Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH195
2006-03-07 12:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
JEDDAH JOURNAL 7: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA,
how-toVZCZCXRO0722 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHJI #0195 0661232 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071232Z MAR 06 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8880 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1303 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1375 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6236 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000195
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: EAIR ECON KISL KPRV PREL SA
SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 7: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA,
MERCHANT FAMILY NEWS, SAUDIA TO PRIVATIZE BY 2008
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA
C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000195
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: EAIR ECON KISL KPRV PREL SA
SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 7: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA,
MERCHANT FAMILY NEWS, SAUDIA TO PRIVATIZE BY 2008
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA
1. (C) Rumors have been swirling around the Jeddah Consular
Community for some weeks that Dr. Abdulaziz Al Suwaigh,
presently Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA),will be appointed the new Saudi Ambassador to Canada.
A contact at MFA repeated the rumor to a Consulate employee
last week. At the recent India National Day Reception, the
CG was privy to a conversation between the Indian Consul
General and Dr. Al Suwaigh on this subject. The Indian
congratulated the doctor on his impending appointment, but
observed that acclimating to the frigid Canadian climate
could be a trial. Dr. Al Suwaigh informed the Indian CG that
he could neither confirm nor deny this rumor, but putting his
finger to his lips, he smiled and said he though he could get
use to a colder climate.
MERCHANT FAMILY SPLIT?
3. (U) The Jeddah business community is anticipating the
possible breakup of the giant Hamrani Group of companies.
One of the brothers has filed a lawsuit seeking to dismantle
the company after 10 years of familial conflict. Founded in
1953 by Sheikh Ali Al Hamrani, the Hamrani Group is one of
the top 50 companies in Saudi Arabia and is involved in
automobiles, including Nissan, banking, security systems,
manufacturing, lubricants, and aviation services, as well as
other enterprises.
MERCHANT FAMILY PREPARING TO TEST IPO OPPORTUNITIES
4. (C) The exploding Saudi stock market is inspiring many of
the large family-owned Saudi corporations to consider going
public with some of their assets. During the recent JEF,
Pol/Econ Chief had a short conversation with Zahid Talal
Zahid, one of the younger generation of managers in the
influential Zahid family. He is Business Development Manager
of Budget Rental Cars and confided to Pol/Econ Chief that the
family was preparing to take that subsidiary public with an
IPO later this year. When asked if this was a pilot project
in anticipation of taking other components of the family's
businesses public, he laughed and said among the family, the
Budget IPO is called "the pilot project."
SAUDI AIRLINES MAY PRIVATIZE BY 2008
5. (C) In early March, while accompanying a team of FAA
inspectors performing a technical re-certification audit on
Saudi aviation maintenance facilities, Pol/Econ Chief was
informed by one of the managers at Saudi Arabian Airlines
(Saudia) that the general belief among Saudia management is
that the company will be privatized by the end of 2008.
Substantial planning and preparation is occurring now.
Gfoeller
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2016
TAGS: EAIR ECON KISL KPRV PREL SA
SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 7: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA,
MERCHANT FAMILY NEWS, SAUDIA TO PRIVATIZE BY 2008
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA
1. (C) Rumors have been swirling around the Jeddah Consular
Community for some weeks that Dr. Abdulaziz Al Suwaigh,
presently Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA),will be appointed the new Saudi Ambassador to Canada.
A contact at MFA repeated the rumor to a Consulate employee
last week. At the recent India National Day Reception, the
CG was privy to a conversation between the Indian Consul
General and Dr. Al Suwaigh on this subject. The Indian
congratulated the doctor on his impending appointment, but
observed that acclimating to the frigid Canadian climate
could be a trial. Dr. Al Suwaigh informed the Indian CG that
he could neither confirm nor deny this rumor, but putting his
finger to his lips, he smiled and said he though he could get
use to a colder climate.
MERCHANT FAMILY SPLIT?
3. (U) The Jeddah business community is anticipating the
possible breakup of the giant Hamrani Group of companies.
One of the brothers has filed a lawsuit seeking to dismantle
the company after 10 years of familial conflict. Founded in
1953 by Sheikh Ali Al Hamrani, the Hamrani Group is one of
the top 50 companies in Saudi Arabia and is involved in
automobiles, including Nissan, banking, security systems,
manufacturing, lubricants, and aviation services, as well as
other enterprises.
MERCHANT FAMILY PREPARING TO TEST IPO OPPORTUNITIES
4. (C) The exploding Saudi stock market is inspiring many of
the large family-owned Saudi corporations to consider going
public with some of their assets. During the recent JEF,
Pol/Econ Chief had a short conversation with Zahid Talal
Zahid, one of the younger generation of managers in the
influential Zahid family. He is Business Development Manager
of Budget Rental Cars and confided to Pol/Econ Chief that the
family was preparing to take that subsidiary public with an
IPO later this year. When asked if this was a pilot project
in anticipation of taking other components of the family's
businesses public, he laughed and said among the family, the
Budget IPO is called "the pilot project."
SAUDI AIRLINES MAY PRIVATIZE BY 2008
5. (C) In early March, while accompanying a team of FAA
inspectors performing a technical re-certification audit on
Saudi aviation maintenance facilities, Pol/Econ Chief was
informed by one of the managers at Saudi Arabian Airlines
(Saudia) that the general belief among Saudia management is
that the company will be privatized by the end of 2008.
Substantial planning and preparation is occurring now.
Gfoeller