THE YEAR IN REVIEW: KING ABDULLAH MARKS FIRST YEAR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 RIYADH 006727 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER PINS PINR ECON EFIN ETRD KIRF, KISL, PARM, SA SUBJECT: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: KING ABDULLAH MARKS FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY REF: (A) RIYADH 5114 (B) JEDDAH 0531 (C) RIYADH 4997 (D) STATE 132101 (E) RIYADH 5747 (F) RIYADH 5136 (G) STATE 132890 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) August 1 marked the one year anniversary of King Abdullah's ascension to the throne. The King has generated considerable popularity by delivering political, economic, and social programs intended to improve the welfare of Saudi citizens. Utilizing the windfall from surging oil prices, the King approved a number of giant infrastructure projects, including four new mega city projects and a pay-raise for public servants. The Government improved regulations of capital markets and governance requirements. (Ref E) Additionally, he announced the future privatization of the airline and telecom industries. Stressing the importance of education, the King unveiled plans for the construction of new universities and the expansion of existing schools. The Government launched a new scholarship program, and over 9,000 Saudi students were issued visas to study in the U.S. ¶2. (C) On political and economic reform, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO after a decade-long quest. In an unprecedented move, the Government committed to improving religious freedoms in the Kingdom. It also made greater allowances for women's participation in government and non-government organizations and established a new labor policy to address much-needed employment opportunities for Saudi women. It is also close to issuing guidelines for the treatment of foreign domestic workers. Freedom of the press continued to improve. A nascent literary society is quietly challenging society's strict moral code. The King reportedly favors transparent military sales contracts. The Government paid increasing attention to human rights and formed a government-run Human Rights Commission to investigate abuses. ¶3. (S) Saudi leaders received a large number of senior USG visitors. The military relationship continued to flourish as the Saudis appear ready for new military purchases. The U.S.-Saudi Strategic Dialogue (SD),launched in November 2005, continued moving forward, and several SD working groups met and reported notable progress. That said, as we have noted in other reporting (Ref F),the King's reforms have begun to generate a significant backlash, and he will have to keep an eye on the public mood and proceed carefully in order to make further progress. Rising tensions in the region and increasing anti-U.S. sentiment among the Saudi public, coupled with mounting opposition to reform from religious conservatives, will challenge the U.S.-Saudi relationship, since the Saudi government will find it increasingly necessary to justify to its citizens and neighbors its close ties to the U.S. End Summary. -------------- ECONOMIC REFORM -------------- ¶4. (C) During the past year, Saudi Arabia's continuing oil-driven economic boom enabled the King to increase spending on targeted infrastructure construction projects, as well as health, education, and vocational training programs. The King views these programs and projects as key to reducing the number of under-educated, under-employed Saudi youths who may otherwise be open to extremist influences. ¶5. (C) The King also strove to distribute new wealth to the Saudi population to develop an "ownership society" that is intended to give the average Saudi a larger stake in the continued stability of the Kingdom. In June 2006, the King embarked on his first national tour as monarch, traveling to many regions in the country. He announced major development projects at each stop and reinforced the State's traditional role as infrastructure developer. The King also emphasized the larger role he expects the private sector to play in economic growth. It was a landmark event and the first such regal progress made by a Saudi ruler in many years. (Ref A) ¶6. (C) King Abdullah also shifted FY 06 budget revenues to social investment programs, including increasing funding to RIYADH 00006727 002 OF 006 the Saudi Credit Bank, which is the primary source of mortgages for middle-class Saudis, as well as the Real Estate Development Fund and Saudi Industrial Development Fund. He also allocated nearly $4 million for housing for low-income earners. ¶7. (C) Shortly after ascending the throne, King Abdullah announced a 15 percent across-the-board increase in public sector salaries and pensions. In May 2006, the Government announced health care financing reforms to bolster more competition, and, in June, issued orders to strengthen regulation of capital markets and corporate governance requirements. The Saudi government also opened capital markets to investment by non-Saudi investors. ¶8. (C) In December 2005, Saudi Arabia ascended to the WTO after a decade-long quest. In April 2006, ahead of its WTO commitment, the Government announced that the Saudi telecom sector would be fully liberalized by the end of 2006. It also stated that it would privatize Saudia Airlines and has proceeded to spin off five subsidiaries of Saudia prior to privatizing them. ¶9. (C) In June 2006, the Ministry of Labor announced a new labor policy intended to create more work opportunities for Saudi women. The new policy authorized Saudi women to begin working as saleswomen in women's clothing and cosmetic stores, but caused considerable backlash from religious conservatives, who oppose this move. The Labor Minister told Post that the Saudi government will have to proceed slowly with reforms concerning women's employment. (Ref B) -------------- POLITICAL REFORM -------------- ¶10. (C) Elections: Between February and March 2005, the Kingdom held its first partial elections for municipal councils since 1963. Saudi male voters chose 592 members, half of the seats, of the 178 advisory municipal councils. In December 2005, the King appointed the remaining council members so that the councils could begin functioning. Saudi Ambassador to U.S. Prince Turki (then Saudi envoy to the UK) was quoted in the press in January 2005 as stating that he thought that women would be allowed to participate and vote in the 2009 elections. ¶11. (C) Women's Rights: Women have made notable gains in the political arena as their inclusion and participation in government and non-governmental organizations have increased. In November 2005, two Saudi women were elected to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Seventeen Saudi women contested the elections, and news reports stated that approximately 100 Saudi women voted in the elections. In December 2005, one Saudi woman was voted onto the Saudi Engineers Council Board of Directors. ¶12. (C) In July 2006, The Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council) announced that it would employ six Saudi women consultants on matters pertaining to women's issues. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are currently 60 Saudi female diplomats in training. In August 2005, Prince Sultan University opened a new law department for 40 women, and Saudi radio introduced its first Saudi women broadcasters. ¶13. (C) Press Freedoms: Press freedoms continued to improve in the Kingdom. Controversial issues previously not openly discussed received increasing media coverage. Topics included rights for AIDS patients, condemnation of religious extremism and individuals promoting violence against non-Muslims, increasing women's rights (driving, employment, education, participation in public events),criticism of government agencies for poor service and corruption, frequent reports of NGO events (seminars and fora) addressing reform discussions and efforts, frequent reports on religious curricula and textbook debates and discussions, and speculation about feuds among members of the Royal Family. ¶14. (C) Human Rights: In September 2005, the King and Cabinet approved the creation of the Human Rights Commission (HRC),a government organization that reports directly to the King. Its chairperson, Dr. Turki bin Khalid al-Sudairy, holds the rank of minister. The King reportedly has chosen the 24-member board, which includes representatives from the RIYADH 00006727 003 OF 006 Shi'a, Sufi, and Ismaili minority groups. Members of the board will serve four-year terms and advise the King and Cabinet on policy and regulations. ¶15. (C) In June 2006, the HRC offered Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb (strictly protect),founder and president of Human Rights First Society (HRFS),a human rights NGO tolerated but not officially recognized by the Government, a position as head of its Eastern Province (EP) branch (Ref C). Mugaiteeb will be responsible for Shi'a and Ismaili issues in the EP and Najran. In the past, Mugaiteeb has been harassed and jailed by the Saudi authorities, and the Government has refused to issue a license to his organization. (Ref C) ¶16. (C) Royal Pardons: In August 2005, King Abdullah pardoned three jailed political dissidents, Abdullah al-Hamid, Matrouk al-Faleh, and Ali al-Demaini, as well as their lawyer, Abdul Rahman al-Lahem (strictly protect),who had been arrested for advocating constitutional reform. In December 2005, King Abdullah pardoned two Saudi teachers after a religious court convicted them of blasphemy and other religious violations. During the visit of Philippines President Gloria Arroyo to the Kingdom in May 2006, the King pardoned thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). During his national tour, he also granted amnesty to nearly 4,000 prisoners, many of whom had served their jail terms and/or paid fines but were still incarcerated because they are unable to pay the debt or blood money to the families of their victims. ¶17. (C) Religious Freedom: Designated a Country of Particular Concern in 2004 by the Secretary, and again in 2005, the Government has taken significant steps to address religious intolerance in the Kingdom. Ongoing negotiations over the past year with Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford netted, inter alia, pledges from the Saudi government to halt the dissemination of intolerant literature and extremist ideology within Saudi Arabia and around the world, protect both the right to private worship and the right to possess and use non-Muslim religious materials in private, curb harassment by the religious police (mutawwa),and empower the HRC to address all human rights complaints. (Ref D) ¶18. (C) Fighting Religious Extremism: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs continued training and monitoring programs for imams and dismissed imams whose preaching was considered too extreme. During the year, the King repeatedly called for moderation and tolerance of non-Muslims in his many appearances and speeches. During his national tour in June, the King delivered a speech on tolerance to 70,000 people in the Qassim region that was widely seen as a rejection of calls by religious conservatives to slow down the reform process. King Abdullah warned Saudis against creating division in the country by labeling others as secularists, liberals, extremists, Islamists, or hypocrites, saying such classifications were against the teachings of Islam and would weaken the country's unity. The King later told Post that he "had gone into the lion's den," referring to Qassim's reputation as a hotbed of religious conservatism, but was "surprised how well his message was received." (Ref A) ¶19. (C) Message of Tolerance - Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit: In December 2005, King Abdullah hosted a ministerial summit of the OIC in Mecca, which produced the communiqu "A Ten Year Plan of Action for the Muslim World." Provisions in this communiqu called for religious tolerance, improved human rights standards, and state accountability. ¶20. (C) National Dialogue Fora: In 2003, then Crown Prince Abdullah initiated a series of National Dialogue fora sponsored by the King Abdul Aziz Center for the National Dialogue in response to calls for practical reform in the Kingdom. In December 2005, the National Dialogue Center held the Fifth National Dialogue Forum in Abha entitled "We and the Other: A National Vision for Dealing with World Cultures." The December 2005 meeting was the culmination of thirteen preparatory meetings held in Saudi Arabia between April and November. Both men and women scholars and civil society members discussed political reform, religious tolerance, and the role of women and youth in the country. The Center produced a National Vision Paper, which was presented to the King. Preparatory meetings for the 6th Forum are ongoing, and have addressed educational curricula RIYADH 00006727 004 OF 006 reform issues. Additionally, the meetings are broadcast on state-owned television. Although the Center has increased the level of dialogue on difficult issues in the Kingdom, critics of the center complain that none of the recommendations generated have been implemented by the Government. ¶21. (C) Trafficking in Persons: Although Saudi Arabia was re-designated a Tier 3 country in June 2006, the Government is working to improve protections for foreign domestic workers in the Kingdom. During the year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed a point person on this issue, and the Government announced a new labor law in September 2005. In November 2005, it began issuing guideline books on workers' rights to foreign workers and source country embassies. The Saudi Embassy in Washington also requested trafficking in persons training from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Labor Ministry also issued new guidelines for hiring foreign domestic workers, and is currently discussing the approval of new guidelines that will limit the number of working hours and provide additional benefits for foreign domestic workers. (Ref B) -------------- EDUCATION, EXCHANGE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS -------------- ¶22. (C) During the year, the Ministry of Higher Education launched a large-scale scholarship program for Saudi students to study in the U.S., with the goal of sending 15,000 Saudi students over the next five years. Since the time of King Abdullah's ascension, the consular section has issued over 9,000 student visas, as compared to 860 during the same time period the previous year. In July 2006, the Ministry announced that it planned to send another 7,500 students on government grants to various foreign universities. The Ministry of Interior is helping to vet these students during the application process. ¶23. (C) During his national tour in June 2006, King Abdullah announced the construction of five new universities and the expansion of 12 existing universities. Most of the new universities will provide vocational training opportunities. Although regulations stipulate that the heads of Saudi universities must be Saudi nationals, it is likely that an American Muslim will be appointed as president of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University for Science and Technology in Jeddah -- reportedly due to Saudi appreciation for U.S. excellence in science and technology. ¶24. (C) With a new cultural policy in hand, the Ministry of Culture and Information has reduced the control of conservatives over the literary and cultural clubs in the country. The Ministry has softened its censorship policy and lifted the ban on several works by Saudi authors, including the controversial novel "Girls of Riyadh," which gives a frank and candid portrayal of a woman's life in the Kingdom. A progressive daily tabloid, "Shams," was launched in the Kingdom and has pushed the boundaries of social and cultural news coverage in the Arab world. It was temporarily shut down in February 2006 when it reproduced one of the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed, but was later allowed to resume publication. The King has instructed the Ministry of Culture and Information to create more cultural opportunities for women. Women traveled with the King's delegation abroad for the first time when the King traveled to Asia in January 2006. According to a Ministry official, the King has ordered that that all cultural delegations accompanying him abroad must consist of at least 50 percent women. -------------- U.S.-SAUDI BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP -------------- ¶25. (C) U.S.-Saudi Strategic Dialogue: In November 2005, Secretary Rice and the Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal SIPDIS inaugurated the U.S.-Saudi Strategic Dialogue. Conceived by President Bush and King Abdullah during their summit in Crawford in April 2005, the Dialogue has sought to strengthen U.S.-Saudi ties through six working groups created to address counter-terrorism, military, energy, economic, consular and political reform issues. Many of these groups have met, and have reported considerable progress. The Human Development Working Group, the name given for the sensitive, political reform group, has met twice for bilateral discussions on RIYADH 00006727 005 OF 006 political reform, women's rights, religious freedom, trafficking in persons, education, and exchanges. Discussions have been positive and constructive, with the two sides agreeing to explore NGO-facilitated exchanges and training for judges and members of the Shura and municipal councils and their staffs. (Ref G) ¶26. (C) Economic: With Saudi Arabia as a WTO member, policy engagement has shifted to bilateral efforts: starting discussions on a bilateral investment treaty, a treaty to avoid double taxation, and convening the Trade and Investment Council. A major regulatory agency training initiative is underway, starting with Saudi capital markets and intellectual property rights regulators. Future regulatory agency training includes Saudi telecom, insurance, and financial intelligence unit regulators. ¶27. (C) Political Military: The King and other senior princes welcomed numerous military and political military visitors during the year and re-affirmed the strong U.S.-Saudi military relationship. King Abdullah appears to favor transparent Foreign Military Sales (FMS) type contracts in procuring new military items. This contrasts with past Saudi military purchases, which tended to favor less transparency and more illicit personal profits. Flush with cash, the Saudi military is due to be modernized, and the King will have ultimate authority over numerous new purchases, including up to 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, new refueling tankers, new ships, new helicopters, and much other equipment. ¶28. (C) Counter-Terrorism: Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in the fight against terrorism in the Kingdom. Although Saudi security forces have degraded al-Qaeda operations, Saudi leaders still acknowledge that this war will not be won for many years, as witnessed by the February 2006 attack on the Abqaiq oil facility. Saudi leaders recognize that the war on terror is as much a campaign of ideas and education as it is a military and law enforcement offensive against extremists. The Saudi government has continued an ambitious media and public education campaign to dissuade Saudis, particularly the young, from accepting the extremist message. -------------- SAUDI BILATERAL RELATIONS -------------- ¶29. (C) Strengthening Ties: The King most recently traveled to Turkey (septel),his fifth official trip abroad since becoming King. His trip to Turkey follows official visits to China, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan, where the King signed political and bilateral agreements to strengthen Saudi Arabia's ties with significant, non-Western governments in oil, investment, and defense sectors. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶30. (C) During King Abdullah's tenure, the Saudis have made what could be characterized as significant progress, albeit largely without fanfare and publicity. Notable items were accension to the WTO and the recent commitments to improve religious freedom. The Saudi leadership has shown a remarkable ability to meet, with varying degrees of success, both internal and external challenges. Leveraging oil revenues, the Al Saud, exercising tactics of yesteryear, have rebuilt patronage by subsidizing a generous program of benefits and economic development programs for Saudis, thus promoting and maintaining relative internal stability. On reforms, the King's agenda has been incremental, but nonetheless cumulatively very significant. ¶31. (C) The King's popularity stems from his ability to craft an image as provider and protector of the people. For instance, the King received overwhelming public support when he ordered that gas and diesel prices be slashed to lessen the economic burden on low-income Saudis. The King also carefully monitors the public mood through his throngs of advisors and works tirelessly to anticipate and respond to his critics. He is widely known for his generosity and has been known to intervene personally and negotiate the settlement of private disputes, often times paying blood money from government coffers to the victim's family in order RIYADH 00006727 006 OF 006 to avoid an execution. That said, as regional developments continue to stir greater anti-western and anti-American sentiment, coupled with a formidable opposition from religious conservatives to further reform, the King's ability to maintain this momentum of change will be extraordinarily tested. As noted in reftel F, there is already an important counter-reformation movement under way among the more conservative segment of society. The King will need to gauge this factor carefully as he seeks to bring the country forward. OBERWETTER