who spread allegations that contradict the Kingdom’s foreign policy. “Saudi Arabia will not interfere in the internal conflicts of any Arab country and will not side with countries fighting each other, except for making peace between them.” Prince Khaled confirmed that four Saudi soldiers were still missing. He, however, denied press reports that one of the missing soldiers had returned.

He earlier visited a group of Saudi soldiers on the border. Addressing the forces, the minister said the government was confident of their capabilities. He highlighted their role in protecting the Kingdom’s borders from intruders. “The flag of truth and justice will fly high,” he added.

Prince Khaled said the Saudi leadership was proud of the soldiers’ good work in cleansing the Jabal Dukhan border post of the infiltrators and regaining full control of the region. He said the quick action of Saudi forces had neutralized the infiltrators. “The Saudi people appreciate your actions. You are making history and we honor you. You will get the support of God,” the prince said.

Saudi forces are also engaged in providing shelter to people who have been evacuated from Jabal Dukhan and nearby villages. Brig. Hamoud Al-Hassani, director of Civil Defense in Jazan, said shelter camps in Uhd Masaraha had been provided with relief supplies and necessary facilities such as air conditioners.

Meanwhile, a number of families living in the shelter camps said they had been provided with enough food, clothing and other relief supplies by the Saudi authorities.

Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal thanked GCC countries for supporting Saudi Arabia following the incursion. Addressing a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Doha on Tuesday, he said Saudi forces have completed their operation against the infiltrators, adding that the incident would not affect Saudi-Yemeni relations.

Omani State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi Abdullah, current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council, reaffirmed that the six-member group would stand by Saudi Arabia in its efforts to protect its borders. “We are confident that Saudi Arabia is capable of securing its borders.” Abdullah also pledged GCC’s support for the security of Yemen.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa condemned the border aggression and demanded a speedy end to the internal problems in Yemen.

Syria also denounced the attack by intruders and said the Kingdom had every right to defend its sovereignty, an SPA report said.

— With input from Muhammad Al-Majid

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabia launched strikes last week against rebels in the border area with Yemen in the southwest part of the Kingdom in response to an incident where armed Houthi rebels fired on Saudi border guards. The rebels have been fighting sporadic battles against Yemeni government troops over the past five years, but the conflict has intensified since August. Saudi Arabia’s engagement of the Houthi rebels is complicated by charges by the Yemeni government that the rebels are backed by Iran, a warning by Iran’s foreign minister against foreign intervention in the rebel battle, and underlying tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.

The counterattacks have continued into this week as reported by VOA in an article provided here for your consideration. Additional reporting is provided in video news items through the links provided below.

Saudi Arabia Says Troops Take Back Land From Yemeni Rebels
VOA

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says its forces have regained control of a mountain on the border with Yemen.

Assistant Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan told the Saudi Press Agency Sunday that the situation is calm at Mount Dokhan, after Saudi forces bombarded Shi’ite rebels based in Yemen for a fifth consecutive day.

He said three Saudi soldiers were killed and four others are missing after days of fighting on the country’s southeastern border.

The Saudi government says it is attacking rebels who have infiltrated its territory, but residents along the border say the military action has reached into northern Yemen.

Meanwhile, Yemen has reported that one of its fighter planes went down in a rebel stronghold in the country’s north. The government says the plane crashed due to “mechanical problems,” while rebels say they shot down the aircraft.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh made no mention of Saudi Arabia when he addressed the fighting Saturday.

In a speech inaugurating Yemen’s first gas plant, he called the Zaidi rebels “traitors” and said the battle against them would not stop until they are wiped out.

The Shi’ite Zaidi rebels have been in conflict with Yemen’s government for five years, but the fighting has flared significantly in the past few months. The rebels, also known as al-Houthis, say the central government is not taking care of their communities’ needs.

Reprinted with permission of VOA

Related Videos:

• Saudi concern over Yemen’s Houthis – Al Jazeera via YouTube.com – Houthi fighters in Yemen say they’ve taken control of more territory on the border, a claim that has worried neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The claim comes after the Saudis said they had regained control of another area seized by the rebels last week. Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra reports from Sanaa, the Yemeni capital.
• Leading cleric blames Iran for Yemen conflict – 05 Oct 09 – Al Jazeera via Youtube.com – Yemen’s most influencial cleric has accused Iran of fuelling the country’s bitter civil conflict. In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, he claims Iran is backing a rebel uprising in the country’s north. Shia fighters and the army are engaged in fierce fighting that’s dividing popular opinion in the country. From the Yemeni capital Sana’a, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra reports.
• Yemen rebels accuse government of breaking truce – 22 Sep 09 – Al Jazeera via Youtube.com – Rebel Houthi fighters in northern Yemen have accused the government of breaking the latest ceasefire, saying there has been no sign of any let up in violence around the city of Saada. But Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, said the rebels, who are mostly from the Shia Zaydi sect, had ignored the ceasefire offer and accused them of killing civilians and using “human shields”. This comes after the government claimed it had killed more than 140 fighters who had attacked its regional headquarters. Fighting between the rebels and government forces have flared since the army launched its latest operation in August in Saada and Amran provinces. The government says the rebels want to restore a Shia state that fell in the 1960s and accuse Shia power Iran of maintaining contacts with them. The rebels say they want autonomy and accuse Saleh, who is himself a Shia Zaydi, of despotism and corruption in a drive to stay in power, as well as introducing Sunni fundamentalism via his alliance with Saudi Arabia. Imran Khan reports.
• Yemen’s president says Iran supports Houthis – 9 Sept 09 – Al Jazeera via Youtube.com – Yemeni government forces have been fighting Houthi loyalists in the country’s north for weeks, vowing to crush them with an “iron fist”. Ali Abdallah Saleh, the president, now speaks exclusively to Al Jazeera, saying the recent lull in fighting was not a truce and blaming Iran for supporting the rebels. He says the military operations were halted only to allow aid agencies into the area where civilians are caught between the two sides. Tarek Bazley reports on the conflict which some fear could develop into a regional war.
• North Yemen locals weary after years of war – 07 Sept 09 – Despite the latest attempts at a ceasefire, there is still sporadic fighting in northern Yemen. Failure to stop the five year long war will increase fears of further destabilisation across the region. The Yemeni government claim Shia Muslim Huthi rebels are being backed by Iran. Neighbouring Saudi Arabia’s worried that Yemen is the main recruiting ground for Al Qaeda. Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra has the latest from the Yemeni capital Sana’aa.
• Inside Story – Doubts over Yemen’s future – Sep 7 2009 – The five-year long fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters in the north of Yemen has cast a shadow on the future of this Arab country. Houthi fighters, who are Zaidi Shia Muslims, are seeking independence from a government which they say is corrupt and too close to Saudi Arabia. The latest round of fighting started in Yemen’s north last month and has continued primarily in Saada province. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people have been displaced in the fighting in Saada and UN aid agencies are warning that Yemen is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. Just four hours after a truce was declared on Saturday, fighting had resumed with both sides claiming the other had broken the ceasefire. Is Yemen heading for another civil war? And how are regional powers influencing events in a country considered a breeding ground for extremist groups? Inside Story presenter Sohail Rahman is joined by Hakim Almasmari, the editor-in-chief of the Yemen Post, Tahar Qassim, the chairman of the Liverpool Arabic Centre, and Steven Park, the founder of Sema Group, a global security company.
• Yemeni rebels and government cease fire – 5 Sept 09 – Al Jazeera via Youtube.com – The Yemeni government has said that it has halted military operations against the Houthi fighters to allow aid to reach civilians trapped in the conflict zone. Up to 150,000 people are said to have been forced from their homes by intense fighting and are in need of urgent assistance. It was unsure, however, whether the truce would hold as the conflict between the Houthi group and the government has been going on for five years, and mistrust between both sides is deep. Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra reports from the capital, Sanaa.
• Saudi Air Force Attack Ground Targets – video posted to YouTube.com

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabia launched strikes last week against rebels in the border area with Yemen in the southwest part of the Kingdom in response to an incident where armed Houthi rebels fired on Saudi border guards. The rebels have been fighting sporadic battles against Yemeni government troops over the past five years, but the conflict has intensified since August. Saudi Arabia’s engagement of the Houthi rebels is complicated by charges by the Yemeni government that the rebels are backed by Iran, a warning by Iran’s foreign minister against foreign intervention in the rebel battle, and underlying tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.

The counterattacks have continued into this week as reported by VOA in an article provided here for your consideration. Additional reporting is provided in video news items through the links provided below.

Saudi Arabia Says Troops Take Back Land From Yemeni Rebels
VOA

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says its forces have regained control of a mountain on the border with Yemen.

Assistant Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan told the Saudi Press Agency Sunday that the situation is calm at Mount Dokhan, after Saudi forces bombarded Shi’ite rebels based in Yemen for a fifth consecutive day.

He said three Saudi soldiers were killed and four others are missing after days of fighting on the country’s southeastern border.

The Saudi government says it is attacking rebels who have infiltrated its territory, but residents along the border say the military action has reached into northern Yemen.

Meanwhile, Yemen has reported that one of its fighter planes went down in a rebel stronghold in the country’s north. The government says the plane crashed due to “mechanical problems,” while rebels say they shot down the aircraft.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh made no mention of Saudi Arabia when he addressed the fighting Saturday.

In a speech inaugurating Yemen’s first gas plant, he called the Zaidi rebels “traitors” and said the battle against them would not stop until they are wiped out.

The Shi’ite Zaidi rebels have been in conflict with Yemen’s government for five years, but the fighting has flared significantly in the past few months. The rebels, also known as al-Houthis, say the central government is not taking care of their communities’ needs.

Reprinted with permission of VOA

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabia launched air strikes against rebel positions in northern Yemen following attacks that killed two Saudi border security guards on Tuesday according to reports. Rebels claimed to have taken control of Jabal al-Dukhan in the mountainous region inside Saudi Arabia.

A rebel spokesman, quoted by Al Jazeera today, described the Saudi counterattack as strikes on six locations inside Yemen. Shi’ite rebels, known as Houthis after the family of their leader, have accused Saudi Arabia of backing Yemen against the insurgents, according to Reuters.

Last month Prince Naif, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister and Second Deputy Prime Minister, told reporters the Kingdom was deeply concerned with developments in Yemen. Arab News quoted him as saying, “We are cooperating with our Yemeni brothers at maximum levels to ensure Yemen’s security.”

This special report provides an overview of this week’s rebel attacks provided by Muhammad Humaidan writing for Arab News as well as links to related press reports on the fighting and its background.

Yemeni rebels attack border post in Jazan
Muhammad Humaidan / Arab News

JAZAN: A Saudi border guard was killed [Reuters reported on November 5 that the number was two killed] and 11 others were injured when armed infiltrators from across the Yemeni border fired on Saudi border guards. The incident took place at Dukhan Mountain close to the Khald border post in Al-Khoba sector of Jazan province on Tuesday, a Saudi official source said on Wednesday.

“The Kingdom affirms that it will preserve the homeland’s security, protect its borders and deter infiltrators and others from any side. The infiltrators used various weapons to fire at border guards,” the official source added.

After leading the funeral prayers for Turki Al-Qahtani, the border guard killed in the incident, Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser said, “Al-Qahtani has been martyred fighting for his country and religion. A rebel group (in Yemen) has stretched its evil hand into Saudi territory. We wish the Yemeni government and its citizens lasting security and stability on its northern and southern borders. You all know that the Kingdom has been striving to preserve the stability of Yemen.”

The prince continued, “The Kingdom under no circumstances can allow anyone to cross the red line and interfere with the country’s security and stability.”

The governor also stated that the situation in Al-Khoba was under control and that the infiltrators would be dealt with firmly. “They should know that they would be punished for the hostile act they committed.”

The governor also offered condolences to the family of Al-Qahtani on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan, Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Naif and all the citizens of Saudi Arabia.

Evacuated villagers in the region told Arab News that the infiltrators were Al-Houthi rebels fighting against the Yemeni government. All villages south of Al-Khoba, including Al-Mujaa, Al-Rouqi, Al-Maqbas, Qamadah, Al-Arrah, Al-Batoul, Khamran, Al-Muarasah and Al-Ghawiyah have been evacuated.

“Tuesday was a black day for us because we were attacked without provocation by Al-Houthi rebels. All members of my family have been evacuated. But we will not allow anyone to harm our country. After sending our women and children to safe locations, our men will return to their villages to defend them,” Isa Al-Hazazi of Al-Rouqi village told Arab News. Sheikh Muflih Al-Kaoubi, the chief of Al-Kaoub tribe, said “We will die for every inch of our land. Our villages are the theater of operations. We will stay with the soldiers and will not flee leaving the place for rebels.”

The injured Border Guards include Ali Sharahli, Musa Al-Qanaei, Sultan Hamzi, Musaed Hakami, Sami Alwan, Ali Al-Qauzi, Ayman Al-Abdali, Abdullah Al-Ashmani, Musa Ali and Nabil Rayani.

Residents of villages living in the area told Arab News Saudi security and military forces had cleaned up the area by flushing out the remaining infiltrators. They also reported sounds of intensive airstrikes from the border areas. Some sources said Jazan airport was closed for passenger traffic with incoming flights being diverted to nearby airports.

— With input from Muhammad Al-Majid

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

Saudi Arabia launched air strikes against rebel positions in northern Yemen following attacks that killed two Saudi border security guards on Tuesday according to reports. Rebels claimed to have taken control of Jabal al-Dukhan in the mountainous region inside Saudi Arabia.

A rebel spokesman, quoted by Al Jazeera today, described the Saudi counterattack as strikes on six locations inside Yemen. Shi’ite rebels, known as Houthis after the family of their leader, have accused Saudi Arabia of backing Yemen against the insurgents, according to Reuters.

Last month Prince Naif, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister and Second Deputy Prime Minister, told reporters the Kingdom was deeply concerned with developments in Yemen. Arab News quoted him as saying, “We are cooperating with our Yemeni brothers at maximum levels to ensure Yemen’s security.”

This special report provides an overview of this week’s rebel attacks provided by Muhammad Humaidan writing for Arab News as well as links to related press reports on the fighting and its background.

Yemeni rebels attack border post in Jazan
Muhammad Humaidan / Arab News

JAZAN: A Saudi border guard was killed [Reuters reported on November 5 that the number was two killed] and 11 others were injured when armed infiltrators from across the Yemeni border fired on Saudi border guards. The incident took place at Dukhan Mountain close to the Khald border post in Al-Khoba sector of Jazan province on Tuesday, a Saudi official source said on Wednesday.

“The Kingdom affirms that it will preserve the homeland’s security, protect its borders and deter infiltrators and others from any side. The infiltrators used various weapons to fire at border guards,” the official source added.

After leading the funeral prayers for Turki Al-Qahtani, the border guard killed in the incident, Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser said, “Al-Qahtani has been martyred fighting for his country and religion. A rebel group (in Yemen) has stretched its evil hand into Saudi territory. We wish the Yemeni government and its citizens lasting security and stability on its northern and southern borders. You all know that the Kingdom has been striving to preserve the stability of Yemen.”

The prince continued, “The Kingdom under no circumstances can allow anyone to cross the red line and interfere with the country’s security and stability.”

The governor also stated that the situation in Al-Khoba was under control and that the infiltrators would be dealt with firmly. “They should know that they would be punished for the hostile act they committed.”

The governor also offered condolences to the family of Al-Qahtani on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan, Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Naif and all the citizens of Saudi Arabia.

Evacuated villagers in the region told Arab News that the infiltrators were Al-Houthi rebels fighting against the Yemeni government. All villages south of Al-Khoba, including Al-Mujaa, Al-Rouqi, Al-Maqbas, Qamadah, Al-Arrah, Al-Batoul, Khamran, Al-Muarasah and Al-Ghawiyah have been evacuated.

“Tuesday was a black day for us because we were attacked without provocation by Al-Houthi rebels. All members of my family have been evacuated. But we will not allow anyone to harm our country. After sending our women and children to safe locations, our men will return to their villages to defend them,” Isa Al-Hazazi of Al-Rouqi village told Arab News. Sheikh Muflih Al-Kaoubi, the chief of Al-Kaoub tribe, said “We will die for every inch of our land. Our villages are the theater of operations. We will stay with the soldiers and will not flee leaving the place for rebels.”

The injured Border Guards include Ali Sharahli, Musa Al-Qanaei, Sultan Hamzi, Musaed Hakami, Sami Alwan, Ali Al-Qauzi, Ayman Al-Abdali, Abdullah Al-Ashmani, Musa Ali and Nabil Rayani.

Residents of villages living in the area told Arab News Saudi security and military forces had cleaned up the area by flushing out the remaining infiltrators. They also reported sounds of intensive airstrikes from the border areas. Some sources said Jazan airport was closed for passenger traffic with incoming flights being diverted to nearby airports.

— With input from Muhammad Al-Majid

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS.org special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS.org homepage for all the Summit update links.

Group of Twenty Summit Concludes with Plans for Sustainable Growth and Reforms
by Patrick W. Ryan

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept 25 – The Group of Twenty key industrialized and developing countries completed a two-day Summit agreeing to launch a new framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth by November. In the Summit communique the leaders, from the European Union and 19 countries that contain most of the world’s population and economic power, claimed success in pulling the global economy back from the “the edge of depression” faced when they last met in April.

The Summit leaders said the largest and most coordinated financial stimulus ever undertaken was behind the transition from crisis to recovery. However, they warned that a sense of normalcy should not lead to complacency and that the process of recovery remains incomplete.

The Saudi Arabian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, and included Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser.

Among the measures agreed to is a “Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth,” a compact that commits them to work together to assess how policies fit together, to evaluate whether they are collectively consistent with sustainable and balanced growth, and to act as necessary to meet the common objectives of the group.

The Summit communiqué called for reform of the global economic architecture including designation of the G-20 as the “premier forum for international economic cooperation” and the establishment of a Financial Stability Board to coordinate and monitor progress in strengthening financial regulation. The International Monetary Fund quota system will be revised to reflect “dynamic emerging markets and developing countries” and recognize those countries that are currently under-represented.

In the energy sector the communiqué called for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies and promoting energy market transparency and market stability as part of a wider effort to avoid market volatility.

The G-20 convened with plans set for follow-up action at the next meeting in June 2010 in Canada and then in Korea in November 2010.

Editor’s Note:

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Group of Twenty Summit Concludes with Plans for Sustainable Growth and Reforms
by Patrick W. Ryan

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept 25 – The Group of Twenty key industrialized and developing countries completed a two-day Summit agreeing to launch a new framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth by November. In the Summit communique the leaders, from the European Union and 19 countries that contain most of the world’s population and economic power, claimed success in pulling the global economy back from the “the edge of depression” faced when they last met in April.

The Summit leaders said the largest and most coordinated financial stimulus ever undertaken was behind the transition from crisis to recovery. However, they warned that a sense of normalcy should not lead to complacency and that the process of recovery remains incomplete.

The Saudi Arabian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, and included Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser.

Among the measures agreed to is a “Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth,” a compact that commits them to work together to assess how policies fit together, to evaluate whether they are collectively consistent with sustainable and balanced growth, and to act as necessary to meet the common objectives of the group.

The Summit communiqué called for reform of the global economic architecture including designation of the G-20 as the “premier forum for international economic cooperation” and the establishment of a Financial Stability Board to coordinate and monitor progress in strengthening financial regulation. The International Monetary Fund quota system will be revised to reflect “dynamic emerging markets and developing countries” and recognize those countries that are currently under-represented.

In the energy sector the communiqué called for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies and promoting energy market transparency and market stability as part of a wider effort to avoid market volatility.

The G-20 convened with plans set for follow-up action at the next meeting in June 2010 in Canada and then in Korea in November 2010.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Editor’s Note:

It was overcast with occasional showers in Pittsburgh — the city which sits at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongohela Rivers in Western Pennsylvania, the starting point of the Ohio River — seeming to damped the mood throughout the day yesterday. Pittsburgh area officials had done a superb job putting out the welcome mat to the leaders and delegations from the world’s top 19 industrialized and developing nations and the European Union — the Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. Satellite broadcast trucks took up positions around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Police units moved around in strength downtown and in areas where demonstrations were being organized — 14 arrests have been recorded already. Local businesses prepared for two days of reduced activity as traffic restrictions start to take hold. And come Thursday morning the G-20 Summit will be called to order, and despite the weather and the demonstrators outside leaders of countries controlling 85 percent of the world’s financial wherewithal will pick up where they left off in London in the spring, continuing to put the pieces of the global economy back together.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS.org special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS.org homepage for all the Summit update links.

G-20 Leaders Set to Review Global Recovery Progress, Steps Ahead
Patrick W. Ryan

The Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations will open its third summit in ten months Thursday as world leaders express cautious optimism that a global economic catastrophe has been avoided and there are signs of recovery. Leaders and delegations, including Saudi Arabia’s banking and finance officials, will assemble for two days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to assess economic progress, decide what needs to be done to further the recovery and to plan for sustained growth.

The potential of an economic catastrophe that faced the world when the G-20 leaders met for the first time in Washington last November is still on the minds of the summiteers. “A year ago, our economy was in a freefall,” said U.S. President Barack Obama in a pre-Summit statement. “Some economists were predicting a second Great Depression. Immediate action was required to rescue the economy.”

Through a series of unilateral and multilateral steps to restore worldwide financial stability the G-20 countries, while still facing significant challenges, have laid the groundwork for sustained economic growth. At the April London summit G-20 leaders, who represent 85 percent of the world’s economy, pledged to, “do whatever is necessary to,” among other measures, restore confidence, growth and jobs; repair the financial system; strengthen financial regulation; fund and reform our international financial institutions; promote global trade and investment; and build a sustainable recovery.

The consensus is that recovery is underway but as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a U.S. Congressional panel earlier this month there is “still a long way to go before true recovery takes hold” in the American economy. He reflected that, “September 2009 is a far cry from the crippling fear and panic of September 2008.” Meanwhile, Saudi investment firm Jadwa, in its September bulletin forecast a sustainable economic recovery in the Kingdom is likely this year. Jadwa Chief Economist Brad Bourland wrote there were indications “the worst is now over for the economy and based on our assumptions that external conditions will continue to get better … we expect a sustainable recovery to take hold in the fourth quarter.”

The Pittsburgh Summit will build on action plans of the earlier G-20 sessions — leader summits and meetings of finance and bank officials — in an effort to strengthen the recovery’s momentum and to coordinate the relaxation of emergency measures instituted in the face of financial meltdown, including about $5 trillion in worldwide fiscal stimulus packages. Finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in London earlier this month ahead of the summit called for building on what has already been achieved and tackling what challenges lie ahead. Their communiqué said, “We agreed in the need for a transparent and credible process for withdrawing our extraordinary fiscal, monetary and financial sector support as recovery becomes firmly secured.”

The G-20 Summit is only one of a flurry of international events vying for world leaders’ attention, including the opening of the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will be in the Kingdom for the two-day inauguration celebration at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and will not travel to Pittsburgh or New York.

The choice of Pittsburgh as the Summit venue was seen as a tribute to that city’s resurgence as noted by President Obama, “Pittsburgh stands as a bold example of how to create new jobs and industries while transitioning to a 21st century economy. As a city that has transformed itself from the city of steel to a center for high-tech innovation –including green technology, education and training, and research and development – Pittsburgh will provide both a beautiful backdrop and a powerful example for our work.”

The Group of Twenty was established in 1999 to address global economic issues among major industrialized and developing countries. Members are the finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

Patrick Ryan is editor-in-chief of SUSRIS.

Editor’s Note:

Today’s agenda at the G-20 Summit is dominated by the arrival of official delegations and an evening at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh hosted by President and Mrs. Obama. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal who underwent back surgery earlier this month is leading the deleation from the Kingdom which arrived yesterday evening. The opening plenary is set for Friday morning at the Pittsburgh Convention Center.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS.org special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS.org homepage for all the Summit update links.

Saudi Delegation Arrives in Pittsburgh Ahead of G-20 Summit

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal arrived in Pittsburgh today for the G-20 Summit being held September 24-25, 2009. He will lead the Saudi delegation to the Summit.

The Saudi Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser, also arrived today for the meeting of world leaders and finance ministers. The G-20 nations are expected to discuss recent developments of global economy following this year’s crises.

The Saudi economy’s strength and influence in the world marketplace have grown exponentially during the past few decades. The Saudi economy is the largest in the Middle East and, in their “Doing Business” annual report issued earlier this month, the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-World Bank rated Saudi Arabia as the 13th most economically-competitive country in the world.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also recently praised the strength of the Saudi economy in a public information notice released in August that highlighted the Kingdom’s “leadership role in stabilizing world oil markets.”

Source: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office

Editor’s Note:

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS.org special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS.org homepage for all the Summit update links.

Global Economic Leaders Gather in Pittsburgh to Assess, Reform
by Patrick W. Ryan

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept 24 – Delegations from the key industrialized and developing nations landed here throughout the day as the Summit of the Group of Twenty prepared to tackle a host of pressing global economic issues. Saudi Arabia’s delegation arrived Wednesday evening. The G-20 host, American President Barack Obama with his wife Michelle, arrived mid-afternoon today following the historic first of presiding over a session of the United Nations Security Council in New York. Many of the leaders at the two-day G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh participated in this week’s opening ceremonies of the United Nations General Assembly.

Saudi Arabia’s G-20 delegation is led by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, accompanied by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser. Prince Saud, who has served as Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975, underwent surgery on a vertebrae in his neck according to an official announcement this month.

The Group of Twenty Summit is the third meeting in ten months of the leaders whose nations control about 85 percent of the world’s economic power. The Pittsburgh meeting will focus on recovery from the near catastrophic troubles that hit global economies late last year – to assess economic progress, decide what needs to be done to further the recovery and to plan for sustained growth.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner speaking at a Summit press conference outlined a framework for reform that will be basis for U.S. discussions during the Summit. Geithner said, “There is substantial commitment to put reforms in place,” adding, “We will be able to achieve more if we move early.”

In April Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser sounded a similar note at Washington conference when he said, “A strong economy requires a sound financial system, which depends not only on market, but also on prudent though not intrusive public intervention.” He noted, “We must learn the right lessons from this crisis and resist the temptation to go back to business as usual in the financial markets.”

Editor’s Note:

Today’s agenda at the G-20 Summit is dominated by the arrival of official delegations and an evening at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh hosted by President and Mrs. Obama. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal who underwent back surgery earlier this month is leading the deleation from the Kingdom which arrived yesterday evening. The opening plenary is set for Friday morning at the Pittsburgh Convention Center.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Saudi Delegation Arrives in Pittsburgh Ahead of G-20 Summit

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal arrived in Pittsburgh today for the G-20 Summit being held September 24-25, 2009. He will lead the Saudi delegation to the Summit.

The Saudi Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser, also arrived today for the meeting of world leaders and finance ministers. The G-20 nations are expected to discuss recent developments of global economy following this year’s crises.

The Saudi economy’s strength and influence in the world marketplace have grown exponentially during the past few decades. The Saudi economy is the largest in the Middle East and, in their “Doing Business” annual report issued earlier this month, the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-World Bank rated Saudi Arabia as the 13th most economically-competitive country in the world.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also recently praised the strength of the Saudi economy in a public information notice released in August that highlighted the Kingdom’s “leadership role in stabilizing world oil markets.”

Source: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Editor’s Note:

It was overcast with occasional showers in Pittsburgh — the city which sits at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongohela Rivers in Western Pennsylvania, the starting point of the Ohio River — seeming to damped the mood throughout the day yesterday. Pittsburgh area officials had done a superb job putting out the welcome mat to the leaders and delegations from the world’s top 19 industrialized and developing nations and the European Union — the Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. Satellite broadcast trucks took up positions around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Police units moved around in strength downtown and in areas where demonstrations were being organized — 14 arrests have been recorded already. Local businesses prepared for two days of reduced activity as traffic restrictions start to take hold. And come Thursday morning the G-20 Summit will be called to order, and despite the weather and the demonstrators outside leaders of countries controlling 85 percent of the world’s financial wherewithal will pick up where they left off in London in the spring, continuing to put the pieces of the global economy back together.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

G-20 Leaders Set to Review Global Recovery Progress, Steps Ahead
Patrick W. Ryan

The Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations will open its third summit in ten months Thursday as world leaders express cautious optimism that a global economic catastrophe has been avoided and there are signs of recovery. Leaders and delegations, including Saudi Arabia’s banking and finance officials, will assemble for two days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to assess economic progress, decide what needs to be done to further the recovery and to plan for sustained growth.

The potential of an economic catastrophe that faced the world when the G-20 leaders met for the first time in Washington last November is still on the minds of the summiteers. “A year ago, our economy was in a freefall,” said U.S. President Barack Obama in a pre-Summit statement. “Some economists were predicting a second Great Depression. Immediate action was required to rescue the economy.”

Through a series of unilateral and multilateral steps to restore worldwide financial stability the G-20 countries, while still facing significant challenges, have laid the groundwork for sustained economic growth. At the April London summit G-20 leaders, who represent 85 percent of the world’s economy, pledged to, “do whatever is necessary to,” among other measures, restore confidence, growth and jobs; repair the financial system; strengthen financial regulation; fund and reform our international financial institutions; promote global trade and investment; and build a sustainable recovery.

The consensus is that recovery is underway but as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a U.S. Congressional panel earlier this month there is “still a long way to go before true recovery takes hold” in the American economy. He reflected that, “September 2009 is a far cry from the crippling fear and panic of September 2008.” Meanwhile, Saudi investment firm Jadwa, in its September bulletin forecast a sustainable economic recovery in the Kingdom is likely this year. Jadwa Chief Economist Brad Bourland wrote there were indications “the worst is now over for the economy and based on our assumptions that external conditions will continue to get better … we expect a sustainable recovery to take hold in the fourth quarter.”

The Pittsburgh Summit will build on action plans of the earlier G-20 sessions — leader summits and meetings of finance and bank officials — in an effort to strengthen the recovery’s momentum and to coordinate the relaxation of emergency measures instituted in the face of financial meltdown, including about $5 trillion in worldwide fiscal stimulus packages. Finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in London earlier this month ahead of the summit called for building on what has already been achieved and tackling what challenges lie ahead. Their communiqué said, “We agreed in the need for a transparent and credible process for withdrawing our extraordinary fiscal, monetary and financial sector support as recovery becomes firmly secured.”

The G-20 Summit is only one of a flurry of international events vying for world leaders’ attention, including the opening of the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will be in the Kingdom for the two-day inauguration celebration at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and will not travel to Pittsburgh or New York.

The choice of Pittsburgh as the Summit venue was seen as a tribute to that city’s resurgence as noted by President Obama, “Pittsburgh stands as a bold example of how to create new jobs and industries while transitioning to a 21st century economy. As a city that has transformed itself from the city of steel to a center for high-tech innovation –including green technology, education and training, and research and development – Pittsburgh will provide both a beautiful backdrop and a powerful example for our work.”

The Group of Twenty was established in 1999 to address global economic issues among major industrialized and developing countries. Members are the finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

– Patrick Ryan is editor-in-chief of SUSRIS.

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the www.SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Editor’s Note:

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the SUSRIS homepage for all the Summit update links.

Global Economic Leaders Gather in Pittsburgh to Assess, Reform
by Patrick W. Ryan

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept 24 – Delegations from the key industrialized and developing nations landed here throughout the day as the Summit of the Group of Twenty prepared to tackle a host of pressing global economic issues. Saudi Arabia’s delegation arrived Wednesday evening. The G-20 host, American President Barack Obama with his wife Michelle, arrived mid-afternoon today following the historic first of presiding over a session of the United Nations Security Council in New York. Many of the leaders at the two-day G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh participated in this week’s opening ceremonies of the United Nations General Assembly.

Saudi Arabia’s G-20 delegation is led by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, accompanied by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf and the Governor of Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser. Prince Saud, who has served as Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975, underwent surgery on a vertebrae in his neck according to an official announcement this month.

The Group of Twenty Summit is the third meeting in ten months of the leaders whose nations control about 85 percent of the world’s economic power. The Pittsburgh meeting will focus on recovery from the near catastrophic troubles that hit global economies late last year – to assess economic progress, decide what needs to be done to further the recovery and to plan for sustained growth.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner speaking at a Summit press conference outlined a framework for reform that will be basis for U.S. discussions during the Summit. Geithner said, “There is substantial commitment to put reforms in place,” adding, “We will be able to achieve more if we move early.”

In April Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser sounded a similar note at Washington conference when he said, “A strong economy requires a sound financial system, which depends not only on market, but also on prudent though not intrusive public intervention.” He noted, “We must learn the right lessons from this crisis and resist the temptation to go back to business as usual in the financial markets.”

SUSRIS will provide special reports from the Pittsburgh Summit through email, updates to a SUSRIS.org special section and through the SUSRIS blog. Check the www.SUSRIS.org homepage for all the Summit update links.

Prince Muhammad escapes assassination attempt
Arab News

JEDDAH: Prince Muhammad bin Naif, assistant interior minister for security affairs, escaped an assassination attempt on Thursday night when a wanted terrorist blew himself up inside the prince’s house here.

The minister escaped with minor injuries in the suicide bombing that was staged by the terrorist posing as a well-wisher. The body of the terrorist, the only death in the incident, was shattered into bits and pieces.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah visited Prince Muhammad at the hospital soon after the incident to inquire about his health and safety. The king thanked God for saving the minister’s life, and commended his services to the country.

The king asked Prince Muhammad why was the terrorist allowed in without proper checks, to which the prince replied, “It was a mistake.”

According to a statement issued by the Royal Court, the suicide bombing took place at 11.30 p.m. while Prince Muhammad was receiving well-wishers who came to greet him on the occasion of Ramadan at his house in Jeddah.

“Among them there was a wanted terrorist, who had previously expressed his desire to surrender himself to the prince,” the statement said.

Prince Muhammad said the criminal act would only strengthen his resolve to do more to reinforce the country’s security and stability.

“The wanted criminal exploded himself during security inspection,” the royal court said, adding that the prince escaped the assassination attempt with minor injuries. The bomb had been fixed to his body and that was triggered when the terrorist received a call from outside, according to Al-Arabiya news channel.

“Nobody else suffered any injuries,” the royal court said. The prince later left the hospital after undergoing necessary tests and treatment.

Prince Muhammad was appointed as assistant interior minister 10 years ago. He holds a degree in political science from a US university.

Prince Muhammad, who has attended advanced courses in combating terror inside and outside the Kingdom, has been in the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s campaign against Al-Qaeda militants.

Last week, the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 44 suspected militants linked to an Al-Qaeda cell. The deviants sought to recruit youths and financed their activities through donations secured through charities.

“The suspects were arrested over a period of one year. The operation began on July 20, 2008, and ended on Aug. 2 this year,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

“Forty-three of those arrested are Saudi nationals,” said Al-Turki. He said that some of them had received training in the Kingdom and abroad on the use of light and heavy weapons. Some had received training on mixing and detonating explosive materials. Others received training in counterfeiting documents and identity cards. Their ages ranged between 20 and 60.

Al-Turki said 17 Kalashnikov rifles, 50 machine guns, 42 cases of ammunition and 96 remote electronic detonators were seized from the militants. The spokesman added that the detonators were located underground in two remote areas. One was in the suburbs of Qassim and the other in a valley near the city of Riyadh.

The identities of those arrested were not revealed, but Al-Turki said among them were individuals with proper technical qualifications and some with advanced university degrees. “None of those arrested figure in the list of 85 wanted militants issued in February,” he said. “We found 39 magazines hidden in a secret compartment behind a concrete wall inside the home of one of the suspects,” he said.

Source: Arab News

Prince Muhammad escapes assassination attempt
Arab News

JEDDAH: Prince Muhammad bin Naif, assistant interior minister for security affairs, escaped an assassination attempt on Thursday night when a wanted terrorist blew himself up inside the prince’s house here.

The minister escaped with minor injuries in the suicide bombing that was staged by the terrorist posing as a well-wisher. The body of the terrorist, the only death in the incident, was shattered into bits and pieces.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah visited Prince Muhammad at the hospital soon after the incident to inquire about his health and safety. The king thanked God for saving the minister’s life, and commended his services to the country.

The king asked Prince Muhammad why was the terrorist allowed in without proper checks, to which the prince replied, “It was a mistake.”

According to a statement issued by the Royal Court, the suicide bombing took place at 11.30 p.m. while Prince Muhammad was receiving well-wishers who came to greet him on the occasion of Ramadan at his house in Jeddah.

“Among them there was a wanted terrorist, who had previously expressed his desire to surrender himself to the prince,” the statement said.

Prince Muhammad said the criminal act would only strengthen his resolve to do more to reinforce the country’s security and stability.

“The wanted criminal exploded himself during security inspection,” the royal court said, adding that the prince escaped the assassination attempt with minor injuries. The bomb had been fixed to his body and that was triggered when the terrorist received a call from outside, according to Al-Arabiya news channel.

“Nobody else suffered any injuries,” the royal court said. The prince later left the hospital after undergoing necessary tests and treatment.

Prince Muhammad was appointed as assistant interior minister 10 years ago. He holds a degree in political science from a US university.

Prince Muhammad, who has attended advanced courses in combating terror inside and outside the Kingdom, has been in the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s campaign against Al-Qaeda militants.

Last week, the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 44 suspected militants linked to an Al-Qaeda cell. The deviants sought to recruit youths and financed their activities through donations secured through charities.

“The suspects were arrested over a period of one year. The operation began on July 20, 2008, and ended on Aug. 2 this year,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

“Forty-three of those arrested are Saudi nationals,” said Al-Turki. He said that some of them had received training in the Kingdom and abroad on the use of light and heavy weapons. Some had received training on mixing and detonating explosive materials. Others received training in counterfeiting documents and identity cards. Their ages ranged between 20 and 60.

Al-Turki said 17 Kalashnikov rifles, 50 machine guns, 42 cases of ammunition and 96 remote electronic detonators were seized from the militants. The spokesman added that the detonators were located underground in two remote areas. One was in the suburbs of Qassim and the other in a valley near the city of Riyadh.

The identities of those arrested were not revealed, but Al-Turki said among them were individuals with proper technical qualifications and some with advanced university degrees. “None of those arrested figure in the list of 85 wanted militants issued in February,” he said. “We found 39 magazines hidden in a secret compartment behind a concrete wall inside the home of one of the suspects,” he said.

Source: Arab News

– FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON U.S. – ARAB RELATIONS –

18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Fresh Visions, Old Realities, New Possibilities:
The Impact of Leadership Change on Arab-U.S. Relations

Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – We are pleased to inform you that on Oct. 15-16th the National Council on US-Arab Relations will host its 18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, DC.

Full information about last year’s program can be found at the National Council’s web site. Published versions of select presentations to last year’s Conference and previous ones as well can be viewed via SUSRIS.

To register for the conference, simply complete the on-line registration form — or to access the form here and send it to the National Council via fax (202-293-7770) or regular mail to NCUSAR, 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036.

FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON U.S. – ARAB RELATIONS

18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference

Fresh Visions, Old Realities, New Possibilities:
The Impact of Leadership Change on Arab-U.S. Relations

October 15-16, 2009

Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – We are pleased to inform you that on Oct. 15-16th the National Council on US-Arab Relations will host its 18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, DC.

Full information about last year’s program can be found at the National Council’s web site. Published versions of select presentations to last year’s Conference and previous ones as well can be viewed via SUSRIS.

To register for the conference, simply complete the on-line registration form — or to access the form here and send it to the National Council via fax (202-293-7770) or regular mail to NCUSAR, 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036.

– FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON U.S. – ARAB RELATIONS –

18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference
“Fresh Visions, Old Realities, New Possibilities: The Impact of Leadership Change on Arab-U.S. Relations”

WASHINGTON – We are pleased to inform you that on Oct. 15-16th the National Council on US-Arab Relations will host its 18th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, DC.

Full information about last year’s program can be found at the National Council’s web site. Published versions of select presentations to last year’s Conference and previous ones as well can be viewed via SUSRIS.

To register for the conference, simply complete the on-line registration form — or to access the form here and send it to the National Council via fax (202-293-7770) or regular mail to NCUSAR, 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036.

Editor’s Note:

The 2009 edition of the Arab Human Development Report (AHDR) was released today in Beirut. At the ceremony Mrs. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations And Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States, called the report “an independent platform for scholars in the Arab region to present their vision on the most critical challenges facing the Arab countries in their quest to deepen human development.”

Mrs. Alsoswa noted the report was a platform for dialogue and the launch was “a starting point for a series of dialogues on the report’s themes and messages. The report, which follows a series begun in 2002, focuses on seven key dimensions that affect people’s lives: environmental security, the state’s performance in guaranteeing human security, the personal security of vulnerable groups, economic security, nutrition and food security, health and human security, and the impact of conflict and occupation on human security.

Today, SUSRIS is pleased to provide for your consideration three items, this special report consisting of an article by Ghazanfar Ali Khan of Arab News, which summarizes the AHDR; Mrs. Alsoswa’s remarks at the Beirut ceremony; and the UNDP summary. Each of these items will be supplemented by links to SUSRIS items and related materials to provide background and context to this important report.

SUSRIS IOI – Arab Human Development Report – 2009 – Launch Ceremony – Remarks of Mrs. Amat Al Alim Alsowa

SUSRIS IOI – Arguing for “Human Security” – Arab Human Development Report – 2009 – Summary

More efforts urged to make Arab world a better place
Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Arab News

RIYADH: A UN-sponsored report has called on Arab governments to make progress in human development and to do more for making the Arab world a good place to live in.

It called on Arab governments to create more jobs, allay security fears and take necessary measures to prevent desertification, which threatens about 2.9 million square kilometres, or roughly one-fifth of the total area of Arab countries.

“The natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate, as population pressures mount in the Arab countries,” said the report entitled “Arab Human Development Report 2009 (AHDR).”

It said that the average number of live births per woman in the Arab region is 3.6 compared to a global average of 2.6. “With this growth rate, the region is expected to have nearly 385 million people by 2015, up from approximately 330 million currently,” said the report.

Giving an overview of the report, May Hamoud Al-Faraj, a spokeswoman for the Riyadh chapter of the United Nations Development Program said that the AHDR 2009 was the fruit of a two-year research process drawing on the efforts of many people.

The 288-page report, she said, talks about the human security issues in the Arab world, environmental protection, women’s rights, Arab oil economy, public health, poverty and hunger, conflict and military intervention as well as how to make progress in terms of human development.

The report mentions growing unemployment in Arab countries. According to the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning, the jobless rate among Saudis was 11.2 percent in the first half of 2008, but estimates by the report show that it is much higher.

The report said that the Arab world has the world’s highest unemployment rate — 14.4 percent versus a world average of 6.3 percent. This is simply not proven by statistics available here. Given current population growth, Arab countries will have to create 50 million new jobs by 2020 in order to accommodate the anticipated work force. On the other hand, the report also called for safeguarding the rights of women by changing laws and attitudes which entrench gender-based discrimination.

The report notes that women in Arab countries have little access to justice and few possibilities of legal redress when they are victims of violence. In conflict areas, women’s lack of safety and security increase sharply.

“Though violence against women can be found in every country, women in societies with entrenched male dominance, patriarchal kinship patterns, and legalized discrimination — the situation in many Arab countries — are acutely vulnerable,” said Munira Fakhro, former Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain and an advisory board member for the AHDR.

Fakhro has been quoted as saying that the human security of people in the Arab region depends, first and foremost, on the health of the environment that sustains the people.

In Arab countries, a widespread lack of human security undermines human development, according to the report. The report identifies several ways in which Arab countries can improve human security.

It also addresses the weak structural underpinnings of the Arab oil economy and moves toward a more diversified, knowledge-based economy that provides sufficient employment.

Arab countries are greatly exposed to the fluctuations of oil prices, as oil accounts for more than 70 percent of the region’s exports.

The report called for tackling poverty and ending hunger despite the comparative affluence of the region. An estimated one in five people in the Arab region live below the internationally recognized poverty threshold of $2-per-day, the report added.

The report also called for boosting public health by expanding access to affordable quality health care. Referring to refugees’ problems that have been compounded over the years, the report said that more than 17 million people in the Arab region have been forced by violent conflict to flee their homes, making this the region of the world with the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Source: Arab News

UNDP is the UN’s global development network. The organization advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources that help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

Source: UNDP/ADHR

About AHDRs:

Arab Human Development Reports (AHDRs) engage institutions and citizens in the Arab countries in global concerns so as to build understanding and consensus around regional and national development priorities. They also identify disadvantaged groups of population and regions and suggest policies, strategies and opportunities for investment to benefit them. They target Arab decision-makers and opinion leaders in governments and civil societies.

As instruments for measuring human progress and triggering action for change, the AHDRs feed into and draw upon the data and analysis of the global Human Development Reports. Taking the human development approach to the regional level, the AHDRs promote regional partnerships for influencing change and region-specific approaches to human rights, poverty, education, economic reform, HIV/AIDS, and globalization.

Prepared and owned by Arabs as an advocacy tool designed to appeal to a wide audience, they spur public debates and mobilize support for action and change through processes of consultation, research and report writing. They have helped to articulate perceptions and priorities in the region, and have served as a source of alternate policy opinion for development planning across varied themes.

Source: UNDP/AHDR

Editor’s Note:

The 2009 edition of the Arab Human Development Report (AHDR) was released today in Beirut. At the ceremony Mrs. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations And Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States, called the report “an independent platform for scholars in the Arab region to present their vision on the most critical challenges facing the Arab countries in their quest to deepen human development.”

Mrs. Alsoswa noted the report was a platform for dialogue and the launch was “a starting point for a series of dialogues on the report’s themes and messages. The report, which follows a series begun in 2002, focuses on seven key dimensions that affect people’s lives: environmental security, the state’s performance in guaranteeing human security, the personal security of vulnerable groups, economic security, nutrition and food security, health and human security, and the impact of conflict and occupation on human security.

Today, SUSRIS is pleased to provide for your consideration three items, this special report consisting of an article by Ghazanfar Ali Khan of Arab News, which summarizes the AHDR; Mrs. Alsoswa’s remarks at the Beirut ceremony; and the UNDP summary.

More efforts urged to make Arab world a better place
Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Arab News

RIYADH: A UN-sponsored report has called on Arab governments to make progress in human development and to do more for making the Arab world a good place to live in.

It called on Arab governments to create more jobs, allay security fears and take necessary measures to prevent desertification, which threatens about 2.9 million square kilometres, or roughly one-fifth of the total area of Arab countries.

“The natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate, as population pressures mount in the Arab countries,” said the report entitled “Arab Human Development Report 2009 (AHDR).”

It said that the average number of live births per woman in the Arab region is 3.6 compared to a global average of 2.6. “With this growth rate, the region is expected to have nearly 385 million people by 2015, up from approximately 330 million currently,” said the report.

Giving an overview of the report, May Hamoud Al-Faraj, a spokeswoman for the Riyadh chapter of the United Nations Development Program said that the AHDR 2009 was the fruit of a two-year research process drawing on the efforts of many people.

The 288-page report, she said, talks about the human security issues in the Arab world, environmental protection, women’s rights, Arab oil economy, public health, poverty and hunger, conflict and military intervention as well as how to make progress in terms of human development.

The report mentions growing unemployment in Arab countries. According to the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning, the jobless rate among Saudis was 11.2 percent in the first half of 2008, but estimates by the report show that it is much higher.

The report said that the Arab world has the world’s highest unemployment rate — 14.4 percent versus a world average of 6.3 percent. This is simply not proven by statistics available here. Given current population growth, Arab countries will have to create 50 million new jobs by 2020 in order to accommodate the anticipated work force. On the other hand, the report also called for safeguarding the rights of women by changing laws and attitudes which entrench gender-based discrimination.

The report notes that women in Arab countries have little access to justice and few possibilities of legal redress when they are victims of violence. In conflict areas, women’s lack of safety and security increase sharply.

“Though violence against women can be found in every country, women in societies with entrenched male dominance, patriarchal kinship patterns, and legalized discrimination — the situation in many Arab countries — are acutely vulnerable,” said Munira Fakhro, former Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain and an advisory board member for the AHDR.

Fakhro has been quoted as saying that the human security of people in the Arab region depends, first and foremost, on the health of the environment that sustains the people.

In Arab countries, a widespread lack of human security undermines human development, according to the report. The report identifies several ways in which Arab countries can improve human security.

It also addresses the weak structural underpinnings of the Arab oil economy and moves toward a more diversified, knowledge-based economy that provides sufficient employment.

Arab countries are greatly exposed to the fluctuations of oil prices, as oil accounts for more than 70 percent of the region’s exports.

The report called for tackling poverty and ending hunger despite the comparative affluence of the region. An estimated one in five people in the Arab region live below the internationally recognized poverty threshold of $2-per-day, the report added.

The report also called for boosting public health by expanding access to affordable quality health care. Referring to refugees’ problems that have been compounded over the years, the report said that more than 17 million people in the Arab region have been forced by violent conflict to flee their homes, making this the region of the world with the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Source: Arab News

UNDP is the UN’s global development network. The organization advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources that help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

About AHDRs:

Arab Human Development Reports (AHDRs) engage institutions and citizens in the Arab countries in global concerns so as to build understanding and consensus around regional and national development priorities. They also identify disadvantaged groups of population and regions and suggest policies, strategies and opportunities for investment to benefit them. They target Arab decision-makers and opinion leaders in governments and civil societies.

As instruments for measuring human progress and triggering action for change, the AHDRs feed into and draw upon the data and analysis of the global Human Development Reports. Taking the human development approach to the regional level, the AHDRs promote regional partnerships for influencing change and region-specific approaches to human rights, poverty, education, economic reform, HIV/AIDS, and globalization.

Prepared and owned by Arabs as an advocacy tool designed to appeal to a wide audience, they spur public debates and mobilize support for action and change through processes of consultation, research and report writing. They have helped to articulate perceptions and priorities in the region, and have served as a source of alternate policy opinion for development planning across varied themes.

Source: UNDP/AHDR

U.S. President Obama arrives in Riyadh

Riyadh, June 3, SPA — The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama arrived here today on a two-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

At King Khalid International Airport, he was received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who welcomed the President and the accompanying
delegation.

The U.S. President was also greeted by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Second Deputy Premier, the Minister of Interior; Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz, the Acting Governor of Riyadh Region; Prince Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf Al Miqren, Mayor of Riyadh Region; Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Tibaishi, President of Royal Protocol; Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America, the Escorting Minister; and Richard Erdman, Chargé D’affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. President, then shook hands with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Interior; Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs; Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saud, Minister of Education; Prince Dr. Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities; Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs; Prince Abdulaziz bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Dr. Bandar bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Saud, Adviser to the King; Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, President of the Cabinet Presidency Court; Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz; Chairman of Shoura (Consultative) Council; a number of senior civil and military officials; and members of USA Embassy staff in the Kingdom.
Source: SPA

U.S. President Obama arrives in Riyadh

Riyadh, June 3, SPA — The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama arrived here today on a two-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

At King Khalid International Airport, he was received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who welcomed the President and the accompanying delegation.

The U.S. President was also greeted by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Second Deputy Premier, the Minister of Interior; Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz, the Acting Governor of Riyadh Region; Prince Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf Al Miqren, Mayor of Riyadh Region; Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Tibaishi, President of Royal Protocol; Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America, the Escorting Minister; and Richard Erdman, Chargé D’affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. President, then shook hands with Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Interior; Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs; Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saud, Minister of Education; Prince Dr. Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities; Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs; Prince Abdulaziz bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Dr. Bandar bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Saud, Adviser to the King; Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, President of the Cabinet Presidency Court; Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz; Chairman of Shoura (Consultative) Council; a number of senior civil and military officials; and members of USA Embassy staff in the Kingdom.

Source: SPA

Editor’s Note:

Last week we reported on the “US-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” forum set for Monday, April 27 in Washington. Today we are pleased to share an excerpt from an insightful scene-setter blog post from Steve Clemons, of the New American Foundation. In it he recounts much of the “big stuff” going on and how the US-Saudi relationship “lies at the nexus of many key issues” in the region. We invite your attention to the entire posting at the link below. The conference agenda follows and it can be viewed on-line live on The Washington Note from 8:45 am until 4:00 pm (ET) on Monday, 27 April, with some segments airing on C-Span.

The forum was organized by the New America Foundation/American Strategy Program and the Committee for International Trade (CIT) of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce.

Link: The Washington Note – US-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium (Reprinted in Huffington Post)

***

***

US-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium
Steve Clemons, New America Foundation

“..Because of cultural dissimilarities and almost a purposeful “remoteness” that has become institutionalized in the US-Saudi relationship, except when behind closed doors — or perhaps in the privacy of the oval office or big estates here or there, or in Riyadh — the US-Saudi relationship remains “overly exotic” — and is not acted out in public view to the degree it should be.

“The conference that follows below will hopefully become a starting point for a more regular, public exchange of views on the key strategic and economic challenges that face the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the broader Middle East and international system.

“Whether many Americans want to acknowledge it or not, the fact is that the US-Saudi relationship is vital to America’s geostrategic and geoeconomic interests today — and like all diplomatic frameworks between key geostrategic players, this relationship as seen from both the American and the Saudi sides has warts and shortcomings. Nonetheless, it is not healthy to allow a vital relationship to be perceived and discussed through only very narrow lenses.

“What we have coming up on Monday is pretty significant in my view, and I am grateful to officials in the Obama administration and in the Saudi Kingdom — as well as other private sector speakers — for supporting the kind of open encounter we are promoting in this meeting..”

Link:
The Washington Note – US-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium

US-SAUDI RELATIONS IN A WORLD WITHOUT EQUILIBRIUM

Monday, 27 April 2009

The Four Seasons Hotel
2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC

8:00 am
Registration & Coffee

8:45 am
Welcoming Remarks

9:00 am
A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-US Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve

The Honorable Chuck Hagel
Former United States Senator
Distinguished Professor in the Practice of National Governance, Georgetown University
Chairman, Atlantic Council of the United States

His Excellency HRH Turki Al-Faisal
Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies
Former Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States
Former Director, Saudi Arabia Intelligence Services

Rita E. Hauser
Chairperson, International Peace Institute
Chair, Director’s Council, New America Foundation

The Honorable Zbigniew Brzezinski
Trustee & Counselor, Center for Strategic & International Studies
Chair, Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND Corporation
Former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter
Co-Author, America and the World: Conversations on the Future of US Foreign Policy

The Honorable Abdulla Alireza
Minister of Commerce, Saudi Arabia

Moderator
Steve Clemons
Director, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation
Publisher, The Washington Note

10:30 am
Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

The Honorable Ibrahim Al-Assaf
Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia

Brad Bourland
Chief Economist, Jadwa Investments
Former Chief Economist, Samba Financial Group

The Honorable Muhammad Al-Jasser
Governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority

Heidi Crebo-Rediker
Chief, International Finance and Economics
Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Flynt Leverett
Director, Geopolitics of Energy Initiative, New America Foundation
Former Senior Director for the Middle East, National Security Council

Moderator
Jane Sasseen
Washington Bureau Chief, BusinessWeek

12:00 pm
Blackberry Break

12:15 pm
Luncheon and Address

America’s Strategic Choices and Challenges in the Arabian Gulf and Beyond

The Honorable William J. Burns
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Former US Ambassador to Russia

1:45 pm
Blackberry Break

2:00 pm
Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges

The Honorable Anne-Marie Slaughter
Director of Policy Planning, Department of State
Former Dean, Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, Princeton University

His Excellency Nigel Sheinwald
Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the United States
Former Foreign Policy and Defense Adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair

The Honorable Abdulrahman Al-Saeed
Director General, Specialized Studies Center/Riyadh
Advisor to the Royal Court

The Honorable Wyche Fowler
Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Former United States Senator

Joseph McMillan
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs
Department of Defense

His Excellency Pierre Vimont
Ambassador of France to the United States
Former Chief of Staff to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of France

Moderator
Edward Luce
Washington Bureau Chief, Financial Times

3:30 pm
Closing Comments and Adjournment

Steve Clemons
Director, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation
and Publisher, The Washington Note

The Honorable Abdulrahman Al-Saeed
Director General, Specialized Studies Center/Riyadh
Advisor to the Royal Court

***

***

• “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – SUSRIS – Apr 18, 2009
• U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium – Session Introduction – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Peter Robertson – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Senator Chuck Hagel – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Prince Turki Al Faisal – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Dr. Rita E. Hauser – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Abdullah Alireza – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Questions and Answers – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – William J. Burns – SUSRIS – May 14, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Introduction – Jane Sasseen – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Ibrahim Al-Assaf – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Heidi Crebo-Rediker – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Brad Bourland – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Muhammad Al-Jasser – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Flynt Leverett – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Question and Answer – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Anne-Marie Slaughter – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Edward Luce – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Neil Compton – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Wyche Fowler – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Joseph McMillan – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Pierre Vimont – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Abdulrahman Al-Saeed – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• Big Stuff Is Up – Clemons – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum

***

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE (CIT)

The Committee for International Trade (CIT) – Founded in 1983, The Committee for International Trade (CIT) within the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce is comprised of leading Saudi businessmen and businesswomen working to expand and improve Saudi Arabia’s external trade relationships.

A private-sector initiative, CIT recognizes that Saudi Arabia’s global economic, financial and commercial partnerships are also influenced by social and political considerations; that the ample and accurate flow of information combined with ongoing and candid dialogue are intrinsic to building durable trade and investment ties with the United States as well as other nations.

In support of strong and sustained trade relations, CIT seeks to:

• Engage with key institutions of civil society;
• Create an environment for productive and positive dialogue on political, economic and cultural matters critical to Saudi Arabia;
• Promote Saudi Arabia’s economic growth and diversification both domestically and abroad;
• Affirm Saudi Arabia’s commitment to being a responsible and constructive member of the global community.

In keeping with its mission, CIT often partners with other public and private institutions in the United States and elsewhere.

For more: www.SUSRIS.com/cit

***

ABOUT THE NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States.

New America emphasizes work that is responsive to the changing conditions and problems of our 21st Century information-age economy — an era shaped by transforming innovation and wealth creation, but also by shortened job tenures, longer life spans, mobile capital, financial imbalances and rising inequality.

The foundation’s mission is animated by the American ideal that each generation will live better than the last. That ideal is today under strain. Our education and health care systems are struggling with problems of quality, cost and access. The country requires creative means to address its fiscal challenges and pay for needed public, social and environmental investments. Abroad, the United States has yet to fashion sustainable foreign and defense policies that will protect its citizens and interests in a rapidly integrating world.

Too often, these challenges have proven impervious to conventional party politics and incremental proposals. With an emphasis on big ideas, impartial analysis and pragmatic solutions, New America invests in outstanding individuals whose ability to communicate to wide and influential audiences can change the country’s policy discourse in critical areas, bringing promising new ideas and debates to the fore.

Launched in 1999, the foundation was guided through a period of rapid growth by founding president Ted Halstead. The institute is now led by President Steve Coll and an outstanding Board of Directors, chaired by Eric Schmidt. New America is headquartered in Washington D.C. and also has a significant presence in California, the nation’s largest laboratory of democracy.

For more: www.NewAmerica.net

Editor’s Note:

This special report provides information on a major event addressing U.S.-Saudi relations set for April 27, 2009 in Washington, D.C. The forum — “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” — is being organized by the New America Foundation (NAF) and the Committee for International Trade (CIT) of the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce. This special report provides information on the forum from the NAF and insights about some of the speakers and panels from the event’s organizer, Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation.

The forum is “invitation only” but can be viewed on-line live on The Washington Note from 8:45 am until 4:00 pm (ET) on Monday, 27 April.

Panel Discussions and Remarks on the Following Topics:

• Fixing the Coordinates for Healthy Geo-Political & Geo-Economic Relations Between Saudi Arabia and the United States
• A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-US Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the U.S.
• America’s Geo-Strategic and Geo-Economic Choices and Challenges in the Arabian Gulf and Beyond
• The Neighborhood Through Saudi Arabia’s Window – and Other Lenses
• Moving Beyond Veneer and Protocol: A No-Nonsense Agenda For US-Saudi Relations

Participants

Confirmed Speakers Include:

The Honorable Brent Scowcroft
Chairman, The Scowcroft Group
Former National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush
Co-Author, America and the World: Conversations on the Future of US Foreign Policy

The Honorable Zbigniew Brzezinski
Former National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter
Counselor and Trustee, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Co-Author, America and the World: Conversations on the Future of US Foreign Policy

HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal
Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies
Former Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States
Former Director, Saudi Arabia Intelligence Services

His Excellency Ibrahim Al-Assaf
Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia

The Honorable Chuck Hagel
Former United States Senator
Distinguished Professor, Georgetown University
Chairman, Atlantic Council of the United States

His Excellency Abdullah Alireza
Minister of Commerce and Industry, Saudi Arabia

The Honorable William J. Burns
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs

Rita E. Hauser
Chairperson, International Peace Institute
Chair, Director’s Council, New America Foundation

His Excellency Muhammed Al-Jasser
Governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority

The Honorable Wyche Fowler
Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Former United States Senator

Nigel Sheinwald
British Ambassador to the United States

Brad Bourland
Chief Economist, Jadwa Investments
Former Chief Economist, Samba Financial Group

Edward Luce
Washington Bureau Chief, Financial Times

His Excellency Adel Al-Jubeir
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Saeed
Director General, Specialized Studies Center, Advisor to the Royal Court

Abdulaziz Al-Fahad
Chairman, Committee for International Trade, Council of Saudi Chambers

Flynt Leverett
Director, Geopolitics of Energy Initiative, New America Foundation
Former Senior Director for the Middle East, National Security Council

Jane Sasseen
Washington Bureau Chief, BusinessWeek

***

***

• “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – SUSRIS – Apr 18, 2009
• U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium – Session Introduction – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Peter Robertson – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Senator Chuck Hagel – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Prince Turki Al Faisal – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Dr. Rita E. Hauser – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Abdullah Alireza – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Questions and Answers – SUSRIS – May 8, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel I: A Forward Projection of What the Saudi-U.S. Relationship Should Look Like and Needs to Achieve
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – William J. Burns – SUSRIS – May 14, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Introduction – Jane Sasseen – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Ibrahim Al-Assaf – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Heidi Crebo-Rediker – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Brad Bourland – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Muhammad Al-Jasser – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Flynt Leverett – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Question and Answer – SUSRIS – May 15, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel II: Economics as a National Security Imperative: Challenges for Saudi Arabia and the United States
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Anne-Marie Slaughter – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Edward Luce – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Neil Compton – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Wyche Fowler – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Joseph McMillan – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Pierre Vimont – SUSRIS – May 18, 2009 – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• U.S.-Saudi Relations – Abdulrahman Al-Saeed – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum – Panel III: Through Saudi Arabia’s Window and Other Lenses: Middle East Dynamics and Stakeholder Challenges
• Big Stuff Is Up – Clemons – “U.S.-Saudi Relations in a World Without Equilibrium” – National Policy Forum

***

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE (CIT)

The Committee for International Trade (CIT) – Founded in 1983, The Committee for International Trade (CIT) within the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce is comprised of leading Saudi businessmen and businesswomen working to expand and improve Saudi Arabia’s external trade relationships.

A private-sector initiative, CIT recognizes that Saudi Arabia’s global economic, financial and commercial partnerships are also influenced by social and political considerations; that the ample and accurate flow of information combined with ongoing and candid dialogue are intrinsic to building durable trade and investment ties with the United States as well as other nations.

In support of strong and sustained trade relations, CIT seeks to:

• Engage with key institutions of civil society;
• Create an environment for productive and positive dialogue on political, economic and cultural matters critical to Saudi Arabia;
• Promote Saudi Arabia’s economic growth and diversification both domestically and abroad;
• Affirm Saudi Arabia’s commitment to being a responsible and constructive member of the global community.

In keeping with its mission, CIT often partners with other public and private institutions in the United States and elsewhere.

For more: www.SUSRIS.com/cit

***

ABOUT THE NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States.

New America emphasizes work that is responsive to the changing conditions and problems of our 21st Century information-age economy — an era shaped by transforming innovation and wealth creation, but also by shortened job tenures, longer life spans, mobile capital, financial imbalances and rising inequality.

The foundation’s mission is animated by the American ideal that each generation will live better than the last. That ideal is today under strain. Our education and health care systems are struggling with problems of quality, cost and access. The country requires creative means to address its fiscal challenges and pay for needed public, social and environmental investments. Abroad, the United States has yet to fashion sustainable foreign and defense policies that will protect its citizens and interests in a rapidly integrating world.

Too often, these challenges have proven impervious to conventional party politics and incremental proposals. With an emphasis on big ideas, impartial analysis and pragmatic solutions, New America invests in outstanding individuals whose ability to communicate to wide and influential audiences can change the country’s policy discourse in critical areas, bringing promising new ideas and debates to the fore.

Launched in 1999, the foundation was guided through a period of rapid growth by founding president Ted Halstead. The institute is now led by President Steve Coll and an outstanding Board of Directors, chaired by Eric Schmidt. New America is headquartered in Washington D.C. and also has a significant presence in California, the nation’s largest laboratory of democracy.

For more: www.NewAmerica.net

Editor’s Note:

The Obama Administration appointed former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chas Freeman as chairman of the National Intelligence Council last month, as previously reported in SUSRIS, resulting in a storm of criticism with ” the most heated opposition .. from supporters of Israel,” according to Politico.com. Today Freeman withdrew his acceptance of the post, as signaled by this statement, “Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair announced today that Ambassador Charles W. Freeman Jr. has requested that his selection to be Chairman of the National Intelligence Council not proceed. Director Blair accepted Ambassador Freeman’s decision with regret.”

This special report provides the text of Amb Freeman’s statement following the withdrawal announcement, as provided by the Middle East Policy Council.

Amb Chas W. Freeman, Jr.,

To all who supported me or gave me words of encouragement during the controversy of the past two weeks, you have my gratitude and respect.

You will by now have seen the statement by Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair reporting that I have withdrawn my previous acceptance of his invitation to chair the National Intelligence Council.

I have concluded that the barrage of libelous distortions of my record would not cease upon my entry into office. The effort to smear me and to destroy my credibility would instead continue. I do not believe the National Intelligence Council could function effectively while its chair was under constant attack by unscrupulous people with a passionate attachment to the views of a political faction in a foreign country. I agreed to chair the NIC to strengthen it and protect it against politicization, not to introduce it to efforts by a special interest group to assert control over it through a protracted political campaign.

As those who know me are well aware, I have greatly enjoyed life since retiring from government. Nothing was further from my mind than a return to public service. When Admiral Blair asked me to chair the NIC I responded that I understood he was “asking me to give my freedom of speech, my leisure, the greater part of my income, subject myself to the mental colonoscopy of a polygraph, and resume a daily commute to a job with long working hours and a daily ration of political abuse.” I added that I wondered “whether there wasn’t some sort of downside to this offer.” I was mindful that no one is indispensable; I am not an exception. It took weeks of reflection for me to conclude that, given the unprecedentedly challenging circumstances in which our country now finds itself abroad and at home, I had no choice but accept the call to return to public service. I thereupon resigned from all positions that I had held and all activities in which I was engaged. I now look forward to returning to private life, freed of all previous obligations.

I am not so immodest as to believe that this controversy was about me rather than issues of public policy. These issues had little to do with the NIC and were not at the heart of what I hoped to contribute to the quality of analysis available to President Obama and his administration. Still, I am saddened by what the controversy and the manner in which the public vitriol of those who devoted themselves to sustaining it have revealed about the state of our civil society. It is apparent that we Americans cannot any longer conduct a serious public discussion or exercise independent judgment about matters of great importance to our country as well as to our allies and friends.

The libels on me and their easily traceable email trails show conclusively that there is a powerful lobby determined to prevent any view other than its own from being aired, still less to factor in American understanding of trends and events in the Middle East. The tactics of the Israel Lobby plumb the depths of dishonor and indecency and include character assassination, selective misquotation, the willful distortion of the record, the fabrication of falsehoods, and an utter disregard for the truth. The aim of this Lobby is control of the policy process through the exercise of a veto over the appointment of people who dispute the wisdom of its views, the substitution of political correctness for analysis, and the exclusion of any and all options for decision by Americans and our government other than those that it favors.

There is a special irony in having been accused of improper regard for the opinions of foreign governments and societies by a group so clearly intent on enforcing adherence to the policies of a foreign government – in this case, the government of Israel. I believe that the inability of the American public to discuss, or the government to consider, any option for US policies in the Middle East opposed by the ruling faction in Israeli politics has allowed that faction to adopt and sustain policies that ultimately threaten the existence of the state of Israel. It is not permitted for anyone in the United States to say so. This is not just a tragedy for Israelis and their neighbors in the Middle East; it is doing widening damage to the national security of the United States.

The outrageous agitation that followed the leak of my pending appointment will be seen by many to raise serious questions about whether the Obama administration will be able to make its own decisions about the Middle East and related issues. I regret that my willingness to serve the new administration has ended by casting doubt on its ability to consider, let alone decide what policies might best serve the interests of the United States rather than those of a Lobby intent on enforcing the will and interests of a foreign government.

In the court of public opinion, unlike a court of law, one is guilty until proven innocent. The speeches from which quotations have been lifted from their context are available for anyone interested in the truth to read. The injustice of the accusations made against me has been obvious to those with open minds. Those who have sought to impugn my character are uninterested in any rebuttal that I or anyone else might make.

Still, for the record: I have never sought to be paid or accepted payment from any foreign government, including Saudi Arabia or China, for any service, nor have I ever spoken on behalf of a foreign government, its interests, or its policies. I have never lobbied any branch of our government for any cause, foreign or domestic. I am my own man, no one else’s, and with my return to private life, I will once again – to my pleasure – serve no master other than myself. I will continue to speak out as I choose on issues of concern to me and other Americans.

I retain my respect and confidence in President Obama and DNI Blair. Our country now faces terrible challenges abroad as well as at home. Like all patriotic Americans, I continue to pray that our president can successfully lead us in surmounting them.

Source: Middle East Policy Council

SPECIAL REPORT — UPDATE

[Note: SUSRIS reported last month that reports of the imminent death of Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia were not correct, according to a SUSRIS source. Today we provide an update to his medical condition following further medical treatment and surgery at a New York hospital.]

RIYADH: Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, underwent a successful surgical operation at a hospital in New York City on Monday [Feb 23], a Royal Court announcement said.

The medical team that performed the surgery said the operation was part of an ongoing treatment the crown prince has been receiving. “By the Grace of God, the operation was a complete success,” the announcement added.

The Royal Court wished Prince Sultan speedy recovery. The operation was carried out three days after the crown prince arrived in New York from Morocco, where he had been convalescing following earlier treatment.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Monday, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah reassured the nation about Prince Sultan’s health.

On Friday, the Royal Court said Prince Sultan had arrived in New York for follow-up medical checks and treatment after undergoing a “prescribed convalescence” in Morocco. He had previously traveled to the United States in November for medical tests.

Source: Arab News

Editor’s Note:

This special report provides a press survey following the announcement this weekend of changes among Saudi government officials.

Major Reshuffle in Saudi Arabia [Feb 14]- BBC
“King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has sacked two powerful religious officials in a wide ranging shake-up of the cabinet and other government posts. One of the dismissed men was the head of the controversial religious police force. The other was the country’s most senior judge. The king also appointed the country’s first-ever female minister and replaced the head of the central bank. Correspondents say such government reshuffles are rare in Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah, who came to power in 2005, has for a long time had the reputation of a reformer – and the latest appointments have the makings of one of the biggest shake-ups in Saudi public life for many years.. ..The shake-up also affected the feared religious police organisation, known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ghaith has lost his job as head of the commission, which enforces Saudi Arabia’s conservative brand of Islam, Wahhabism.. ..our correspondent says the religious police have been widely criticised recently over allegations of brutality – the kind of comments that could never have been made publicly a few years ago..” [more]

Saudi Arabia Replaces Head of Central Bank [Feb 14] – WSJ
“Saudi Arabia named Muhammad al-Jasser as its new central-bank governor on Saturday in a government reshuffle that saw the appointment of the first woman to a cabinet-level position in the kingdom. Mr. al-Jasser replaces Hamad Al Sayyari, the longest serving central banker in the Gulf, to head the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, an authority that controls monetary policy in the kingdom and oversees its vast foreign assets estimated to be worth in excess of $500 billion.. ..King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia’s ruler, has decided to introduce new leadership at SAMA as the kingdom prepares to adjust to the twin challenges of lower oil prices and the global economic crisis. Mr. al-Jasser attended San Diego State University, according to a profile on the CEO World magazine Web site. Prior to joining SAMA in 1995 as deputy governor, Mr. al-Jasser held a number of positions in the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the IMF, according to the Web site. He didn’t return calls Saturday seeking comment. Investors on the Saudi Arabian Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, were optimistic about the change in management at the top of SAMA..” [more]

Saudi Woman Becomes Deputy Minister [Feb 14] – Al Jazeera
“Saudi Arabia has named a woman as deputy minister for education – the most senior role ever held by a female in the kingdom. Norah al-Faiz, currently an official at the Saudi Institute for Public Administration, was named as the deputy minister responsible for women’s education as part of a reshuffle of the cabinet, military and judiciary on Saturday.. ..The reshuffle, King Abdullah’s first since he took power following the the death of his half-brother in 2005, also saw new education, justice and information ministers appointed. ‘This is a turning point. It is the biggest change that happened in this country in 20 years,’ Mohammad al-Zulfa, a member of Saudi Arabia’s Shura council, told the AFP news agency. ‘It is a new start for King Abdullah. People are expecting changes,’ he said. ‘These are new faces who can bring change.’..” [more]

Development of Judiciary Top Priority [Feb 15] – Saudi Gazette
“Muhammad Bin Abul Karim Al-Issa, the new Minister of Justice, has described the greatest challenges and concerns facing him in his new office as the development of the judiciary and its facilities, and the implementation of a modern system for which the state has allocated seven billion riyals. Al-Issa, speaking Saturday to Okaz, said he was fully aware of the difficulties faced by the public and their demands to have their cases resolved, as well as a shortage of official judges in some of the more remote regions. He promised to accord top priorities to all these issues..” [more]

Changes Aim to Inject New Blood Into Administration [Feb 15] – Gulf News
“Tipped to be the largest ever shake up in the administrative and judicial sectors made by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, four ministers and heads of the powerful religious police and judicial bodies were dismissed on Saturday.. ..Commenting on the king’s reshuffle, Dr Naif Al Shamri, professor of political science at King Saud University, told Gulf News that these changes were aimed at injecting new blood into Saudi government to enable it to meet the requirements in the nation building and its march forward to become more prosperous. He also noted that the Senior Scholars Commission, which had hitherto been represented only by those representing Hanbali school of thought, has been revamped to accommodate all Sunni schools of thought..” [more]

New Woman Minister Cracks Saudi Glass Ceiling [Feb 15] – AFP
“Norah al-Fayez, the first woman ever named to a ministerial post in Saudi Arabia, has put a crack in the thick glass ceiling that the country’s strict version of Islam sets against her gender. The veteran administrator was named to the new post of deputy education minister for women’s education as part of a sweeping shakeup of the government announced Saturday by the country’s reform-minded absolute monarch King Abdullah. ‘This is a successful step. We’ve always suffered from having a man occupy the position’ overseeing women’s education, the English-language Arab News newspaper quoted her as saying. ‘A woman knows what problems and challenges her peers face. It’s a change for the better,’ she said. Leading Saudi women’s rights activist and academic Hatoon al-Fassi said that she was very happy about Fayez’s appointment although this step was not enough. ‘One woman is not enough, what will one woman do alone in a crowd of men,’ Fassi told AFP. ‘Her decisions will not be effective or tangible, but it is a step in the right direction.’..” [more]

Religious Hard-Liners Take a Hit in King’s Reshuffle [Feb 15] – RFI
“King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has fired a number of religious hard-liners from top posts in Saudi Arabia and appointed the country’s first-ever woman minister. The chief of the religious police, the head of the top Islamic clerics’ body and the head of the highest tribunal have all been replaced. “His Majesty has announced last year that he wanted to reform the judiciary system and his decision was resisted,” points out Ibrahim Mugaiteeb of the Human Rights First Society, who dubs the reshuffle ‘a small earthquake’ but hopes that more reforms will follow..” [more]

Editor’s Note:

Last week U.S. President Barack Obama told an Al-Arabiya interviewer his approach to the Middle East was, “for the United States to get engaged right away.” He outlined the course his envoy George Mitchell would take in addressing peacemaking between Palestinians and Israelis, to “start by listening” and to hear from all the parties. That listening process would lead the new administration to formulate a plan on how to proceed. This weekend Mitchell met with Saudi leaders at the end of a week in the region on his listening tour. Today we present for you consideration a snapshot of those meetings through the reporting of the Christian Science Monitor, Arab News and AFP. Excerpts from their coverage are followed by related stories posted on SUSRIS.

Mitchell gets earful from Mideast – Christian Science Monitor
“Winding up his week-long tour of the region, President Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, met Saudi officials here over the weekend for an exchange of ideas on ending the volatile Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mr. Mitchell conferred with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud bin Faisal Saturday night and met with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Sunday. Specifically, the talks were said to cover the Saudi-initiated Arab Peace Initiative – first offered to Israel in 2002 – as well as how to counter what many Arab states regard as an alarming development: The increased involvement of Iran in Palestinian affairs, through its partners, Syria and Hamas. “Something needs to be done about Syria, Iran, and Hamas,” said one Saudi source. “They believe that by doing what they’re doing it’s going.. ..to put them on top.. .. [We need] to counter it once and for all.” Arab officials and commentators have praised Obama’s initial moves to improve US relations with the Muslim world. But Mitchell is no doubt discovering that there is also a deep well of skepticism that the new US president will succeed in breaking the deadly impasse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Consensus seems widespread among Arabs that Washington must, at a minimum, demand a halt to expansions of Jewish settlements on the West Bank if the US is to convince the world that it is serious about tacking the six-decade-old conflict..” [Complete article - click here]

Find a just solution to Mideast conflict, Abdullah tells Mitchell – Arab News
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday held talks with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and called for intensive international efforts to find a just solution to the protracted Palestinian-Israeli conflict. King Abdullah and Mitchell discussed “new developments in the Palestinian issue and the Middle East peace process and stressed the importance of intensifying global efforts to reach a just and comprehensive solution,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. Saudi Arabia insisted that any Middle East solution should ensure the establishment of an independent state for the Palestinians where they can live, the agency said. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal attended the talks at the king’s palace in Riyadh. Mitchell arrived in the Saudi capital on Saturday on the last leg of a Middle East tour aimed at reviving peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel. The move comes a week after Barack Obama took charge as the new US president and in the wake of Israel’s deadly three-week assault on the Gaza Strip. [Complete article - click here]

Obama’s US envoy wraps up Mideast tour in Saudi – AFP
“US Middle East envoy George Mitchell met Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah on Sunday on the last leg of a Middle East tour aimed at reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mitchell, the new Barack Obama administration pointman for helping revive peace talks after Israel’s deadly three-week assault on the Gaza Strip, spoke with the king on “the importance of intensifying international efforts to reach a just and comprehensive solution to ensure that the Palestinians establish their own independent and viable state,” the official news agency SPA said. On a trip that began just eight days after Obama was sworn in as US president on January 20, Mitchell, famed for helping broker peace in Northern Ireland in 1998, held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, and also visited Egypt and Jordan. In Israel he also met hawkish former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, the opinion poll favourite ahead of a February 10 general election. But there was no indication of whether Mitchell had assuaged Arab concerns over the direction of US policy in the wake of the previous George W. Bush administration’s close support for Israel and defence of its 22-day Gaza assault, which killed more than 1,300 Palestinians. Critics in the region have urged Obama to be more even-handed in fostering negotiations between the two sides, with some warning that if US policy does not change Washington faces even chillier relations with Arab governments..” [Complete article - click here]

Editor’s Note:

Veteran journalist Hisham Melham got a phone call from the White House Monday morning, according to Scott MacLeod writing for Time, asking if he would like to chat with President Obama later in the afternoon. The Al-Arabiya interview he had with Mr. Obama was the first since the President’s inauguration last week and it set the marker for a new dialogue between the U.S. Government and the Arab world. He said, “..if we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world, that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest, then I think that we can make significant progress.” That message generated a flurry of reactions from the Arab and Muslim world and among analysts.

Today we provide a snapshot of reactions published yesterday and today and links to a video of the interview as well as other related on-line material. We also invite you to visit a new SUSRIS special section ["President Barack Obama and the Middle East'] that will be your resource for articles, interviews, videos, photos, links and more concerning the Obama Administration and America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region.

According to Time’s MacLeod, “Obama’s aides cut Melhem off before he could finish all his questions,” and that, “As they concluded the interview and shook hands, Melhem recalls, Obama told him, ‘There will be more.’” And so it will be on SUSRIS too.

Saudi hails Obama’s stance towards Arab world – AFP/GoogleNews
“..Saudi Arabia, one of Washington’s top allies in the Middle East, on Tuesday hailed new US President Barack Obama’s desire to bolster ties with the Arab world. Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal praised Obama for “his desire to have a strong and fruitful relationship with the Arab world” and said his stance was a “positive development” in Washington’s policy towards the Middle East..” [Link for more]

Obama Mideast Watch: The al-Arabiya Interview – Time
“President Obama is continuing what has become a dizzying reach-out to the Muslim world and the Middle East. Having used his inaugural speech to promise Muslims a “new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” he gave his first television interview as president—on only his sixth full day in office—to an Arab channel, the Saudi-backed, Dubai-based al-Arabiya. The interview follows the appointment of an Arab-American, former Sen. George Mitchell, as the Obama administration’s Middle East envoy. It’s important for Americans as well as the people of the Middle East to understand how very significant Obama’s early moves are. He’s now made it clear that he has every intention of taking a new approach to the region..” [Link for more]

Obama to Arabs: “what you’ll see is someone who is listening” – Marc Lynch – Foreign Policy
“..It’s impossible to exaggerate the symbolic importance of Barack Obama choosing an Arabic satellite television station for his first formal interview as President — and of taking that opportunity to talk frankly about a new relationship with the Muslim world based on mutual respect and emphasizing listening rather than dictating. His interview promises a genuinely fresh start in the way the United States interacts with the Arab world and a new dedication to public diplomacy.. ..In his conversation with the estimable Hisham Milhem (a good choice for an interlocutor), Obama reached out directly to the Arab public via the Saudi TV station al-Arabiya (which shrewdly posted the transcript immediately). It signals the importance of the Middle East to the new President, his commitment to engaging on Arab-Israeli peace, his genuinely fresh thinking and new start with the Muslim world, and his recognition of the importance of genuine public diplomacy..” [Link for more]

Obama, breaking with the past – Ali Younes – Al-Arabiya
“..For the Arab World, it looks like that President Barack Obama is determined to change our world that is the world as created by his predecessor George W. Bush. The relationship between the Middle East and America, in the past eight years has been based on mutual suspicion and mutual disrespect. That said, however, we must realize that the Arab World is actually two worlds. One in which the people live in, that is a world overwhelmingly poor, under-educated, under-served lacks the freedom of choice and the basic civil liberties denying them, as a result, their dignity as human beings. The Other Arab world, is the ever Happy World of rulers who, given the conditions of their citizens, seem to be living on Mars and clueless. President Obama, in his first ever interview with any network, including American stalwarts such as CNN and Fox News was with Arabic language news channel Al Arabiya. In it Obama told us that he understands the Muslim world, he has family members who are Muslims, and he had lived in the Muslim world, in Indonesia, before. This from an American perspective is a revolutionary evolution in American foreign policy considering George Bush’s utter contempt and neglect toward the Middle East, and the language he often used was for the most part contemptuous. Obama’s remarks during his inaugural address in which he addressed the Muslim World directly by placing emphasis on promoting a different kind of America, America that wants a relationship of mutual respect and mutual interests. Obama’s first ever phone call as a president to a foreign leader was to Mahmoud Abbas the Palestinian Authority president and his first ever interview was to an Arabic network. This shows the intensity and seriousness of how Obama’s Middle East policy will look like. [Link for more]

Positive approach says Saud – Saudi Gazette
“..Foreign Minister Prince Saudi Al-Faisal on Tuesday said Saudi Arabia welcomed US President Barack Obama’s “positive approach” in his interview with Al-Arabiya news channel, in which he showed “his serious desire to build strong and constructive relations with the Islamic world and his keenness to solve the crises of the region,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. “We believe the problem of the Middle East continues to be the core of the crises in the region and one of the reasons of instability,” Prince Saud said..” [Link for more]

Obama Extends Hand To Arabs and Muslims – He Says U.S. Has ‘Not Been Perfect,’ Gets a Generally Positive Response – Washington Post – Jan 28, 2009
“..President Obama has launched a determined effort to change the tone, if not yet the substance, of U.S. relations with the Arab and Muslim worlds, saying he is eager to listen to their concerns and acknowledging that Americans “have not been perfect” in their dealings with them. The early appointments of presidential emissaries to the Middle East and to Afghanistan and Pakistan; the announced closure of the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the choice of Arab satellite network al-Arabiya for the first formal interview of his presidency; first-week National Security Council meetings on Iraq and Afghanistan; and telephone calls to regional leaders on his first full day in office were reflections both of the seriousness of the issues and a message to governments and the public, administration officials said..” [Link for more]

US is not enemy of Muslims: Obama – Barbara Ferguson | Arab News – Jan 28, 2009
“President Barack Obama chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview yesterday as president, part of his drive to repair relations with the Muslim world. “I have Muslim members of my family,” he said in an interview with Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based Arab television channel. “I have lived in Muslim countries.” Although his Muslim background has been a subject he carefully avoided during his campaign (a pragmatic response to the attacks during his campaign that sought to exploit anti-Muslim sentiments), the president insisted “that the Americans are not your enemy.”..” [Link for more]

Obama tells Arabic network US is ‘not your enemy’ – AP – Jan 28, 2009
“..The president expressed an intention to engage the Middle East immediately and his new envoy to the region, former Sen. George J. Mitchell, was expected to arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for a visit that will also take him to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.. ..The new president said he felt it was important to “get engaged right away” in the Middle East and had directed Mitchell to talk to “all the major parties involved.” His administration would craft an approach after that, he said in the interview.. ..”What I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating,” Obama told the interviewer..” [Link for more]

How Al-Arabiya Got the Obama Interview
“..How did a journalist for an Arabic-language broadcaster score the first television interview granted by President Barack Obama? Well, at first, Hisham Melhem, the Washington Bureau Chief for al-Arabiya, a Saudi-backed channel headquartered in Dubai, thought he was getting something else. Not that he hadn’t tried — like everyone else in Washington — to snag the historic first. When Melhem’s bosses in Dubai got a feeler from the White House on Sunday, it seemed that al-Arabiya was about to get an exclusive interview not with Obama but with new Middle East envoy George Mitchell. The previous Friday, Melhem began pressing for an interview with Mitchell after learning from his sources that the former U.S. senator and Nothern Ireland peace negotiator was heading to the Middle East almost immediately. The White House told al-Arabiya execs to be ready for a major interview on Monday..” [Link for more]

On Arab TV, Obama makes overture to Muslims – IHT – Jan 27, 2008
“..In his first extensive interview since taking office, President Barack Obama has struck a conciliatory tone toward the Islamic world, saying he wanted to persuade Muslims that “the Americans are not your enemy.” He spoke a day after sending a special envoy on a Middle East tour in pursuit of what Obama called “progress that is concrete.” The president told an interviewer from the Al Arabiya network, based in Dubai, that “the moment is ripe for both sides” to negotiate in the Middle East.. ..Obama’s remarks marked at least a stylistic shift from the Bush administration, which critics say engaged too slowly on Middle East peace; the new president offered a dialogue with Iran and what he depicted as a new readiness to listen rather than dictate. On his first full day in office he had taken time to phone several Middle Eastern leaders..” [Link for more]

Obama uses Arab TV to reach Muslims – Washington Times – Jan 28, 2009
“..President Obama’s choice of an Arab news channel for his first sit-down television interview since taking office jolted the Muslim world Tuesday, with Saudi Arabia voicing approval and Iran offering a tepid wait-and-see assessment.. ..Mr. Obama’s decision to give his first TV interview to the satellite news channel Al Arabiya was intended as an olive branch to the Middle East and to Muslims, the White House said. “The president believed that this was an opportunity to show the world that he would be personally involved and engaged in seeking long-lasting peace in the Middle East,” said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. A prominent Palestinian lawmaker, Hanan Ashrawi, said of the interview: “People are starting to feel this isn’t just lip service.” ..” [Link for more]

Obama launches effort to ‘communicate’ in Mideast – LA Times
“..Fronting charm on the airways and deploying diplomacy away from the camera’s flash, the Obama administration has landed in the Middle East. Hours after an interview with President Obama was broadcast across the Arab world by satellite channel Al Arabiya, special U.S. envoy George J. Mitchell arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the fate of the Gaza Strip. It was a two-track choreography designed to inspire confidence among the region’s political leaders and win over an Arab street long distrustful of Washington. “My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries,” the president told Al Arabiya. “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect.” That is refreshing talk here, but the Middle East, where so many U.S. presidents have watched good intentions vanish in bloodshed, extremism and bickering over maps and borders, demands more than conciliatory remarks and eloquent assurances..” [Link for more]

Iranian leader demands US apology – BBC – Jan 28, 2009
“..Iran’s president has responded to an overture by the new US president by demanding an apology for past US “crimes” committed against Iran. The US “stood against the Iranian people in the past 60 years,” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during an address in the western region of Khermenshah. “Those who speak of change must apologise to the Iranian people and try to repair their past crimes,” he said. President Obama has offered to extend a hand if Iran “unclenched its fist”. [Link for more]

Editor’s Note:

Prince Turki al-Faisal, former Saudi Ambassador to the United States and to the United Kingdom, and former director of intelligence has been outspoken in recent months about the United States’ policies in the region, especially regarding the crisis in Gaza and the prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In an op-ed, first published in FT.com yesterday, Prince Turki was blunt in his appraisal of the reaction in the Kingdom to the Israeli strikes in Gaza, the diminished prospects for peace and the potential for damage to U.S. interests in the region, “Unless the new US administration takes forceful steps to prevent any further suffering and slaughter of Palestinians, the peace process, the US-Saudi relationship and the stability of the region are at risk.”

Saudi patience is running out
Turki al-Faisal

In my decades as a public servant, I have strongly promoted the Arab-Israeli peace process. During recent months, I argued that the peace plan proposed by Saudi Arabia could be implemented under an Obama administration if the Israelis and Palestinians both accepted difficult compromises. I told my audiences this was worth the energies of the incoming administration for, as the late Indian diplomat Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit said: “The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war.”

But after Israel launched its bloody attack on Gaza, these pleas for optimism and co-operation now seem a distant memory. In the past weeks, not only have the Israeli Defence Forces murdered more than 1,000 Palestinians, but they have come close to killing the prospect of peace itself. Unless the new US administration takes forceful steps to prevent any further suffering and slaughter of Palestinians, the peace process, the US-Saudi relationship and the stability of the region are at risk.

Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, told the UN Security Council that if there was no just settlement, “we will turn our backs on you”. King Abdullah spoke for the entire Arab and Muslim world when he said at the Arab summit in Kuwait that although the Arab peace initiative was on the table, it would not remain there for long. Much of the world shares these sentiments and any Arab government that negotiated with the Israelis today would be rightly condemned by its citizens. Two of the four Arab countries that have formal ties to Israel – Qatar and Mauritania – have suspended all relations and Jordan has recalled its ambassador.

America is not innocent in this calamity. Not only has the Bush administration left a sickening legacy in the region – from the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to the humiliation and torture at Abu Ghraib – but it has also, through an arrogant attitude about the butchery in Gaza, contributed to the slaughter of innocents. If the US wants to continue playing a leadership role in the Middle East and keep its strategic alliances intact – especially its “special relationship” with Saudi Arabia – it will have to drastically revise its policies vis a vis Israel and Palestine.

The incoming US administration will be inheriting a “basket full of snakes” in the region, but there are things that can be done to help calm them down. First, President Barack Obama must address the disaster in Gaza and its causes. Inevitably, he will condemn Hamas’s firing of rockets at Israel.

When he does that, he should also condemn Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinians and support a UN resolution to that effect; forcefully condemn the Israeli actions that led to this conflict, from settlement building in the West Bank to the blockade of Gaza and the targeted killings and arbitrary arrests of Palestinians; declare America’s intention to work for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, with a security umbrella for countries that sign up and sanctions for those that do not; call for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Shab’ah Farms in Lebanon; encourage Israeli-Syrian negotiations for peace; and support a UN resolution guaranteeing Iraq’s territorial integrity.

Mr Obama should strongly promote the Abdullah peace initiative, which calls on Israel to pursue the course laid out in various international resolutions and laws: to withdraw completely from the lands occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, returning to the lines of June 4 1967; to accept a mutually agreed just solution to the refugee problem according to the General Assembly resolution 194; and to recognise the independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital. In return, there would be an end to hostilities between Israel and all the Arab countries, and Israel would get full diplomatic and normal relations.

Last week, President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad of Iran wrote a letter to King Abdullah, explicitly recognising Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Arab and Muslim worlds and calling on him to take a more confrontational role over “this obvious atrocity and killing of your own children” in Gaza. The communiqué is significant because the de facto recognition of the kingdom’s primacy from one of its most ardent foes reveals the extent that the war has united an entire region, both Shia and Sunni. Further, Mr Ahmadi-Nejad’s call for Saudi Arabia to lead a jihad against Israel would, if pursued, create unprecedented chaos and bloodshed in the region.

So far, the kingdom has resisted these calls, but every day this restraint becomes more difficult to maintain. When Israel deliberately kills Palestinians, appropriates their lands, destroys their homes, uproots their farms and imposes an inhuman blockade on them; and as the world laments once again the suffering of the Palestinians, people of conscience from every corner of the world are clamouring for action. Eventually, the kingdom will not be able to prevent its citizens from joining the worldwide revolt against Israel. Today, every Saudi is a Gazan, and we remember well the words of our late King Faisal: “I hope you will forgive my outpouring of emotions, but when I think that our Holy Mosque in Jerusalem is being invaded and desecrated, I ask God that if I am unable to undertake Holy Jihad, then I should not live a moment more.”

Let us all pray that Mr Obama possesses the foresight, fairness, and resolve to rein in the murderous Israeli regime and open a new chapter in this most intractable of conflicts.

< Prince Turki's op-ed appeared in FT.com on Jan 22, 2009 >

About Prince Turki Al Faisal

His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal served as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America from September 13, 2005 until February 12, 2007.

Prince Turki was appointed an Advisor in the Royal Court in 1973. From 1977 to 2001, he served as the Director General of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), the Kingdom’s main foreign intelligence service. In 2002, he was named Ambassador of to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz.

His Royal Highness is involved in a number of cultural and social activities. He is one of the founders of the King Faisal Foundation and is the chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. Prince Turki also serves as a member of the Boards of Trustees of the International Crisis Group and the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies.

The King Faisal International Prizes, awarded by the King Faisal Foundation, are given to “dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive difference.” These annual prizes are awarded in five fields of endeavor – Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Science, and Medicine – have been likened, for the Arab and Islamic worlds, as similar in stature to, and nearly as coveted as, the annual Nobel Prizes. The King Faisal International Prizes, in addition to being bestowed upon Arabs and Muslims, have also been granted to outstanding achievers from virtually all corners of the world.

For more information: www.kff.com ; www.saudiembassy.net

Editor’s Note:

Leaders from the 22 countries of the Arab League met this week in Kuwait for the first Arab Economic Summit during which the Gaza crisis topped the agenda. This report provides an overview article from the summit by VOA’s Edward Yeranian and links to related media reports and online resources.

Arab Summit in Kuwait Ends in Discord
By Edward Yeranian
20 January 2009

Arab leaders tried to patch over their differences as a two-day summit in Kuwait drew to a close, but the Gaza conflict appears to have exacerbated the tensions.

Arab leaders began their Kuwait summit, Monday, amid discord, and ended it, a day later, amid more discord. Attempts to find a common position on the conflict in Gaza and towards Israel seemingly failed, leaving rival Arab camps as divided as ever.

Arab leaders did, however, agree to a plan to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip, promising a total of $2 billion to reconstruct what was damaged or demolished in the 21-day conflict between Israel and Hamas militants.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Houshiyar Zubeiri told Kuwaiti TV that the summit’s final declaration avoided a common position on Gaza because Arab leaders had “run out of time” to reconcile their differences, and because “some [leaders] remain entrenched in their positions.”

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa sounded unusually downbeat and discouraged in a press conference after the summit.

He said the Arab state of affairs remains troubled and tense. He said, “we tried, Monday, to start rebuilding after the important speech by [Saudi] King Abdallah [calling for an end to discord].” But, he concludes, “things are still not back to normal, in my view, and we must make intensive efforts in order to repair the damage.”

Moussa did, however, make a special point to emphasize that the 2002 Arab peace initiative towards Israel, remains on the table, despite events in Gaza, and despite calls from Syria and Iran to withdraw it.

The 2002 Arab peace initiative, he says, did not figure in the summit’s closing statement, but he said it remains valid, and he said Arab leaders have no quarrels over the initiative, which he calls a common point of view. But, he adds, the initiative can’t remain on the table much longer, if after seven years Israel still hasn’t accepted it.

Paul Salem, who heads the Beirut-based Carnegie Center for Peace in the Middle East, explained that the Arabs had papered over their profound differences which had arisen during the Gaza conflict. “Definitely, the two camps remain; papering over some of the differences was expected and is sort of the normal course of affairs in Arab affairs. The idea of conciliation and sort of moving forward and not bringing out differences too much into the open, but nobody’s position has changed, but it was necessary to save face for the Arab leaders, in general, for the regimes in general, to show that they could agree, at least after the Gaza war was over,” he said.

Salem was, however, more optimistic about the long term prospects for peace. “The Gaza events certainly divided people, but there is more areas of agreement as to how to move forward in terms of bringing Hamas and Fatah together, in terms of reconstructing the Gaza Strip, in terms of trying to revive negotiations with Israel, and encouraging the U.S. administration to do so,” he said.

As the new Obama administration takes office, it will both have to work with the camp of traditional U.S. allies, including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as to make some sort of overture to the opposing camp of foes and adversaries, which includes Iran and Syria.

Source: VOA

Editor’s Note:

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations President and CEO Dr. John Duke Anthony has just returned from Saudi Arabia. Two days ago he attended U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ford Fraker’s “Farewell Address” to the American Business Group of Riyadh. In keeping with longstanding American diplomatic tradition and custom, the ambassador announced at the meeting that he will relinquish his post on January 20, 2009.

SUSRIS is pleased to publish Dr. Anthony’s report on Ambassador Fraker’s remarks that highlighted some of the more memorable successes accomplished during his tour of duty in the kingdom. He writes that among those attending the ceremony were many who agreed that each of the successes the ambassador cited has helped to strengthen and expand the special bilateral relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States. The ones chronicled herein are over and beyond those that he noted on January 6, 2009 when he, HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Sa’ud, and Dr. Anthony delivered back-to-back addresses at the opening session of The Gulf Forum 2009:-U.S.-Gulf Relations Post-Election. (On January 10, SUSRIS published a brief summary of the proceedings as they appeared in Arab News and also the text of HRH Saudi Arabian Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Sa’ud’s address to the Forum).

Following is Dr. Anthony’s summary of Ambassador Fraker’s “Farewell Address.”

An American Ambassador’s Farewell to Saudi Arabia
John Duke Anthony

Looking back on his tenure as American Ambassador in Riyadh, Ambassador Ford Fraker called attention to the following accomplishments:

Since the second official visit of President Bush to Riyadh in May 2008, six ground-breaking bilateral agreements have been signed and entered into between Saudi Arabia and the United States. These are an agreement whereby American and Saudi Arabian students, business representatives, and tourists can obtain five-year multiple re-entry visas; the Joint Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Agreement; the Anti-Proliferation Initiative in which the two sides pledged to work to strengthen the existing Non-Proliferation Treaty; an Agreement for Joint Critical Infrastructure Cooperation; a Technical Cooperation Agreement for the Civil Uses of Nuclear Energy; and a Science and Technology Agreement between the United States Department of State and the King Abdalaziz Center for Science and Technology.

In addition, the United States has purchased land in Jeddah upon which to build a new American consulate; signed a new ten-year lease on the U.S. Consulate premises in Dhahran, where a new consulate is to be built; and agreed to construct a new American Embassy in Riyadh. Each of these substantial commitments for the future, the Ambassador noted, illustrates the long-term U.S. commitment to maintaining the strongest possible relationship between the two countries’ governments and peoples.

Ambassador Ford Fraker and Dr. John Duke Anthony at the 2008 Arab-US Policymakers Conference in Washington. (Photo: Patrick Ryan) In early 2008, the Embassy hosted U.S. Department of Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff. This was the first-ever visit to Riyadh by a senior DHS official. During his stay in the country, Mr. Chertoff met with King Abdallah, Minister of Interior Nayef bin Abdalaziz, and Deputy Minister of Interior Muhammad bin Nayef, among others. The visit was a direct result of an earlier one by President Bush who was apprised of the necessity to reform and streamline the American visa process for Saudi Arabians traveling to the United States.

The Embassy succeeded in securing Saudi Arabian government approval to what has become known informally as a “pre-nuptial agreement.” Entered into prior to marriage primarily by foreign brides and Saudi Arabian grooms, the agreement stipulates that, in the event of divorce, each of the parties shall be free to travel alone wit hin the kingdom and abroad and accompanied by their children with or without the other party. The agreement enables couples to avoid a phenomenon associated with earlier divorce cases where American and other foreign women married to Saudi Arab ians often encountered restrictions upon seeking to depart the country with their children unaccompanied by their husband or an appointed family male guardian. The right to enter into these new agreements is available to all couples prior to their marrying and regardless of the nationality of either party. Indicative of their popularity is a recent report that more than 10,000 Saudi Arabian couples have entered into such written and legally valid agreements prior to exchanging their marriage vows.

An additional breakthrough has been U.S. approval, after a lapse of quite some time, for dependents to accompany their American principals officially posted to the kingdom for the duration of their normal two-year assignments.

Ambassador Fraker opined that the measure of success of an organization’s endeavors can be made in terms of the extent to which its accomplishments made a defining difference. In characteristic understatement and self-effacement, he was quick to add that the achievements cited were not a consequence of his efforts alone. Rather, in every instance they were also the result of efforts by the Embassy’s management and staff in close association with the efforts of their Saudi Arabian counterparts. Not surprisingly, upon the conclusion of his remarks the ambassador received a standing ovation from the many Americans and Saudi Arabians in attendance.

About Dr. John Duke Anthony

In addition to heading the National Council on U.S-Arab Relations, has been a consultant to the U.S. Departments of Defense and State for three and a half decades. He is a former Chairman of the Department of State’s Near East and North Africa Program in the Department’s Center for Area and Countries, the principle U.S. government program tasked with preparing American diplomatic, defense, and related personnel for service in the Arab and Islamic countries of the Middle East and North Africa. He was also the founding chairman of the Department’s Advanced Arabian Peninsula Studies Program. The author of three books, more than 150 articles, and several monographs, Dr. Anthony is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Defense’s Institute for Security Assistance Management and the Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, where he teaches one of the few American university semester long courses on “Politics of the Arabian Peninsula.” This past semester he co-taught the course with HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Sa’ud, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Islamic Studies and Research, former Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the United States, and Director General of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate, the kingdom’s lead foreign intelligence agency.

SPECIAL REPORT — UPDATE

A report circulated about the imminent death of Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia is not correct, according to a knowledgeable Saudi Arabian source who talked with SUSRIS today. He said the Crown Prince “is fine and will be heading home after his rest in Agadir,” Morocco. He added that Crown Prince Sultan had an operation in New York City, which was a success and that “it never was that he had cancer.”

Earlier today Stratfor, an online and e-newsletter information service, said “A Stratfor source close to the Saudi royal family confirmed a Jan. 7 Stratfor report on the imminent death of Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz. The source claims he is in an induced coma, and that members of the royal family traveled to Morocco to escort him to Riyadh, where his death will be announced.”

The informed source who spoke with SUSRIS said the January 7 and 8 reports that Crown Prince Sultan was gravely ill “were baseless and misleading.”

SUSRIS will update this special report as additional details are available.

SPECIAL REPORT

UPDATE – CLICK HERE

The death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz is reported to be imminent according to Stratfor, a well established online geopolitical information service. It should be noted that today’s Saudi Gazette is carrying a Saudi Press Agency story that the Crown Prince met Tuesday evening with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Sultan is believed to be in his eighties.

The Crown Prince, who serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation, has been receiving medical treatment in the United States. Stratfor citing a source close to the Saudi family reported today that his death was imminent, he was in an induced coma, and will be returned to Riyadh where his death will be announced.

SUSRIS will update this special report as additional details are available.

SUSRIS Note:

In August SUSRIS spoke with Professor Jean Francois Seznec about succession in the Kingdom and he had these remarks:

SUSRIS: What other accomplishments do you attribute to King Abdullah?

Seznec: One major achievement in the past three years was that he was able to push through the Bay’ah Council law on succession – the Allegiance Institution. It gives about 34 princes responsibility to decide who the next Crown Prince will be. To be more precise, they can accept the King’s nomination of a Crown Prince or they can name someone else.

[Ed note: From the “Allegiance Institution” decree: “In the event that the King rejects the committee’s nominee, the Allegiance Institution will hold a vote to choose between the King’s candidate and its own in accordance with Sections A and B of this Article. The nominee who secures the majority of votes will be named Crown Prince.”]