SAUDI MINISTRY OF COMMERCE TO ENHANCE CONSUMER

UNCLAS RIYADH 001676


STATE PLEASE PASS
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR RICHARD O'BRIEN
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
RANDOLPH TRITELL
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON OVIP SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI MINISTRY OF COMMERCE TO ENHANCE CONSUMER
PROTECTION AND SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES


1. (U) At a Saudi-hosted dinner in honor of USDOC Assistant
Secretary Israel Hernandez on November 6, Saudi Minister of
Commerce and Industry (MOCI) Abdullah Zainal Alireza
requested the DCM's assistance with upcoming trips to the
United States that he and MOCI Deputy Minister for Foreign
Trade Abdullah Al-Hamoudi are planning.


2. (U) Al-Hamoudi would like to travel to the United States
some time in December to meet with senior USG officials in
the areas of (1) consumer protection and (2) small business
administration and promotion. Alireza will travel to the
United States early next year to follow up on these meetings.


3. (U) The purpose of these visits, Alireza explained, is to
seek U.S. guidance on establishing and expanding Saudi
agencies to protect consumer interests and promote the
development of small businesses. The DCM welcomed the
upcoming trips and said that Emboffs would visit MOCI soon to
get more details.


4. (U) Comment and Recommendation. The MOCI is keen to both
improve the business climate and be responsive to growing
demands from consumers for greater product safety and
quality. Post thinks that the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Small
Business Administration are the most probable interlocutors
for the MOCI, but will provide a more detailed agenda after
more info is received from MOCI. The commercial and economic
benefits for the United States in helping the KSA establish
regulatory agencies along those lines are obvious, and Post
recommends that Washington agencies do their utmost to
accommodate the Saudi requests.

FRAKER