THE CG IN SOUTHERN SAUDI ARABIA, PART II - THE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000286

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP,
NEA/IR, PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2015
TAGS: EAID ECON IR KDEM KISL PGOV PHUM PREL PTER
SA, SOCI, YM
SUBJECT: THE CG IN SOUTHERN SAUDI ARABIA, PART II - THE
UNOFFICIAL GOVERNOR OF NEJRAN

REF: JEDDAH 285

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

This is Part II in a two-part series on meetings between the
Consul General and the Governor of the Nejran province.


1. (S) SUMMARY. At the conclusion of the formal meeting
between the Consul General and Nejran Governor Prince Mishael
bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, CG, Congenoff, and A/RSO were invited
for drinks with the Governor at his home. Throughout the 2
hour-long informal meeting Prince Mishael spoke candidly
about a host of issues, including his and the SAG,s fears of
an expansionist Iran, America's relationship with the Arab
world, Saudi tourism, and his desire to leave Nejran behind.
The meeting provided an important insight into the Governor's
feelings about his country, his government, and his work.
END SUMMARY.

WHEN A STRONG WIND BLOWS...


2. (C) The Governor began the informal meeting poolside in
his vast garden by readdressing a point he made earlier in
the day about the increasing access to information that
people in the Middle East have. "All Saudis do is watch
television," he proclaimed, "and they know more than ever
what is happening in the world...they see what happened at
Abu Ghraib." According to him, the United States gives
disillusioned Saudis a reason to raise their voice and to act
on their anti-American feelings. He went on to say that he
believes that the US,s goal in spreading democracy, however
honorable, will never be achieved because the people of the
world will merely wait for the US to give up. "When a strong
wind blows all people have to do to avoid it is duck and wait
for it to pass. I love America, but if you try to change a
society you will fail because there are some things you will
never be able to change. You will never be able to change
history. You will never be able to change geography."

UNDERSTANDING SAUDIS 101


3. (C) Interestingly, Prince Mishael then brought up the
subject of the recently failed US-UAE port agreement and was
quick to opine that America's relationship with Saudi Arabia
is the most important relationship it has in the Gulf.
"These other Gulf countries don't have what we have - wealth,
a border with the Gulf, the Red Sea, Jordan, and Iraq...we
are a very important partner of the US." He did add that
Saudi Arabia needs the US as much as the US needs it and
maintained that he is one of the key proponents of stronger
and closer US-Saudi relations within the Saudi royal family.


4. (C) The Governor also spoke to the seeming differences
between what Saudis say to Americans on the record and what
they say off the record. Saudis have "four personalities" -
one for dealing with other Saudis inside Saudi Arabia, one
for dealing with non-Saudis inside Saudi Arabia, one for
dealing with Saudis outside Saudi Arabia, and one for dealing
with non-Saudis outside Saudi Arabia. Prince Mishael summed
it up by saying, "There is a 180 degree difference in what a
Saudi will say to an American and what he will say to another
Saudi. Yes, Saudis want openness and want to progress but
when it comes to changing their own lives, their own homes,
they won't do it."


5. (C) Later in the meeting, the CG brought up the Saudi
Inter-Ministerial Committee to solicit the Governor's
thoughts on this new government body created to deal with
outstanding child custody and exit permission issues. He
responded by stating emphatically that it would never work.
"You Americans must understand Saudis; you must understand
Arabs. If you have a committee of Saudis, nothing will get
done because everyone will want to be in charge; everyone
will want to take the credit."

IRAN


JEDDAH 00000286 002 OF 003



6. (S) Prince Mishael spoke candidly about his and the SAG's
growing concerns about Iran, mentioning the possible Iranian
nuclear program, aggressive Iranian moves in southern Iraq,
and Iran's attempts to meddle in Lebanon and Syria. He said
Saudi Arabia is vulnerable to Iranian intrigues as well
(presumably implying that the SAG's Shi'ia citizens,
including his own Ismailis could be turned against it.
Reftel.). He spoke nostalgically of Saddam Hussein, who
though a "monster," kept Iran at bay. On this issue, he
waxed eloquent and passionate, at times aggressively berating
US foreign policy in Iraq for allegedly having brought about
a strengthened Iran with expansionist designs throughout the
Middle East. When the CG asked bluntly, "Your Royal
Highness, are you saying that Iran is trying to create a
'Shi'ia Crescent' from Iran through Syria and Lebanon to the
Mediterranean Sea?" he answered tersely, "Yes." The CG
actively defended USG policy in Iraq and then asked the
Governor what he personally would suggest as an effective USG
policy vis-a-vis Iran. He answered immediately, "Iran is
unfortunately too big and strong to attack militarily. You
should destabilize them from within. Foment a revolution
inside and get the Iranian people to install a government in
Tehran friendly to yourselves and to us."

SAUDIS DON'T WANT TO VACATION IN THE KINGDOM


7. (C) Moving on to the subject of tourism, the Governor said
that Prince Sultan bin Salman, head of the Saudi Supreme
Commission for Tourism, was overly optimistic about his plans
to open up the Kingdom to vacation-goers. He agreed that
some people from other Gulf countries would want to come to
Saudi Arabia to explore its rich geography and historical
sites, but insisted that "upper class Saudis don't want to
vacation where their wives have to be covered, where they
can't have an (alcoholic) drink; where they can't do what
they want." Prince Mishael conceded that there are different
degrees of conservativeness in the Kingdom and that several
local tourist destinations would appeal to some Saudis. "You
can do things in Jeddah that you can't do in Qassim, for
example." He quickly added, however, that it is "crazy" that
women aren't allowed to drive in the Kingdom and cited this
law as one of the reasons why most Saudi families will not
want to vacation in Saudi Arabia. "They will want to go (on
holiday) someplace where they can do things that they cannot
do here."

IT'S LONELY AT THE TOP


8. (C) The Governor has been in his position for over ten
years. He claims that he was originally slated to serve for
only one term of four years. Prince Mishael is now on his
third term in office and says that Nejran was "nothing" until
he came in and changed it for the better. He admitted,
however, that he is now ready to resign as Governor. While
he firmly believes in the one-term Governorship, it is not
eminently clear if the length of his tenure as Governor of
Nejran has, to date, been his choice. He alluded to the fact
that the King will not permit him to leave his post at the
present time. When Congenoff played to the Governor's ego by
saying, "You've made some significant contributions and have
made real progress for Nejran. It is obvious why they want
you to stay on as Governor," Prince Mishael replied, "Yes,
this is true."


9. (C) This informal meeting with the Governor revealed that
he feels lonely in his fortress-like house at the top of a
mountain in Nejran. His wife and children reside in Riyadh
and he does not get to see them as often as he would like.
He also confessed that he tries to leave the Nejran region as
often as possible, opting to spend time in Riyadh or abroad
when he can. "Eight days in Nejran feels like eight years,"
he grumbled. While he is a self-proclaimed "man of the
middle-class" the Governor has no friends in the region with
whom he spends time on a regular basis. Prince Mishael
stressed that he works long hours and has many official
engagements in the evenings, a routine with which he is
bored. He would much rather go to events where people do not
"bow down" to him. While he certainly entertains at his home

JEDDAH 00000286 003 OF 003


on occasion, Prince Mishael alluded to spending many cold
winter evenings at his home alone by the fire with a glass of
wine. "There is nothing to do in Nejran." It is not
surprising, then, that the Governor seemed genuinely pleased
to have the CG at his home, evidenced by his chatty demeanor.

BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION


10. (C) Prince Mishael is a gregarious man who has a history
of speaking candidly with American officials, particularly
when his ego is stroked. He has a keen sense of humor and
prefers to speak in metaphorical terms. He was one of Saudi
Arabia's "Free Princes" and wishes to be viewed as a "regular
guy." Prince Mishael drinks alcohol and has an affinity for
dry red wine. He admitted to CG that some of his best and
most trusted friends are British and American Jews. His
hobbies include gardening. He is the son of King Saud and
grandson of King Abdul Aziz, Saudi Arabia's founder.
Gfoeller