ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Saudi Arabia’s U.S. Ties [Sep 2]
“As Iran comes under growing diplomatic and military pressure over its nuclear program, theGulf states are being drawn into the evolving stand-off. With a $30-60 billion U.S. arms sale on the cards, Riyadh is gravitating toward the tougher U.S. stance on Iran. Though a trickle of Saudi purchases has continued since 2007, mostly to maintain and upgrade existing U.S. weaponry, the largest Saudi defense deal signed since 2001 was the 2005 purchase of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft in a $7-8 billion deal. The recent announcement of a $30-60 billion Saudi sales request to the U.S. Department of Defense may to an extent dispel doubts concerning the health of the Washington-Riyadh military relationship and the lingering effects of cooling relations following the Sept.11, 2001, attacks.. .. The deal will also lock Riyadh into a close military relationship with Washington for at least another 20 years..” [Complete Report]
Trilateral Summit Set to Discuss Yemen [Sep 2]
“The governments of Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Great Britain said they would work on financial and counter-terrorism issues during trilateral meetings in New York. A statement from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office expressed its commitment Wednesday to helping Yemen address its “many challenges.” The trilateral Friends of Yemen summit will address political steps needed to pave the way for parliamentary elections scheduled in Yemen for early 2011. Economic issues, a joint statement said, would address how to continue financial assistance to Yemen through a program backed by the International Monetary Fund. On security, international action was needed to help Yemen tackle the threat from al-Qaida and extremists threatening national stability..” [Complete Report]
King Orders SR1.12bn Aid for the Poor [Sep 2]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Wednesday ordered the distribution of SR1.12 billion in emergency aid among the Kingdom’s poor to support them during the fasting month of Ramadan and the Eid Al-Fitr festival.. .. “This emergency financial aid is given in addition to the monthly assistance received by the beneficiaries of social insurance,” Al-Othaimeen said. The number of Saudi families living in extreme poverty is estimated at 35,000, or 1.63 percent of the total Saudi population. They live on less than SR1,700 a month. There are 409,000 families that spend less than SR3,800 a month, representing almost 20 percent of the Saudis..” [Complete Report]
Kingdom Backs Aviation Treaties to Fight Terrorism [Sep 2]
“Saudi Arabia has expressed its continued support for all treaties and conventions to fight terrorism and threats to international aviation. This is according to Prince Turki Bin Faisal Bin Turki, Deputy President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), who led a Saudi delegation to China for the International Diplomatic Conference to Review The Hague and Montreal Conventions on aviation security. Prince Turki said Saudi Arabia presented a working paper calling for some alterations to the articles of the two conventions that would preserve the interests of Saudi Arabia and Arab countries..” [Complete Report]
Saudi Arabia Tops in Flood Aid to Pakistan [Sep 2]
“Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif met with Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu at his office here Tuesday and highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to send relief for Pakistan’s flood victims. He also commended the efforts of the 57-member OIC in following up the issues of Muslims in various parts of the world.. .. “Saudi Arabia has won the top position in helping Pakistan confront the present crisis,” the OIC chief said, while praising both the Saudi government and people for their humanitarian gesture. He hoped that all Muslim countries would follow the example of Saudi Arabia and its people in supporting Pakistan. Soon after hearing the news of the devastating floods, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered a nationwide fundraiser that collected more than SR400 million..” [Complete Report]
