RIYADH RECORD: JULY 30-AUGUST 4

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 006473

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SA
SUBJECT: RIYADH RECORD: JULY 30-AUGUST 4

REF: A. A) RIYADH 6040


B. B) RIYADH 6339

C. C) RIYADH 6101

D. D) JEDDAH 494.

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The SAG provided humanitarian assistance to
victims of the crisis in Lebanon through air and land convoys
as well as increased financial assistance. The Saudi
public's discontent increased with the SAG's perceived
support for U.S. policy in Lebanon, and protesters of U.S.
support for Israel called for a boycott of U.S. consumer
goods in the Kingdom. The SAG lifted the ban on public
photography, issued a decree allowing female engineers to
open their own offices, and allowed the screening of movies
at a literary club in Riyadh. King Abdullah received
Jordan's King Abdullah II for a two-day visit to discuss the
crisis in Lebanon; he also engaged in various correspondence
with regional leaders calling for a coordinated Arab stance
following the Qana massacre.

-------------- --------------
Lebanon Crisis: Humanitarian Assistance and Saudi Reaction
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Post played an instrumental role in assisting a Saudi
humanitarian relief convoy to travel safely to Lebanon. The
convoy, which arrived in Beirut on July 30 following an
overland crossing from Syria, consisted of 22 vehicles,
including mobile hospital units (Ref A). Additionally, two
SAG planes carrying 24 tons of medical supplies and
foodstuffs arrived in Beirut on August 2. There has been
continued financial assistance provided by the Saudi public
following directives by King Abdullah for a public donation
campaign to provide support to the Lebanese people, including
a $2 million donation by the Saudi corporation SABIC.


3. (C) On July 31, two prominent conservative websites
posted calls for a boycott on U.S. consumer goods, ranging
from fast-food franchises to shampoo brands, to begin on
August 4, in addition to an ongoing cellular telephone text
messaging campaign. This call for a boycott is the first in
Saudi Arabia on U.S. products since the 2003 Iraq invasion,
and follows a 2005 successful boycott on Danish products. It
was widely debated how effective the boycott was due to the
sheer volume and popularity of U.S. goods in the Kingdom.
But its initiation suggests that the Saudi public's
displeasure with the U.S.'s foreign policy towards the
Lebanon crisis is increasing (Ref B, Ref C).

-------------- --------------
Domestic Reforms: Photography Ban Lifted, Female Engineers
Operational, Movies Aired
-------------- --------------


4. (C) In a bid to promote tourism, the SAG lifted a ban on
photography in public places. Although the lifting of the
ban was announced last year, the Ministry of Interior enacted
it only this past week. A ban on photographing private
property remains in place, which includes royal palaces and
individuals, unless the photographer has express permission.
Religious conservatives were most likely responsible for the
delay in its implementation, and they remain opposed to
photography. Many have criticized the SAG for allowing the
Saudi media to continue printing pictures of Saudi women.
The King continues to loosen the reigns of conservatism in
the Kingdom, particularly concerning economic advancement,
even in the wake of mounting criticism by religious
conservatives and the Saudi public's discontent with the
crisis in Lebanon.


5. (C) On August 1, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
announced a decision to allow female engineers to open
engineering offices. The Chairman of the Board of Directors
for the Saudi Engineers Council (SEC) stated that the decree
was issued and implemented in record time by the Ministry (in
three months) and that the SEC expects over 100 engineering
offices run by Saudi female engineers would be opened in

2006. Currently, there are 60 female members of the SEC, but
they plan for increased membership based on the new decree.
As is often the case in Saudi Arabia, targeted bureaucratic
obstructions may impede the implementation of this decision
and dampen the high expectations of the SEC (Ref D).


6. (U) On July 30, a Fiction Group at the Riyadh Literary
Club organized a talk to air two short Saudi movies from the
Jeddah Film Festival: "Taxi" and "The Last Piece." The
screening, the first of its kind in Riyadh, had an audience
of 40 males as well as theQo male directors of the films.
Although no females were present, a paper on the movies by
female critic Raja al-Mitrai was read in her absence.
Additionally, the National Society for Human Rights, the
official SAG human rights body, announced plans to produce
five short films to be aired for the Saudi public as a means
of educating both Saudis and expatriates on their rights
under the law on topics including domestic violence,
expatriate rights, children's rights, basic human rights and
civil and social rights.

--------------
VIP Visits and Correspondence
--------------


7. (U) King Abdullah II of Jordan traveled to the Kingdom
for a two-day visit to discuss Lebanon with Saudi King
Abdullah, in addition to the Palestinian crisis, Iraq, and
general bilateral relations issues. Also on July 30,
Lebanese Prime Minister Fu'ad al-Saniora called King Abdullah
to brief him on current events in Lebanon, including the
details of the Qana massacre. Al-Saniora told the King that
Lebanon will not hold peace talks before an immediate and
unconditional cease-fire is established. King Abdullah
expressed his support for the Lebanese position and gave
assurances that Saudi Arabia will "stand by Lebanon in all
circumstances." On August 2, King Abdullah sent a letter to
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, which commented on
current Israeli aggression against the Palestinian and
Lebanese people and stated that there was a need for
coordination of Arab positions on solving this issue. Also,
Iranian Majlis Speaker, Gholan Ali Haddad Adel, spoke by
phone on July 30 with Saudi and Kuwaiti Majlis al-Shoura
Speakers on the latest developments in Lebanon, specifically
referring to the Qana massacre. All three parties condemned
the "Zionist regime's brutal crimes in Qana."
OBERWETTER