JEDDAH JOURNAL 17: ISLAMIC FORUM MEETING CANCELED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000520

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016
TAGS: ECON KISL PREL SA SOCI
SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 17: ISLAMIC FORUM MEETING CANCELED
BECAUSE OF LEBANON CRISIS; INVESTORS LOBBY TO POSTPONE BAN
ON SELLING LIVE POULTRY; TWO NEW MARINE PRESERVES FOR RED
SEA, NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES; ASTROLOGER PREDICTS BUSH
ASSASSINATION

REF: JEDDAH 267

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

MEETING CANCELED DUE TO LEBANON CRISIS


1. (C) On August 1, the Consulate General received a fax
from the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue informing
us that our request for a meeting could not be honored at
this time, because all of their staff and resources were
needed to cope with the crisis in Lebanon.

INVESTORS LOBBY GOVERNMENT TO POSTPONE BAN ON SELLING LIVE
POULTRY


2. (U) Nearly three years ago, the Saudi government ordered
a ban on shops selling live chickens as of August 10, 2006.
This was done as a health and safety measure to prevent the
transmission of Avian Flu and other diseases (reftel). Now,
barely one week before the final date, a delegation of large
investors in the poultry industry has asked the Ministry of
Agriculture to postpone the ban. These investors claim that
the capacity of processing facilities, located primarily in
main towns, is only 40,000 to 60,000 birds per day, while the
farms produce 100,000 to 120,000 birds per day. The
delegation asked that the ban be delayed until more
processing plants are constructed in rural areas near the
chicken farms, claiming that unless the ban is postponed, the
industry will suffer severe financial and job losses.
COMMENT: A three-year lead time should have permitted the
industry to construct sufficient processing facilities to
cope with the demand. This last-minute plea suggests that
the wealthy owners would rather use their influence to evade
the law, regardless of the consequences for public health.
END COMMENT.

NEW WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MARINE RESERVES
IN THE RED SEA


3. (U) This week, Prince Bandar ibn Saud, the new Secretary
General of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation
and Development (NCWCD) announced that the Kingdom was
planning to establish 60 new protected areas to add to the 16
already maintained by the Kingdom. The new preserves would
include two marine reserves in the northern Red Sea at
Al-Aqaba and Fatul Wajad. The NCWCD hopes to establish these
reserves next year.

SAUDI ARABIA TO TRAIN ITS OWN GOLDSMITHS TO REPLACE OUSTED
FOREIGNERS


4. (U) The chairman of the Gold and Jewelry Committee of the
Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI),Jameel Farsi,
has announced that the JCCI is considering establishing a
special college to train goldsmiths and jewelry designers.
As part of its Saudization drive the Saudi government had
recently decreed that 100% of gold smiths and jewelry
designers would have to be Saudi citizens. This order caused
a public outcry, because virtually all goldsmiths and
jewelers are foreigners and there did not seem to be any
prospect of Saudis developing the necessary skills to
maintain this important industry. The chairman noted that
Jeddah is a center of the jewelry industry being the home of
more than 800 gold and jewelry shops and 200 workshops that
manufacture gold and jewelry. This appears to be an effort
by the authorities to overcome the dearth of trained Saudis
in at least one industry.

SAUDI VOCATIONAL TRAINING INCLUDES THE CATWALK


5. (U) The General Organization of Technical Education and
Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) announced that its vocational
training will include a course in modeling for Saudi women.
The spokesmen for GOTEVOT announced that they had accepted
1,500 applications from women in Jeddah for the course, which
is still under development. In addition to modeling, the
curriculum will include sales skills and basic accounting.
Public reaction to the announcement was mixed. Some

JEDDAH 00000520 002 OF 002

SUBJECT: JEDDAH JOURNAL 17: ISLAMIC FORUM MEETING CANCELED
BECAUSE OF LEBANON CRISIS; INVESTORS LOBBY TO POSTPONE BAN
ON SELLING LIVE POULTRY; TWO NEW MARINE PRESERVES FOR RED
SEA, NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES; ASTROLOGER PREDICTS BUSH
ASSASSINATION

supporters contended that it was merely permitting Saudi
women to participate in events that have been held behind
closed doors in the Kingdom for decades. Others saw no
objection as long as the models conducted themselves in
accordance with Islamic standards and the events were
women-only. One opponent opined that it was degrading for
women to earn a living with their looks and another dismissed
modeling as "a chance for ladies who love to dress up all the
time to take it as a summer job."

TOURISM PROMOTES JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTHS


6. (U) A short report in the Arab News said that the Asir
tourist festival is certain to be a great success this year.
The report noted that the festival offers a good opportunity
for young people to work. Teenagers and youngsters can make
money selling food, drink, toys and souvenirs to the
tourists. Vendors, it was asserted, can earn a good deal of
money working the festival. One 17-year old interviewed by
the reporter stated that he made over SR200 (c.US$54.) per
day and hoped to use his earnings to start an auto body shop.

ASTROLOGER PREDICTS THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WILL BE ASSASSINATED


7. (U) During mid July, the Islamic extremist Al Sahat
website, known for its virulent anti-Americanism, carried a
prediction by a Tunisian astrologer that President Bush would
be assassinated this year. One respondent added that the
astrologer had accurately predicted the death of King Fahad
and the Pope last year. Several visitors left prayers
"Doa'a" for the predicted event to occur. Within ten days,
the site had recorded more than 24,000 hits. (Note: This
website welcomed the arrival of the present CG with a number
of death threats. End Note.)

Gfoeller