RECOMMENDING A LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS TO SAUDI KING

UNCLAS RIYADH 001161 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP(STEINFELD),R STAFF, OES/STC, S/P, AND EEB/ESC/IEC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO ECON SENV TBIO SA SUBJECT: RECOMMENDING A LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS TO SAUDI KING ABDULLAH ON KAUST REF: RIYADH 1096 RIYADH 1068 RIYADH 986 JEDDAH 47 08 RIYADH 1504 08 RIYADH 1480 ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request. See paragraph four. SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) on September 23 will be an important milestone for Saudi Arabia. Sending a congratulatory letter provides a good opportunity to strengthen the personal relationship between the President and King Abdullah, as well as U.S.-Saudi relations. The new multi-billion dollar university is the King's legacy project and embodies his vision for the future of his country as a more tolerant, moderate, and developed nation. A clear sign of high-level USG support will be an important endorsement of that vision. END SUMMARY. MULTIPLE MESSAGES IN KING'S LEGACY PROJECT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The King cares about this project deeply. Saudi leaders have stressed publicly and repeatedly that KAUST will be the "model for the rest of the country" and help bring about the "civilizational transformation" of Saudi society. With its large endowment from the King, state of the art laboratories and equipment, and ability to attract top researchers from premier institutions, KAUST is designed not just to become a world-class center of research excellence but also to be a catalyst serving to accelerate the process of transforming the Kingdom's social and civic development in a direction consistent with U.S. goals. Males and females will study together at KAUST (still not the case at other schools here). The King consciously chose to hold the KAUST opening on Saudi National Day as a clear message to domestic audiences of the seriousness of his intent to lead his country into a modern age. The Kingdom's ultra-conservatives consider National Day un-Islamic because it distracts attention from the religious Eid holidays. RECOMMENDATION -------------- ¶4. (SBU) That the President send a letter to King Abdullah congratulating him on KAUST's September 23 inauguration, along the lines of the text proposed in paragraph five below. Since the inauguration was deliberately scheduled to help mark Saudi Arabia's National Day, in lieu of two separate messages, we would propose doing a single message of congratulations covering both events. PROPOSED TEXT OF PRESIDENTIAL LETTER -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Begin text: Your Majesty, I would like to personally send my warm wishes on the occasion of Saudi Arabia's National Day and to extend sincere congratulations on the inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. I know the realization of this project has been a dream of yours for decades, and it is thus fitting that this milestone achievement in the life of the Kingdom should be launched on Saudi Arabia's National Day. I applaud your vision and leadership in building a distinguished center for advanced scientific research -- where the academic leaders and innovators of tomorrow can thrive -- just as I applaud your efforts to promote understanding and mutual respect through your Interfaith and National dialogue initiatives. I regret that I cannot attend personally, as I will be hosting the G-20 in Pittsburgh. However, your initiative is exactly the kind of far-sighted, visionary development I had in mind in my Cairo speech. As I noted then, education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century, and I expect that KAUST will play an important role in creating the new technologies and processes we need to address the pressing environmental, scientific, and developmental challenges we face today. I also want to thank you for inviting American professors and students to work and study at KAUST. This kind of educational exchange will build personal ties and trust between our people, which in turn will strengthen our partnership in addressing the common challenges ahead. I look forward to our governments working together to expand our partnership in these areas, building on our bilateral science and technology agreement. Again, on behalf of the American people, please accept my best wishes and warm congratulations on the occasion of Saudi Arabia's National Day and the inauguration of King Abdullah University for Science and Technology. End text. ERDMAN