Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH505
2009-04-01 14:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS SAUDI ARABIA
how-toVZCZCXRO6526 PP RUEHDH DE RUEHRH #0505 0911439 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011439Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0519 INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0003 RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN PRIORITY 0041 RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0109
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000505
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019
TAGS: PREL SA SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS SAUDI ARABIA
REF: RIYADH 442
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000505
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019
TAGS: PREL SA SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS SAUDI ARABIA
REF: RIYADH 442
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) KEY POINTS:
-- Saudi and Sudanese media reports indicate that Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir traveled to Saudi Arabia April 1 to
perform Umrah at Mecca's Holy Mosque en route from the Arab
League summit in Qatar.
-- The Saudi government did not announce the trip in advance,
but the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) confirmed the visit
after Bashir's arrival. The SPA statement confirmed that "a
number of senior officials" received Bashir at the Holy
Mosque.
-- There was no immediate word on the expected duration of
Bashir's stay in the kingdom.
2. (C) COMMENT:
-- This is not the first time an 'outlaw' has visited Mecca.
The Saudis say their duty as custodians of the Islamic holy
sites obliges them to allow any Muslim to travel there for
religious purposes, even if the individual might otherwise be
unwelcome in the Kingdom.
-- Even so, Bashir's visit likely could not have taken place
without King Abdullah's consent. This could have been given
when the King spoke by phone to Bashir on March 18, during
Sudanese Vice President Ali Uthman Mohamed Taha's visit to
Riyadh March 22, or at the summit in Doha.
FRAKER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019
TAGS: PREL SA SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS SAUDI ARABIA
REF: RIYADH 442
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) KEY POINTS:
-- Saudi and Sudanese media reports indicate that Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir traveled to Saudi Arabia April 1 to
perform Umrah at Mecca's Holy Mosque en route from the Arab
League summit in Qatar.
-- The Saudi government did not announce the trip in advance,
but the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) confirmed the visit
after Bashir's arrival. The SPA statement confirmed that "a
number of senior officials" received Bashir at the Holy
Mosque.
-- There was no immediate word on the expected duration of
Bashir's stay in the kingdom.
2. (C) COMMENT:
-- This is not the first time an 'outlaw' has visited Mecca.
The Saudis say their duty as custodians of the Islamic holy
sites obliges them to allow any Muslim to travel there for
religious purposes, even if the individual might otherwise be
unwelcome in the Kingdom.
-- Even so, Bashir's visit likely could not have taken place
without King Abdullah's consent. This could have been given
when the King spoke by phone to Bashir on March 18, during
Sudanese Vice President Ali Uthman Mohamed Taha's visit to
Riyadh March 22, or at the summit in Doha.
FRAKER