THE KING ON SECURITY ISSUES

S E C R E T RIYADH 002467 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS FOR NEA\ARP FOR RJACHIM AND SRAMESH E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL SA SUBJECT: THE KING ON SECURITY ISSUES Classified By: Ambassador Ford Fraker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) During lunch at Janadriah on December 7, King Abdullah told the Ambassador he was pleased with the recent arrest of over 200 terror suspects, including terrorist financiers. However, he recognized that it would take twenty years to eliminate the terrorists completely. The key, according to the King, is to eliminate new recruits. This was difficult so long as problems in Palestine and Iraq remained unresolved. The King then noted that the situation in Iraq appeared to be improving. ¶2. (S) The Ambassador briefed King Abdullah on the successful visit of an interagency critical infrastructure protection delegation. The team, which was led by DAS Gordon Gray, had spent two days meeting with the Saudi Ministry of Interior exploring mechanisms to expand US-Saudi cooperation on critical infrastructure protection. The King was well aware of the visit. He has taken a personal interest in the creation of the new Facilities Security Force (FSF). This force, which is a new branch of the Ministry of Interior, is responsible for critical infrastructure protection, including oil fields and oil processing facilities. The King told the Ambassador that he fully supported closer cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia in the area of infrastructure protection. ¶3. (S) Comment: On December 11 at a follow up meeting with the Ministry of Interior, Major General Saad Al Jabri told Embassy Officers that the new Facilities Security Force was something the King strongly supported. The General implied that the FSF had been the King's idea. This force, which has already recruited 10,000 members, will need training, equipment and advisors. The MOI is looking for a new agreement with the United States that will cover all aspects of infrastructure protection, not just the FSF. General Al Jabri hopes to see the U.S. produce a draft of the new agreement by the end of December 2007. End comment. FRAKER