ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Abdullah’s Tour Expected to Ease Regional Tensions  [Jul 29]
“Saudi politicians and experts have concurred that King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz’s regional tour will close Arab ranks and clear the atmosphere following a pledge he made at the Kuwait Arab summit in January 2009 calling for solidarity in the Arab world.. ..King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz visits Syria and Lebanon this week as part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts to contain a potentially explosive situation in Lebanon where there are growing fears of a new sectarian conflict.  The Saudi monarch, who is also visiting Egypt and Jordan, is scheduled to meet with Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad today before heading to Beirut tomorrow for brief talks with Lebanese leaders..”  [Complete Report]

Syria-Saudi Ties Not Washington’s Business: Syria  [Jul 29]
“The Syrian government advised the United States Thursday against interfering with a visit by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah to Damascus and said the two countries ‘know better’ how to stabilize the Middle East.  Abdullah will hold talks with President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian capital before they travel together to Beirut on Friday to try to calm tension over a tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese statesman Rafik al-Hariri.  U.S. State department official Philip Crowley said on Wednesday Washington hoped Syria would play a constructive role in the region and would respond to the Saudi monarch’s concerns about Iranian ‘threats’ to Middle East stability.  ‘Obviously, King Abdullah has played a significant leadership role in the region. So his prospective travel to Syria and to Lebanon is consistent with his search for peace,’..”  [Complete Report]

Kingdom Ready to Expand Iraq Ties: Naif  [Jul 29]
“Saudi Arabia is ready to cooperate with Iraq in all areas‭, ‬Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Minister Prince Naif said on Wednesday after holding talks with Iraqi Ambassador Ghanim Al-Jameeli.  ‘We are very much concerned with the Iraqi people and we have been working for the protection of Iraq’s security and stability,’ Prince Naif said.  He emphasized the Kingdom’s solid stand on Iraq,  adding that Saudi Arabia works only for the goodness of the war-torn Arab country.  ‘We are looking forward to the day when Iraq will be ruled by its people and there will not be any foreign presence,’ the minister said..”  [Complete Report]

WWF Apologizes to Kingdom Over Vandalism  [Jul 29]
“The environmental group WWF said Wednesday that it had apologized unreservedly after an employee vandalized Saudi Arabia’s conference nameplate at a UN climate meeting last month.  WWF International acknowledged that the incident, which sparked an uproar at a meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany on June 11, was gravely offensive to Saudi Arabia.. ..WWF said an employee of its British branch was involved in taking and distributing ‘offensive photographs’ featuring the official nameplate..”  [Complete Report]

JPMorgan Will Open Full Saudi Arabian Branch in Emerging-Market Expansion  [Jul 29]
“JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to become the first U.S. bank to open a full-service commercial branch in Saudi Arabia this year, six years after Citigroup Inc. exited a venture in the world’s biggest oil exporter.  The firm, building on an investment banking office, is adding services to attract more corporate and institutional customers, said Daniel Cotti, the New York-based bank’s executive for global trade services. It obtained a full commercial banking license from the Saudi government in 2005 and is now the only U.S. financial firm to hold one. The expansion is part of a plan to accelerate growth in emerging markets also including Asia, South America and Eastern Europe..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports

CPA Gains Membership in International Body  [Jul 28]
“The Saudi Consumer Protection Association (CPA) recently became the newest member of Consumer International (CI), a global federation of consumer groups, after its assembly accepted a CPA application to join.  ‘We feel that it is a positive action that will help us get consultation from CI and its other members to better do our jobs and provide local consumers with the best service and awareness possible,’ said CPA President Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamad.  Al-Hamad also said CI’s expertise is another impressive aspect of the organization, which is now in its 50th year of operation.  Commenting on other initiatives that CPA is currently involved in, Al-Hamad explained that cracking down on counterfeit products is a top priority, in which he is currently holding several meetings with local authorities to counteract..”  [Complete Report]

King Visits Egypt Today on the First Leg of His 4-Nation Tour  [Jul 28]
“Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Nazif has welcomed the visit of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to Egypt.  He described meetings between King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as ‘always producing benefits for the people of their countries’.  ‘The level of coordination and understanding between the two countries is reflected in the King’s wish to detail to the Egyptian president talks he held during his tour of Europe,’ Nazif said.  ‘Coordination between them is continuous, and addresses regional issues, developments in Darfur and Sudan in general, developments in Somalia and Iraq, the situation in Palestine and other important issues.’..”  [Complete Report]

12% Annual Growth Expected in Saudi Franchising Market  [Jul 28]
“Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy are paying off as the country’s franchising industry, estimated to be worth SR3.75 billion, is expected to grow at an annual rate of 12 percent.  The robust growth forecast underlines the increasing economic contributions of the franchising industry in Saudi Arabia and its strong potential to become the most popular non-oil business sector in the region, said Diya Abdo, Project Manager, Saudi International Franchise Exhibition and Conference (IFEC 2010), Riyadh Exhibition Company (REC).  The IFEC 2010, the third international exhibition and conference for the franchise industry in Saudi Arabia, sought to complement the surge in franchising activity by providing a platform for international franchisers, entrepreneurs, agents, business owners and investors from the Middle East and other regions to discuss the most promising franchising opportunities and to address important issues..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Aramco Awards Yanbu Refinery Works to Tecnicas, Daelim Industrial  [Jul 28]
“Saudi Aramco, the biggest state- owned oil company, awarded contracts at the planned 400,000 barrel-a-day Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia to companies including Tecnicas Reunidas SA and Daelim Industrial Co.  Tecnicas Reunidas will do work on the coker unit, Daelim will build the gasoline and hydrocracker units and SK Engineering & Construction Co. will work on the crude unit, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company said today in a statement. Tecnicas said separately it got $700 million contract.  ‘Signing these contracts represents a critical milestone,’ Motassim Al-Ma’ashouq, Aramco’s executive director of new business development, said in the statement.  Aramco is boosting refining capacity to meet demand at home even as returns from processing crude oil have narrowed, Chief Executive Officer Khalid al-Falih said in January. The plant will cost $10 billion to $12 billion, John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Riyadh-based Banque Saudi Fransi said in April..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here] 

Cleric: Employ Only Muslim Maids in Saudi Arabia  [Jul 27]
“A Saudi cleric said only Muslim housemaids should be allowed in the country and they should be kept segregated from men in the home, an online news site reported on Tuesday.  ‘If there is a need to import workers as female domestics, they should be Muslims,’ Shaikh Yousuf Al Ahmad, a strong opponent of men and women mixing in the kingdom, told the sabq.org website.  He also said female domestics should cover themselves in the home, and that, following Islamic requirements for Saudi women, they should also be required to have a male relative guardian, or mahram, with them in Saudi Arabia.. ..He gained notoriety earlier this year when he called for the Grand Mosque of Makkah to be torn down and rebuilt with separate entrances and areas for men and women.  His latest comments are directed at the huge foreign labour pool in the country, accounting for an estimated 8 to 10 million of a population of about 25 million people..” [Complete Report]

Minnesota Promotes Saudi Arabia Export Opportunities  [Jul 27]
“The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is highlighting export opportunities in Saudi Arabia for food and agricultural companies.  The department and the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council are sponsoring a seminar in Minneapolis on Tuesday on exporting to Saudi Arabia, which imported almost $700 million dollars in U.S. agricultural products last year.  David Callahan, vice president of the council, says the Saudi government is phasing out local production of water-intensive crops, thus limiting expansion of its agricultural sector.  Minnesota agriculture exports have been outpacing total U.S. agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia for the last seven years. Top Minnesota products going there include sauces, condiments, vegetables and animal feed..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia May Be Proper Forum for al-Sanea Suit, Judge Says  [Jul 27]
“Saudi Arabia may be a more appropriate location for claims in a lawsuit filed in the Cayman Islands against Saudi billionaire Maan al-Sanea by members of the kingdom’s Algosaibi family, according to a court decision.  In the lawsuit, the Algosaibi group alleged Al-Sanea misappropriated $9.2 billion from the group’s units in part to fund his Saad Group of Companies. Al-Sanea has denied any wrongdoing, saying Algosaibi was aware of the borrowing. Smellie stayed the litigation until a committee appointed by the Saudi government rules on related petitions made there by the Algosaibi family. Smellie’s decision couldn’t be immediately confirmed in Cayman Islands electronic records or by a clerk contacted at the courthouse.  Units of the two Saudi family groups have borrowed at least $15.7 billion from more than 80 regional and international banks, including Paris-based BNP Paribas SA, New York-based Citigroup Inc. and Arab Bank Plc in Amman, Jordan, according to documents provided by lenders..”  [Complete Report]

Food Security Focus of Saudi-Mauritius Talks  [Jul 27]
“Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Mauritius discussed food security and ways of boosting bilateral trade in talks with senior officials during a three-day visit to the Indian Ocean country.  Mohammed bin Ali Al-Ali, who is based in Pretoria, South Africa, also talked in general about the need to increase relations with the island nation in other key areas as well.  ‘Trade relations are becoming more important than politics,’ Al-Ali said after a working session with Mauritius Minister of Industry and Commerce Showkutally Soodhun.  ‘Regarding food security, we can see how Mauritius can help us in planting our crops and exporting them to Saudi Arabia,’ Al-Ali said.  The meeting took place at the minister’s office in Port Louis in the presence of  Malek Ghawas, the attaché at the Saudi Embassy, and Yasine Mohabuth, an adviser to the Mauritius minister..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]  

Saudi King to Visit Lebanon Amid Tensions: Government Official  [Jul 26]
“Saudi King Abdullah will visit Lebanon on Friday and will urge rival parties to exercise restraint amid tensions over the possible implication of Hezbollah in the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, a government official said on Monday.  ‘The visit comes amid efforts to ease tensions in the country,’ the high-ranking official who did not wish to be identified told AFP. ‘He is going to tell all the parties to remain cool.’  He was referring to mounting fears of a conflict in Lebanon following last week’s announcement by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that he knew the UN tribunal probing Hariri’s 2005 murder was set to indict Hezbollah members.. ..Saudi Arabia was a key supporter of the slain Hariri and holds sway with his son Sa’ad Hariri, who is Lebanon’s current prime minister.  The Saudi king’s hours-long visit will be his first to Lebanon since 2002.  It is part of a regional tour that will also take him on Thursday to Syria, which, along with Iran, backs Hezbollah..”  [Complete Report]

Defence Teams Still Rescuing Saudi Flood Victims  [Jul 26]
“Saudi Civil Defence teams say they are continuing to rescue victims stranded by recent torrential rains and floods in the Asir and Jazan regions in the south, and Taif, a summer resort in the west of the country.  More than 15 people have died and five others have been reported missing after the rains and flooding, while tens of others in villages across the region have been injured, authorities said.. ..The Saudi authorities said they had also cut power to affected areas to prevent people from electrocuting themselves.  The Civil Defence said it had already rescued about 400 people stranded in the flooded villages.  Helicopters were also dropping parcels of food into the villages which were isolated by the floods.  However the Civil Defence said it had received emergency rescue calls from more than 1,900 people..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Envoys in Europe Meet in London  [Jul 26]
“Saudi Ambassador to UK Prince Muhammad bin Nawaf on Monday emphasized the role of ambassadors’ in strengthening the Kingdom’s political, economic and cultural relations with other countries.. ..He said the meeting would discuss the five-year strategy for diplomatic work, a unified strategy for Europe and the operation plan for Saudi missions in the continent. He hoped the meeting would come up with good recommendations to strengthen the Kingdom’s position in the comity of nations..”  [Complete Report]

Chinese Universities to Set Up King Abdullah Chairs  [Jul 26]
“Two leading Chinese universities have expressed their intent to establish chairs and research centers on interfaith and cultural dialogue named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.  The University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU) have presented applications to the Saleh Al-Sagri, Saudi cultural attache in Beijing, in this regard. There are 80,000 students at SYSU and 30,000 at UIBE, including Saudis.  Al-Sagri said more than 30 Chinese universities had expressed their desire to enroll Saudi students.  ‘Chinese universities have so far signed 35 agreements with their Saudi counterparts to exchange expertise,’..”  [Complete Report]

Four Dead in Bomb Attack on al-Arabiya TV in Baghdad  [Jul 26]
“A suicide car bomber has killed four people in an attack near the Baghdad offices of the Saudi-owned pan-Arab news channel, al-Arabiya.  Officials say those killed included security guards and cleaning staff.  An al-Arabiya reporter said the bomber detonated his device after passing through an initial security gate.. ..Al-Arabiya, which is perceived by extremist groups as being too pro-Western, has been targeted in the past.  In October 2006, a car bomb targeting the channel’s previous bureau killed seven people and wounded 20.  And in February 2006, presenter Atwar Bahjat and two of her colleagues were murdered in the town of Samarra as they covered the bombing of a revered Shia shrine..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Flash Floods in Saudi Arabia Leave 14 Dead  [Jul 25]
“Fourteen people were killed and one is still missing after flash floods hit several mountainous districts of southern Saudi Arabia, civil defence officials said on Saturday.. ..The authorities were using helicopters to ferry emergency supplies of food, water, and medicine to the stricken areas because the flooding had washed away some roads.  ‘We are watching the situation closely, and we are ready to deal with any emergency incidents and to send more relief materials to areas inaccessible by ground units,’..”  [Complete Report]

UNESCO Panel to Consider Al-Diriyah For World Heritage List  [Jul 25]
“Al-Diriyah, a small town on the northwestern outskirts of Riyadh that served as the capital of the Saudi royal family from AD 1744 to 1818, is one of the candidates for UNESCO World Heritage Site status during the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre’s annual 10-day meeting. This year’s meet is taking place in Brasilia.. ..According to the chroniclers of Nejd, the city of Al-Diriyah was founded in AD 1446 by Mani Al-Mraydi, an ancestor of the Saudi royal family. Al-Diriyah is part of the Turief District Development Plan that aims to turn the district into a major cultural and tourist center of international repute..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Families Stranded Abroad  [Jul 25]
“More than 598 Saudi families consisting of more than 1,822 members are currently stranded in a number of foreign countries, a Saudi welfare society looking after Saudis abroad announced.  The situation can arise where some Saudis travel to foreign countries with the intention of entering into temporary marriages. However, foreign wives are not allowed to enter the kingdom with their children.  ‘There are large numbers of Saudi sons and daughters who have been born under Misyar, Misfar, tourist and other kinds of marriages, which are permissible under Sharia rulings in these countries and on which Saudi travellers depend,’.. ..Talking to Gulf News, chairman of the society Dr Tawfiq Bin Abdul Aziz Al Suwailam said the society was providing financial help to these families including educational expenses and health care.  He said the society will provide air tickets, accommodation and sustenance for three months to those wishing to come to Saudi Arabia before handing them over to one of the domestic welfare societies..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports

Saudi Cleric: Women Can Forego Veil in Anti-Niqab Countries  [Jul 24]
” A leading Saudi cleric hit out at France for moving to ban face-veils, but approved Muslim women foregoing veils when visiting a country which outlaws them, a Saudi paper reported on Saturday.  The cleric’s ruling was in response to a question from a Saudi woman in France about how to respond to a movement there to ban full-face veils. Governments in Spain and Belgium are also considering bans.  ‘It is illogical and unreasonable that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by neutral people, not just Muslims, because the secular state assures freedom of religion,’ Shaikh Aed Al Qarni told Al Hayat.  ‘The state has to respect religious rituals and beliefs, including those of Muslims,’ he said in an interview.  However, he added, if Muslim women are in a country that has banned the niqab, or full-face veil, or if they face harassment in such a place, ‘it is better that the Muslim woman uncovers her face.’..”  [Complete Report]

Foreign Ships Threaten to Boycott Saudi Ports  [Jul 24]
“Owners of foreign ships have threatened to boycott Saudi ports and use other Gulf ports if the current crisis in unloading cargo at Dammam’s King Abdul Aziz Port continues unabated.  The ship owners said some ships have had to wait up to three weeks, and in some cases an entire month, to unload cargo, something they say is resulting in huge costs. They, along with shipping agents and businessmen, have called on Minister of Transport Jabara Al-Seraisry, who is also chairman of the General Ports Authority, to intervene and resolve the crisis.. ..Most companies at the port are facing labor shortage and have been unable to deal with the sudden increase in workload due to the summer and upcoming Ramadan.  Abdullah Al-Hamad, deputy director of the port, has set up a working team to follow up on the situation and resolve the crisis..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports

Saudi in Talks For Project Liberty-Type Spy Planes  [Jul 23]
“L-3 Communications Holdings Inc is in discussions with Saudi Arabia on a potential order for a fleet of spy planes similar to ones used by the US Air Force, chief executive officer Mike Strianese said.  “Saudi Arabia is interested in the Project Liberty-type system,” Strianese said on Thursday in an interview at the Farnborough Air Show, near London. The kingdom may consider “a handful” of planes for internal security, he said.. ..The US Defense Department is preparing to ask permission from Congress for an arms package for Saudi Arabia that includes military airplanes, navy vessels and missile defense systems, Navy Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, head of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, said in an interview in Farnborough on Wednesday.  The potential sale of the Project Liberty spy planes would be part of that package..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Tops Foreign Direct Investment Recipient in Mideast: UN Report  Jul 23]
“Saudi Arabia came eighth among top 10 recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world in 2009, making the oil-rich kingdom the top FDI destination in the Middle East, a UN report said.  According to the World Investment Report (WIR) of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), released in Riyadh on Thursday, Saudi Arabia lured 36 billion U.S. dollars in foreign direct investments last year, Saudi-based Arab News newspaper reported Friday.  “Being the largest FDI recipient in the region, Saudi Arabia has projected impressive growth last year and it has earned investor confidence from global entrepreneurs,” Taffere Tescfachew, chief of the Office of UNCTAD Secretary-General and Strategy and Policy Coordination, was quoted by the paper as telling a news conference in the Saudi capital.  The report that covered 192 countries was released simultaneously in 42 countries worldwide..”  [Complete Report]

Raytheon Wins Saudi TOW Missile Contract  [Jul 23]
” Raytheon has been awarded a $55 million contract by the U.S. government to deliver TOW 2A radio frequency missiles to Saudi Arabia.  The tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided missile includes an RF transmitter added to the missile case and an RF receiver in the missile.  The contract is part of the U.S. foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia’s national guard.  The weapon has been around since the early 1970s and was first used by the U.S. military in Vietnam. But it has undergone successive upgrades and variant developments, including that of the TOW 2A variant..”  [Complete Report]

Nike Signs Saudi Arabia Distribution Deal [Jul 23]
“Saudi Arabian retailer and wholesaler Sun and Sand Sports has entered a distribution agreement with sporting goods giant Nike.  The deal includes the distribution of apparel, footwear and accessories in the country.  Abdul Aziz Hassan Baqer, chairman of Gulf Marketing Group, said: “Sun and Sand Sports already has the distinction of being the Nike distributor in UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. The addition of Saudi Arabia is a significant milestone achieved.”  The agreement was signed at the Gulf Marketing Group office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates between Karsten Koehler, Nike’s distributors business director and Abdul Aziz Hassan Baqer, chairman of Gulf Marketing Group..”  [Complete Report]
 

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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U.S. Saudi Sale May Have 84 F-15s, Total $30 Billion  [Jul 22]
” A proposed U.S. arms sale to Saudi Arabia will include 84 new Boeing Co. F-15 fighter jets and may be valued at as much as $30 billion, according to a government official familiar with the plan.  The deal also calls for selling 72 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters built by United Technologies Corp.’s Sikorsky unit and refurbishing 70 Saudi F-15s, said the official, who asked not to be identified because terms are still under discussion.  Navy Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign sales, said separately today that Congress may be formally notified “within two months” about the transaction, which he said includes jets, helicopters, ships and missile-defense systems. He said he couldn’t give specifics..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Aramco Extends Bids for Yanbu Refinery Unit  [Jul 22]
“tate oil giant Saudi Aramco has asked firms to extend the deadline for bids to build one of the units at the 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) Yanbu refinery, industry sources said on Thursday.  The Yanbu project accounts for just under a quarter of the country’s planned expansion of around 1.7 million bpd of refining capacity on top of the current 2.1 million bpd.  The state-run firm [SDABO.UL] had previously asked engineering firms to extend the validity by 60 days to July 26 for bids for contracts for the Yanbu project.  The deadline has been pushed back further for the coker unit, the sources said, but it remains unchanged for other units..” [Complete Report]

Shoura Chairman Condemns UN Double Standard  [Jul 22]
“The Kingdom has called on the United Nations to intervene and stop ongoing Israeli settlement building in Palestinian territories.  Shoura Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh said the UN needed to stop Palestinian rights being violated. He was addressing delegates at the third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which concluded in Geneva on Wednesday.. ..“The Middle East region is still witnessing continuous Israeli occupation and its daily violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, who live under oppression, destruction and genocide,” said Al-Asheikh.  “We see that those who speak the language of law and call for the application of the principles of human rights, justice and equality, ignores all of that when it comes to Israel. This double standard policy is shown in its ugliest form, and thus we see that the Palestinian individual is deprived of his least rights,”..”  [Complete Report]

West Unruffled by Saudi, UAE Nuclear Aims  [Jul 22]
“Oil powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have joined the race to gain nuclear energy, but in sharp contrast to nearby Iran, their ambitions are unlikely to worry the West.  Sanctions are piling up against OPEC member Iran as the international community seeks to force it to contain its nuclear activities. On Monday, the European Union is expected to adopt the latest set of measures.  No-one disputes that Iran, in common with its fellow Middle Eastern oil producers, has an urgent need for more sources of power generation to prevent it burning fuel oil to meet surging domestic energy demand.  The problem is the suspicion Tehran is on the road to building a nuclear bomb, whereas Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are credited with only wanting peaceful power..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia Pavilion Becomes Favorite of Chinese Tourists  [Jul 22]
“A survey shows that among the 300-plus pavilions at the Shanghai World Expo, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion has become the favorite pavilion of Chinese tourists, beating out the Japan Pavilion, according to news from the China News Service.  Since the Shanghai World Expo opened two months ago, the total number of visitors has exceeded 25 million, and the number of daily visitors reached between 350,000 and 500,000 in July.  The survey was conducted by the Horizon Research Consultancy Group, who came to the conclusion by conducting surveys in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Dalian, Xi’an and Jinan. The survey shows that the China Pavilion, Saudi Arabia Pavilion and Japan Pavilion received the highest evaluations and the China Pavilion and U.S. Pavilion are the most anticipated pavilions..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Saudis Buy Sikorsky Helicopters  [Jul 21]
” Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry ordered three Sikorsky S-70i helicopters with options to purchase a dozen more.  The order makes Saudi Arabia the launch customer for the new aircraft, which is an international version of Sikorsky’s Black Hawk, used by the U.S. Army and the armed forces of more than two dozen other countries.  “We are proud to announce the sales launch of the S-70i international Black Hawk to our valued customer, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior,” Michael Ambrose, vice president of international military programs at Sikorsky, said. “The S-70i helicopter continues the legendary Black Hawk history of providing safe and reliable transportation for militaries around the world with exceptional value.”..”  [Complete Report]

China, Saudi Arabia Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties   [Jul 21]
“China and Saudi Arabia Wednesday celebrated their 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties at a reception here Wednesday.  Senior Chinese political advisor Wang Zhizhen and the Saudi Ambassador to China, Yahya A. S. Alzaid, addressed the reception.  Wang, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, spoke highly of the development of Sino-Saudi relations.  She said China is ready to make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to deepen the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperative ties between the two nations.  She also said China hopes to develop the bilateral strategic relationship..”  [Complete Report]

S.Korea Firms Win Billion-Dollar Saudi Cable Deal  [Jul 21]
” A South Korean consortium has won a one-billion dollar deal to lay fibre optic cables in Saudi Arabia, a state trade promotion agency said Wednesday.  Korean Middle East Engineering, a joint venture of four South Korean businesses in the kingdom, was named main project contractor by Saudi Arabia’s Integrated Telecom Company, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency said.   The project is to set up a national network in Saudi Arabia and also to connect the country with Sudan, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates by undersea cable by December 2013, the agency said in a statement.  “Since the Dubai debt crisis, Saudi Arabia is becoming an attractive market for South Korean businesses,” said Lee Kwan-Seok, head of the agency’s Korea Business Centre in the Saudi capital Riyadh..”  [Complete Report]

Egypt-Saudi Power Grid Link Cost Seen at $1.5 bln  [Jul 21]
“A project aimed at linking the power grids of electricity-hungry countries Egypt and Saudi Arabia to help meet peak-time demand is expected to cost about $1.5 billion, an Egyptian official said on Wednesday.  An international tender for work on the project is scheduled for January 2011, Electricity Ministry Undersecretary Aktham Abul Ela said.  Egypt will send Saudi Arabia electricity through the connection in the afternoons and Saudi Arabia will send electricity to Egypt in the evenings, taking advantage of the difference in the countries’ peak use hours, he added.  He said the two countries would split the cost of the project — which aims to exchange 3,000 megawatts of electricity between the countries through direct current electrical lines — based on the amount of work on their land..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Raytheon Signs $55m Deal for Saudi National Guard  [Jul 20]
“US defence contraction Raytheon Co has secured a $55m contract to supply wireless-guided missiles to the US government as part of a foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia’s National Guard.  The weapons are known as TOW missiles, which stands for tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless guided 2A radio frequency missiles, and are favoured for their precise targeting.  “On today’s battlefield, potential targets are hiding in caves, behind boulders or in the mountains,” said Shawn Ball, TOW international business development manager, Raytheon..”  [Complete Report]

Investors Bet on Saudi Arabia’s Economic Boom  [Jul 20]
” Saudi Arabia is drawing strong interest from the private equity sector thanks to a a large and young population, a growing economy and a government dedicated to achieving wider economic diversification.  Saudi Arabia ranks favourably in the Insead-Booz and Company survey on the regional private equity industry, which indicates that a large majority of general partners are looking to invest in the GCC this year. But though many of GCC countries are relatively wealthy, they lack the critical mass of in terms of population and size of economic activity, the survey indicated.  Saudi Arabia scores in this aspect.  A number of international private equity firms have said they expected to open offices in Saudi Arabia in the coming months..”  [Complete Report]

Kingdom Holding Net Grows 47% on Revenue From Hotels  [Jul 20]
” Kingdom Holding Co., an investment company controlled by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, said second-quarter profit advanced 47 percent on revenue from global hotel operations and units inside Saudi Arabia.  Net income increased to 135.4 million riyals ($36.1 million) from 92.1 million riyals in the year-earlier period, the Riyadh-based company said in a statement to the Saudi bourse today. The company is “experiencing improving results from its hotel operations and its domestic entities,” it said.  Kingdom Holding restructured some of its management and business to drive growth after struggling through the global financial crisis..”  [Complete Report]