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