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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03JEDDAH828 |
TWO SAUDI PROFESSIONALS: BET ON THE PEOPLE, NOT [...] (C) ON APRIL 2, POLOFF MET WITH A LOCAL SAUDI LAWYER, DR. BASIM ALIM (STRICTLY PROTECT), TO DISCUSS HIS OPEN LETTER TO CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH CALLING FOR REFORM. A "SELF-MADE" LAWYER, ALIM WAS CHOSEN IN DECEMBER 2002 TO REPRESENT SEVERAL SAUDI CHARITIES IN THE SEPTEMBER 11 LAWSUIT AND ADMITS T [...] |
2003-04-14 13:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SOCI KISL SA |
| 05JEDDAH1761 |
W/W VISIT - AMINA CORDEIRO [...] (U) On June 6, 2005, Conoff and Senior ACS LES visited with thirteen year old Amina Cordeiro at the request of the left behind parent, Melissa Luna, who currently lives in Dubai. The visit took place at the house of Abdullah Al Johani, the prominent Jeddah lawyer who represents the Bin Lade [...] |
2005-06-08 13:55:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | CASC |
| 05JEDDAH1903 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA: YOUTH, BLACK [...] (SBU) From the Grand Mosque in Mecca on June 10, Sheikh Salah bin Mohammed al-Budayr delivered a sermon focusing on summer activities for youth. The imam stated that leisure activities should be used to strengthen the well-being of one's society and nation. He underscored the importance of [...] |
2005-06-15 16:45:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL SOCI PINR |
| 05JEDDAH1904 |
WOMEN MAKING STRIDES IN THE ASIR REGION [...] (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. During a June 13-14 visit to the Asir Province, Poloffs met with a number of local women to discuss women's employment in the Kingdom. In Asir, women have long played a role in the public sphere, working as shopkeepers in the local bazaar -- a rare sight in Saudi A [...] |
2005-06-15 16:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KWMN SOCI |
| 05JEDDAH1905 |
GOVERNOR OF ASIR SUPPORTS AL-BIR CHARITY [...] (SBU) During a visit to al-Bir School and Orphanage in Abha on June 13, Poloffs met with Director Samiha Mohammed Dawood. For 17 years, Dawood has worked for al-Bir, a charity which provides financial assistance to needy Saudi families and also supports orphanages in Jeddah and Abha. Accord [...] |
2005-06-15 16:56:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI KWMN KISL |
| 05JEDDAH1960 |
EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE - JEDDAH, KSA [...] (S/NF) On 06/19/2005, the CG called a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee to discuss the security situation in Jeddah. In attendance were representatives from RSO, BPM, CONS, IPC, DHS, USMTM and OPM/SANG. 2. (S/NF) BPM advised that a Lieutenant Colonel from the Ministry of Interior [...] |
2005-06-20 11:10:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PTER ASEC |
| 05JEDDAH2079 |
EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE - JEDDAH, KSA [...] (S/NF) On 06/26/2005, the CG called a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee to discuss the security situation in Jeddah. In attendance was the the DCM from Riyadh and representatives from RSO, Dhahran RSO, PA, BPM, CONS, IPC, POL, DHS, USMTM and OPM/SANG. 2. (S/NF) RSO advised the EAC [...] |
2005-06-27 12:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PTER ASEC |
| 05JEDDAH2179 |
IDENTIFYING LAND FOR A NEW CONSULATE: GOVERNOR OF [...] (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. On July 28, the Ambassador and CG met with Prince Abd al-Majid bin Abd al-Aziz, Governor of Mecca, to discuss the future of the Jeddah Consulate General. During the meeting, the Governor agreed to help the USG identify a tract of land for a new Consulate. He propos [...] |
2005-06-29 14:54:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ABLD ABUD AMGT ASEC PREL |
| 05JEDDAH2181 |
SNAPSHOT OF STUDENT OPINION: UNDERGRADS FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY. Following the June 28 opening of the first American Corner in Saudi Arabia at the College of Business Administration (CBA) in Jeddah, Conoff accompanied a group of CBA undergraduates and their student advisor on a June 30 hiking trip to the mountains near Mecca. In discussions [...] |
2005-07-02 13:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SCUL SOCI KISL |
| 05JEDDAH2183 |
JEDDAH CONTACTS FOCUS ON A VARIETY OF WOMEN'S [...] (U) Several high-level Jeddah contacts have recently shared with Post information shedding light on the current social situation of women in the Western Province and, to some extent, the Kingdom as a whole. OPTIONS DISCUSSED AHEAD OF POSSIBLE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WOMEN WILL DRIVE 2. (C) C [...] |
2005-07-02 14:05:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KWMN SOCI KLAB |
| 05JEDDAH2202 |
EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE - JEDDAH, KSA [...] (S/NF) On 07/03/2005, the A/CG met with the Emergency Action Committee to discuss the security situation at the Consulate. In attendance were representatives from RSO, BPM, MGT, POL, DHS and USMTM. 2. (S) RSO advised that the final numbers for the Consulate's LGF Tower Guards are currentl [...] |
2005-07-03 13:46:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PTER ASEC |
| 05JEDDAH2238 |
MOSQUE SERMONS IN SAUDI ARABIA: AVOID WASTING TIME [...] (C) Summary: In Friday, July 1 sermons, imams in Mecca and Medina noted the start of the summer holiday season in Saudi Arabia by reminding congregants of the "dangers" of wasting time. In Mecca, the imam also criticized "deviants" who had caused bloodshed and violence in Saudi Arabia, and [...] |
2005-07-05 14:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KISL |
| 05JEDDAH2495 |
UNDERGRADS FRET ABOUT JOBS AND DISCUSS TERROR [...] (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. Conoff participated in an outdoor "Youth Challenge" competition on July 21 sponsored by the College of Business Administration (CBA) Youth Business Club and "Yalla Ya Shabbab" (roughly "Let's Go Guys"), a youth-oriented television program. On June 30, Conoff visited [...] |
2005-07-23 14:21:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PTER SOCI |
| 05JEDDAH2537 |
EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE - JEDDAH 07/26/2005 [...] (S) The Acting Consul General convened the core Emergency Action Committee (EAC) on July 26, 2005 to discuss the current security situation in Jeddah. The A/CG, BPM, ARSO, MGT, MSG and CONS were in attendance. 2. (S) The EAC reviewed the warden message sent out on July 26 and current t [...] |
2005-07-26 11:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | ASEC AMGT PTER |
| 05JEDDAH3366 |
SAUDI KING PLEASED WITH PROGRESS AGAINST [...] (S) SUMMARY. On September 5, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Fran Townsend met with King Abdullah at his invitation at the King's home in Jeddah. The meeting, notable for its warm and friendly tone, focused on the Saudi progress in subduing Saudi terrorists and the need to c [...] |
2005-09-13 11:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PTER PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH101 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA: DENMARK BASHING [...] (U) For the second straight week, cartoons run in Danish and Norwegian newspapers allegedly "vilifying" the Prophet Muhammad took center stage at Friday sermons in Saudi Arabia. On January 28, the Jeddah-based "Arab News" reported that "imams of mosques across the Kingdom yesterday denounced [...] |
2006-02-01 14:48:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PTER PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH102 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 4: PRESERVING THE ARAB FAMILY [...] (U) On January 23 at the French Consulate General, local consultant and business adviser to the elite, Mr. Zaher S. Al Munajjed, gave a lecture titled "Saudi Family Companies, challenges of the future," describing a theoretical model for the long term stability of a family business. Al Munajj [...] |
2006-02-04 08:55:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL SA |
| 06JEDDAH103 |
WTO WILL BRING CHANGES. IS SAUDI ARABIA READY? [...] SUMMARY. Lead Saudi WTO negotiator Fawaz Al-Alamy's warmly received speech to a group of American and Saudi businessmen exemplified the burgeoning interest in WTO in Saudi Arabia. Contacts with foreign concerns have also exhibited rising interest in the effects WTO will have on business in [...] |
2006-02-04 09:00:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH128 |
SAUDI YOUTH: LESSONS FROM JEDDAH'S "SHABBAB" [...] (C) SUMMARY. After more than one year of spending time with Jeddah's "shabbab" (roughly, guys or young men), Poloff has noted some consistent themes common to many of the city's youth. Over the course of numerous road trips to places like Mecca, Medina, Taif, and al-Hada, visits to college cl [...] |
2006-02-08 14:52:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL CVIS PTER SCUL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH134 |
KUWAITI CONSUL GENERAL SAYS KUWAIT HAS BEEN [...] (C) SUMMARY. On January 18, Consul General Gfoeller and Jeddah Pol/Econ Chief paid a condolence call on Kuwaiti Consul General Ali I. Al-Nikhailan to express condolences at the recent death of the Emir Sheikh Jaber. In an accompanying conversation, Al-Nikhailan commented positively on the i [...] |
2006-02-11 11:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KU PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH136 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 5: INDIAN INTEREST IN ARABIA, [...] (U) Local media have reported extensively on the Saudi interest in strengthening ties with India. The recent India National Day celebration in Jeddah provided evidence that the Indian Mission reciprocates that interest. At the entrance to the celebration, guests were offered samples of India [...] |
2006-02-11 12:41:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON IN KISL KWMN PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH149 |
ACHIEVING DIALOGUE WITH ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK [...] (C) SUMMARY. On February 7, Consul General Gfoeller and Jeddah Pol/Econ Chief met with President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Al-Madani and senior staff members. CG delivered points in ref B. Al-Madani and his associates were cordial and forthcoming. In a wide ranging conversation Al- [...] |
2006-02-15 10:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID IZ KISL KPAL PK PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH171 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 6. SAUDI INVESTORS MOB BANKS, 11% [...] (C) On the evening of February 19, several late-arriving members of the Executive Committee of the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ) blamed their tardiness on unexpected traffic jams in central Jeddah. Executive Council member and banker Anees Moumina announced that crowds were surroundin [...] |
2006-02-26 05:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN KISL KWMN PGOV PREL SA SCUL EINV |
| 06JEDDAH172 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA: FEBRUARY 17 - [...] (U) On Friday February 17, the sermon from the Holy Mosques in Mecca and Media dealt with Islamic identity and the importance of ethics in Islam. From Mecca, Shaykh Sa'd Bin-Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered a sermon regretting the current state of affairs in the Islamic world saying "Those obser [...] |
2006-02-26 05:10:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH180 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA: FEBRUARY 24 - [...] (U) On Friday February 24, in a sermon from the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Imam Shaykh Salih Bin-Muhammad al Talib delivered a sermon calling for Muslims to listen to their hearts. "The heart is the spring of feelings, source of emotions, motivator of manners, and guardian of actions. When the he [...] |
2006-03-01 14:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH195 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 7: NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO CANADA, [...] (C) Rumors have been swirling around the Jeddah Consular Community for some weeks that Dr. Abdulaziz Al Suwaigh, presently Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), will be appointed the new Saudi Ambassador to Canada. A contact at MFA repeated the rumor to a Consulate employe [...] |
2006-03-07 12:32:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL KPRV PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH197 |
JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM CONCLUDES WITH OPTIMISM [...] SUMMARY: On February 13, the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) concluded its three-day run after a variety of speeches promoting the Saudi economy as an economy no longer based solely on oil. A recurrent subtext of the talks was the fact that Saudi Arabia was becoming integrated into a global eco [...] |
2006-03-08 09:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH198 |
"LA DOLCE VITA:" JEDDAWI ELITE NOSTALGIC FOR LOST [...] (C) SUMMARY In conversations with the Consul General over the last eight months, Saudi Consulate contacts of the "baby-boomer" generation frequently reminisce about a lost heyday of openness and frivolity in Jeddah during the 1970s. These elites attribute the change to a conservative backlash [...] |
2006-03-08 10:08:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH199 |
SAUDI FOOD GIANT PIONEERS ISLAMIC BUSINESS ETHICS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Savola Group, Saudi Arabia's leading foods supplier and the country's second largest industrial enterprise, has developed a code of professional ethics and values that blend Western business standards with indigenous Islamic traditions. In a time when the country's work force i [...] |
2006-03-08 11:02:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ELAB SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH219 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 8: SAUDI SOCIETY MAGAZINE, NEW [...] Recently launched society magazine "Layalina" has been causing quite a stir in Jeddah over the last few weeks. Owned by a Kuwaiti publisher, managed by a French editor, and printed in Riyadh, the magazine's glossy photos of women without abayas and head scarves is groundbreaking for the Kingd [...] |
2006-03-15 11:46:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ELAB KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH220 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 10 AND 3: [...] (C) On March 10 from the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani spoke to an audience of approximately 500. During the first part of his sermon, the imam talked at length about tolerance and why and how Muslims must practice it. He illustrated his homily with examples [...] |
2006-03-15 13:20:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KWMN PGOV PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH221 |
PREPARATIONS FOR TOURISM IN WESTERN SAUDI ARABIA [...] (C) SUMMARY. On February 26, Consulate staff met with the new General Manager of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) in Jeddah. The General Manager offered an ambitious vision for developing tourism in Jeddah and attracting business, religious, and recreational visitors. The SCT plan [...] |
2006-03-15 13:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | BTIO ECON KICR KISL KWMN PREL SA SENV |
| 06JEDDAH224 |
SAUDI ARABIA: CORPORATE DONOR TAKES PROGRESSIVE [...] (C) SUMMARY: This is the second in a series of cables profiling community service activities funded within the Kingdom by Saudi corporations. These programs are both indicative of the country's emerging civil society and illustrative of the challenges facing Saudi Arabia, including unemploym [...] |
2006-03-18 11:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON EFIN ELAB PGOV SA SOCI KMPI |
| 06JEDDAH227 |
CG'S DISCUSSION WITH ALIREZA BUSINESSMEN [...] (C) On March 13, Consul General and Pol/Econ Chief met at Xenel Industries with Executive Director Sheikh Khaled Alireza, his son and Managing Director, Aamer and General Manager and American citizen David Joury. Khaled Alireza told CG that Xenel is producing a television public service ann [...] |
2006-03-21 08:20:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH232 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 17: AN [...] (C) At the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar on March 17, Shaikh al-Qahtani delivered an aggressively anti-American sermon to an audience of approximately 500 worshipers. The sermon was the strongest condemnation of the Untied States yet delivered by this imam. He began by recounting h [...] |
2006-03-22 06:43:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH233 |
JEDDAH BOASTS FIRST MUSEUM SPECIFICALLY BUILT TO [...] (U) SUMMARY. CG and ConOff visited the Jeddah Darah museum, home to the permanent exhibition of local artist Safeya Binzagr's artwork and her collection of Saudi cultural antiquities. From oil paintings that depict early twentieth century Saudi marriage ceremonies to lithographs that depict B [...] |
2006-03-22 13:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | OEXC SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH234 |
JEDDAH BOASTS FIRST MUSEUM SPECIFICALLY BUILT TO [...] (U) SUMMARY. CG and ConOff visited the Jeddah Darah museum, home to the permanent exhibition of local artist Safeya Binzagr's artwork and her collection of Saudi cultural antiquities. From oil paintings that depict early twentieth century Saudi marriage ceremonies to lithographs that depict B [...] |
2006-03-22 13:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | OEXC SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH236 |
OIC DISMISSES RECENT BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL MEETING AS [...] (C) SUMMARY; The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) insisted in a March 25 meeting with Consulate staff that the recent session of the Israel Boycott Office was a routine annual event, sponsored solely by the OIC and that no significant recommendations resulted. No list of repres [...] |
2006-03-26 11:26:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ETTC IS KBCT KISL KPAL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH237 |
SAUDI ARABIA: GULF BUSINESSMAN SECRETLY MINISTERS [...] (C) SUMMARY: A prominent businessman working for a major Gulf corporation recently confided to the Consul General that he is an ordained minister, who secretly counsels fellow Christians within Saudi Arabia. During a dinner at another Western Consul General's residence, the gentleman detailed [...] |
2006-03-26 12:41:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI SA |
| 06JEDDAH244 |
SAUDIA TECHNICAL INSPECTION AND PROSPECTS FOR [...] SUMMARY. This is one in a series of cables reporting on the civil aviation sector in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) technical repair facility in Jeddah was subject to an FAA re-certification inspection in mid-March. The inspectors found no serious deficiencies. Corrective ac [...] |
2006-03-29 06:57:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH245 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 24: [...] (C) On March 24, speaking from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani harangued a congregation of more than 500 with theories blaming Iran and Shi'a for the growing sectarian violence in Iraq. He speculated that the people who demolished the Shi'ite mosque were the sa [...] |
2006-03-29 07:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM PINR KISL |
| 06JEDDAH250 |
SAUDI NON-PROFIT BRIDGES PUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: This is the third in a series of cables profiling community service activities funded within the Kingdom by Saudi corporations. These programs are both indicative of the country's emerging civil society and illustrative of the challenges facing Saudi Arabia, including unemployme [...] |
2006-03-29 14:31:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID ECON EFIN ELAB PGOV SA SOCI KMPI |
| 06JEDDAH257 |
WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION LACKLUSTER IN JEDDAH CHAMBER [...] (C) SUMMARY. In the wake of the historic November 2005 election for the board of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), in which two female candidates were victorious, participation by women in JCCI affairs has been limited, and, in an April 1, 2006 election, only one woman ran [...] |
2006-04-02 14:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KDEM KWMN PGOV SA |
| 06JEDDAH263 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 9: MEDINA IMAM SUSPENDED, FASHION [...] (C) Over the weekend rumors were circulating in Jeddah that the Imam of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, the second largest in Saudi Arabia after the Haram in Mecca, was suspended on Friday by an official decree. The rumored reason for this suspension is that in his Friday sermon, he spoke d [...] |
2006-04-05 09:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KWMN PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH264 |
MOSQUE SERMON FROM SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 31: IMAMS [...] (C) In his March 31 sermon to an audience of more than 500 at Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani returned to a subject on which he frequently speaks: the historical confrontation between Muslims and the West. He criticized Western nations for their poor treatment [...] |
2006-04-05 11:06:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH265 |
CONVERSATION WITH FINNISH AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI [...] (C) On March 29, CG received a courtesy visit from Finnish Ambassador Martti Isoaro. Also present was Jeddah Pol/Econ Chief. The Ambassador expressed the hope that the U.S. and Finnish missions could cooperate in the Western Province and described the two major objectives of his embassy in [...] |
2006-04-05 11:14:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON FI KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH267 |
Avian Flu: Jeddah Slow on Outreach, Otherwise [...] Summary: Jeddah Municipality has an interagency committee on avian flu, a hotline, an emergency plan, and has taken action to control backyard poultry and shop front slaughtering of live birds. They admit that their public outreach strategy is late but otherwise Jeddah appears to be taking t [...] |
2006-04-05 13:21:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO KFLU SA |
| 06JEDDAH268 |
PERSGA Coordinating Protection of Red Sea [...] Summary: PERSGA is a Jeddah-based intergovernmental organization that builds capacity and organizes research for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden ecosystem. They are assessing land-based activities that affect the Red Sea and working with member governments on coastal zone management plans. End [...] |
2006-04-05 13:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV XF SA |
| 06JEDDAH269 |
Jeddah's "Perfume" Lake of Sewage [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-05 13:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV SA |
| 06JEDDAH270 |
PERSGA Coordinating Protection of Red Sea [...] Summary: PERSGA is a Jeddah-based intergovernmental organization that builds capacity and organizes research for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden ecosystem. They are assessing land-based activities that affect the Red Sea and working with member governments on coastal zone management plans. End [...] |
2006-04-05 13:39:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV XF SA |
| 06JEDDAH271 |
IRANIAN DIPLOMAT CONFRONTS CONOFF AT JEDDAH [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a recent gathering at the home of a prominent Saudi businessman, the Iranian ambassador to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Mohammed Kazem Khawansari, confronted Conoff after he was seated near him by the host. Khawansari discussed the recent publication of an [...] |
2006-04-07 14:52:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SA IR IS KPAL KWBG |
| 06JEDDAH274 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 10 - FEMALE MORAL POLICE, OIC-OSCE [...] (C) The Saudi Arabian Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Note: The employees of this department are the mutawaa'in, the moral police who patrol the Kingdom's cities and towns enforcing their idea of proper Islamic behavior on the population. End Note.) has announc [...] |
2006-04-09 07:17:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KISL KWMN PHUM PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH277 |
REEF CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL NGO ANNOUNCES FARASAN [...] SUMMARY: On April 4, Pol/Econ Chief attended a meeting of the environmental NGO "Reef Chief" sponsored by a local business leader, Tarek Taher. Taher described his organization's structure and links to organizations and individuals and announced an expedition, conducted in cooperation with [...] |
2006-04-10 06:31:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KICR KISL PREL SA SENV |
| 06JEDDAH284 |
BUSINESS COMMUNITY TABLE-TALK [...] C) SUMMARY At a reception hosted by the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ) held at the CGR on March 29, guests commented on a variety of topics relating to local business and economic conditions. In the wake of the recent public announcement that Saudi Arabian Airline's (Saudia) privatiza [...] |
2006-04-10 14:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL SA |
| 06JEDDAH285 |
THE CG IN SOUTHERN SAUDI ARABIA, PART 1 - THE [...] (C) SUMMARY. On a visit to the Nejran region, Consul General, Congenoff and A/RSO met with the provincial Governor, Prince Mishael bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, for a private formal meeting in his office on March 27. Interestingly, no other representatives from the Governor,s office, including secur [...] |
2006-04-11 09:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | BTIO ECON KISL PGOV PHUM PREL SA SOCI YM |
| 06JEDDAH286 |
THE CG IN SOUTHERN SAUDI ARABIA, PART II - THE [...] (S) SUMMARY. At the conclusion of the formal meeting between the Consul General and Nejran Governor Prince Mishael bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, CG, Congenoff, and A/RSO were invited for drinks with the Governor at his home. Throughout the 2 hour-long informal meeting Prince Mishael spoke candidly [...] |
2006-04-11 10:40:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | EAID ECON IR KDEM KISL PGOV PHUM PREL PTER |
| 06JEDDAH289 |
CORRECTION - BUSINESS COMMUNITY TABLE-TALK [...] This is a corrected copy of reftel A. 2. C) SUMMARY At a reception hosted by the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ) held at the Consul General's Residence (CGR) on March 29, guests commented on a variety of topics relating to local business and economic conditions. In the wake of the r [...] |
2006-04-11 11:07:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL SA |
| 06JEDDAH293 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 7: [...] (C) On April 7, Imam Shaikh al-Qahtani devoted most of his sermon at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque to the usual religious matters. As an adherent to the rigid Hanbali School of Islam, the imam criticized the practice of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet. However, after the normal r [...] |
2006-04-12 13:17:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH300 |
JEDDAH: BRINGING HOPE TO EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS CHILDREN [...] (U) SUMMARY. The Consul General and Pol/Econ Chief visited the Hope Center for Exceptional Needs in Jeddah on April 12. The Center is Saudi Arabia's first multilingual school for rehabilitating disabled children whose plight is often ignored by the larger society. After a tour of the faciliti [...] |
2006-04-17 13:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SCUL SOCI SA |
| 06JEDDAH302 |
FAREWELL KSA: WEALTHY WESTERN WIVES' UNREALIZED [...] (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. Over the course of her tenure here in Jeddah, the Consul General has had the opportunity to speak with a number of Western expatriate women who are married to wealthy Saudi businessmen. Their story is always the same: they dream of leaving Saudi Arabia behind to settl [...] |
2006-04-17 14:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI SA |
| 06JEDDAH303 |
OVERVIEW OF CG'S MARCH VISIT TO NEJRAN PROVINCE [...] (C) The Consul General, ConGenOff, and A/RSO visited Nejran Province from March 26-28. Situated in the southwest of Saudi Arabia along the Yemeni border, the province is one of the least developed in the Kingdom. Yemen's cultural influence is stronger in Nejran than anywhere else in the coun [...] |
2006-04-17 14:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BEXP CVIS SCUL KISL SA |
| 06JEDDAH304 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 14: [...] (C) On April 14, Imam Shaykh al-Qahtani devoted most of his sermon at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar to addressing the problem of Muslims working against their own faith. He began the sermon with a condemnation of some of the comments made by the Libyan leader, Muammar al-Qadhafi, [...] |
2006-04-18 08:28:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH305 |
SAUDI ARABIA: SOP FOR QUESTIONING FEMALE CRIMINALS [...] (C) A contact of AmConGen Jeddah reported that Saudi authorities utilize a unique and explicit set of procedures when questioning women who are suspected or accused of a crime in the Kingdom. According to the source, a woman must be accompanied by a "Mahram", or male guardian, throughout the [...] |
2006-04-18 11:45:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SCUL SOCI CASC SA |
| 06JEDDAH308 |
CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IN JEDDAH: FROM CONGREGATION TO [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Consul General and ConGenOffs are conducting a long-term inquiry into Christian worship in Jeddah. So far, the investigation has revealed that the Christian population in the city is large and engages in regular, private, group worship. Despite the Kingdom's strict laws pro [...] |
2006-04-19 13:00:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI KIRF SA |
| 06JEDDAH320 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 21, 2006 [...] (C) On Friday, April 21, at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar, Imam Shaykh al-Qahtani reprised one of his greatest hits, a brazen political sermon delivered a few years ago which, while conceding that the United States and the West are enemies of Islam, stressed the greater danger [...] |
2006-04-26 13:46:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH328 |
RECENT POLICE ROUND-UPS HEIGHTEN ANXIETY AMONG [...] (U) SUMMARY. Anxiety is growing in Jeddah's large Filipino population following the round-up, arrest, and interrogation this month of hundreds of Filipinos in Jeddah in connection with a serious of high-profile crimes, including the discovery of human remains in a dumpster in Jeddah and th [...] |
2006-04-30 11:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KCRM PHUM SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH329 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 11: JEDDAH BUSINESSMAN HONORS [...] (U) Saudi Islamist Salman al-Ouda was the guest of honor at the April 24 "Ithnayniyya" (Monday lecture series) of Jeddah construction magnate Abdelmaksoud Khoja. The Ithnayniyya was attended by a number of mutawwa'in (members of the religious police, conspicuous with their long beards, short t [...] |
2006-04-30 14:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KISL KWMN PREL PTER SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH333 |
FACING DECLINE, ONCE LARGE GREEK ORTHODOX [...] (C) As part of the Consulate's ongoing efforts to conduct a long-term inquiry into Christian worship in Jeddah, the Consul General attended a Greek Orthodox Easter liturgy (the Orthodox mass) on April 23 held at the Greek Community Compound in Jeddah (see reftels). Hosted by the Greek Consul [...] |
2006-05-01 10:53:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH336 |
GENETIC ILLNESSES ON THE RISE IN SAUDI ARABIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Anecdotal evidence from Consulate General Jeddah's contacts indicates that the rate of genetic illness among Saudi children is on the rise, primarily due to the persistence of consanguineous marriages in the country. This persistence may be attributed to Saudi parents' efforts to [...] |
2006-05-01 14:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SCUL SOCI SA |
| 06JEDDAH339 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 28: [...] (C) Imam Sheikh Al-Qahtani was absent from this weeks' prayers, reportedly because of his father's death. Prior to the commencement of the sermon, however, many in the congregation attributed Sheikh Al Qahtani's absence not to the death of his father but to his possible arrest by the Mabahit [...] |
2006-05-03 12:48:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH341 |
SETBACKS FOR SAUDI WOMEN CALL PERCEIVED REFORM [...] (C) SUMMARY: Two recent setbacks to the empowerment of women demonstrate that while this policy has received official support from the highest levels of the Saudi government, such changes face significant opposition within society at large. Last week, the Pan-Arab daily "Asharq Al Awsat" repo [...] |
2006-05-08 05:02:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM KWMN PGOV SA SCUL SOCI KMPI |
| 06JEDDAH346 |
PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IN JEDDAH [...] (C) SUMMARY. On May 6, as part of the Consulate's ongoing efforts to conduct a long-term inquiry into Christian worship in Jeddah, ConGenOff met with a Pakistani preacher who heads an all-Pakistani Evangelical church based in Jeddah. Their group has the support of the Consul General of Pakista [...] |
2006-05-10 06:53:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF PGOV PHUM SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH352 |
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT ARROYO'S VISIT TO KINGDOM [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Saudi government marked the state visit of Philippine President Arroyo by pardoning more than 500 Filipinos; many more than had been specifically requested by Arroyo. ConGen contacted a source in the Jeddawi Filipino community to determine if religious detainees had been i [...] |
2006-05-14 07:53:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KIRF KISL PGOV PHUM RP SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH356 |
ARABIC LANGUAGE WEB-SITE AL SAHAT PRESENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Within hours of the May 12 drive-by shooting at ConGen Jeddah, the Arabic language web-site Al Sahat carried a brief biography of the suspect and described him as a psychopath. By May 14, this web-page had been amended with additional information on the suspect, including a ref [...] |
2006-05-15 05:48:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL PTER SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH357 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FORM SAUDI ARABIA - MAY 5: [...] (C) On May 5, after a week's absence due to the death of his father, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani returned to Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar with a fiery sermon against immorality and in support of Palestinians. His sermon began with a condemnation of the decadence evident in the Musli [...] |
2006-05-15 11:21:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH366 |
OIC AMBASSADOR SURPRISED AT INTEREST IN ANNUAL [...] (C) In a May 14 telephone conversation with Conoff, Ambassador Salem Al Honi, High Commissioner of the Islamic Boycott Office at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), emphasized the routine nature of the Office's March 2006 meeting of OIC representatives and expressed his surprise [...] |
2006-05-17 13:53:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KPAL PGOV PREL |
| 06JEDDAH368 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA MAY 12: [...] (C) For the second consecutive week, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani lectured the congregation at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar about the dangers associated with technology and the unpardonable suffering of the Palestinians. His sermon began by denouncing rumors, but then disting [...] |
2006-05-20 07:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH372 |
INTERNAL SAG RIVALRIES ON CLOSING PALESTINE STREET [...] (S) SUMMARY: As part of his research for a SAG-commissioned report on improving the issuance of US visas to Saudi nationals, Nawaf Al Obeid, an advisor to Saudi Ambassador to the US Turki bin Feisal Al Saud, met with the Consul General and Conoff on May 17. The CG emphasized that though mino [...] |
2006-05-20 13:51:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | CMGT CVIS PGOV PREL SA PTER ASEC ABLD AMGT |
| 06JEDDAH374 |
AL-SAHAT: AFTER BRIEF SHUTDOWN, ACCUSATIONS THAT [...] SUMMARY. Al-Sahat, a popular Arabic-language website frequently denounced as extremist, mysteriously went offline from April 18 to 22, sparking rumors the Saudi government had caused the site to be shut down. ConGen Jeddah and its officers are regular subjects of commentary, criticism, and [...] |
2006-05-21 08:28:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL KWMN PGOV PREL PTER SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH378 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 12: BINLADEN GROUP ARRANGES HASTY [...] (C) The Saudi construction giant the Binladen Group recently dispatched three Dutch engineers, two Christians and an atheist, to Cairo for expeditious conversion to Islam. According to a Consulate contact who works for the Group, the engineers were urgently needed to work on the Jabal Omar [...] |
2006-05-22 13:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KISL KJUS KWMN PGOV PHUM SA SMIG SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH379 |
CONVERSATION WITH TABUK GOVERNOR: "ROAD MAP," [...] (C) SUMMARY: On May 16, the Consul General and Pol/Econ Chief met Prince Fahad, Governor of Tabuk. In a wide-ranging discussion of Middle Eastern and domestic conditions, Prince Fahad singled out the Palestinian problem as the most critical issue and a fundamental cause of extremism in the [...] |
2006-05-22 13:51:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KPAL KWMN PREL PTER SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH380 |
COLLEGE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS RIFTS ON WOMEN'S [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Consul General's May 6 speech and participation in an Arabic-language roundtable at one of Jeddah's most prominent women's colleges highlighted both the increased public attention paid to promoting women's employment and the lingering controversy over such moves. Though gene [...] |
2006-05-22 14:09:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PGOV PHUM SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH381 |
JEDDAH BUSINESSMAN: IRAN ESTABLISHING GRASSROOTS [...] (S) SUMMARY: During a recent meeting with ConGenoff, a Jeddah businessman and former International Visitors Program participant claimed that he had been approached by representatives of the Iranian government to participate in a new strategic media initiative to foment anti-US sentiment in th [...] |
2006-05-23 01:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PINR PREL PROP PTER SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH382 |
RESOLUTION OF JEDDAH REFUGE CASE HIGHLIGHTS [...] SUMMARY: Following the visit of A/S Harty to Saudi Arabia on May 13 and 14, high-level SAG attention to the refuge case of Rema Al Said, which had been languishing for over three months, resulted in a sudden flurry of negotiations between the Mission and representatives from the Interministeri [...] |
2006-05-23 10:06:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | CASC PHUM SA |
| 06JEDDAH384 |
TABUK SAUDI ARABIA: NORTHERN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE [...] SUMMARY: On May 16, the CG and Pol/Econ Chief met with the Board of Directors of the Tabuk Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Manager of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT). The Board enthusiastically promoted the agricultural and industrial developments in the region and express [...] |
2006-05-23 12:55:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | BTIO EAGR ECON EIND KISL PREL SA SCUL SENV |
| 06JEDDAH385 |
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NORTHERN ARABIAN CITY OF TABUK [...] SUMMARY: During a visit to Tabuk on May 16, the CG and Pol/Econ Chief were able to meet with the Governor and leading members of the Tabuk Chamber of Commerce and Industry (reftels). The trip included a tour of the city of Tabuk which provided a chance to form some general impressions. Tabu [...] |
2006-05-23 14:43:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH387 |
OIC OFFICIAL: LIBYANS AND SYRIANS BEHIND FEEBLE [...] (C) In a May 23 discussion with ConGenOff at a reception sponsored by Post, Bilal K. Sasso, head of protocol and public relations at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), attributed the recent but feeble attempt to rejuvenate the Israel Boycott Office to pressure from the Libyan a [...] |
2006-05-24 13:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON IS KISL KPAL PGOV PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH389 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 19: EASTERN [...] (C) On May 19, Sahikh Mohammad al-Qahtani spoke at the Imam Ahmad bin Habal Mosque in al-Khobar to a congregation of more than 500 worshippers. NOTE: In the opinion of our source, this was one of the strongest sermons the imam has delivered. It was Saudi-specific, and the imam explicitly [...] |
2006-05-24 13:38:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH396 |
SAUDIA PRIVATIZATION ACCELERATED TO QUIET JUMPY [...] (C) SUMMARY. This is one of a series of cables addressing developments in the civil aviation sector in Saudi Arabia. In private conversations, the director of the medical staff of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) announced that the company had just received an order from the King to prepare [...] |
2006-05-30 14:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL KPRV SA |
| 06JEDDAH399 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 26: EASTERN [...] (C) Speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Al-Khobar on May 26, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani devoted both his sermons solely to an indictment of Shi'a for what he perceives is their unmitigated hostility toward all things Sunni and making common cause with the West in its war against S [...] |
2006-05-31 13:17:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH401 |
SAG PUNISHES POPULAR CONSERVATIVE CLERIC FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. Jeddah sheikh Abdullah Fadaaq continues to hold a weekly Sufi majlis, despite SAG efforts last year to shut it down. In late April, the popular conservative Saudi cleric Salman al-Odah attended the majlis, after which the Ministry of Islamic Affairs barred him from participatin [...] |
2006-06-03 08:10:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PHUM SA |
| 06JEDDAH407 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 13: NEW DIRECTOR FOR SAUDIA; [...] (U) On the morning of June 7, Saudi media carried a report that by Royal Decree Khaled Abdullah Al-Mulhim, who was Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Telecom Company until February, has been named the new Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia). Mulhim has an engineering degree fro [...] |
2006-06-07 12:54:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL KWMN PREL SA SENV SOCI TBIO |
| 06JEDDAH408 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 2: EASTERN [...] (C) At the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani kept his promise of last week (reftel) and gave a second sermon condemning Shi'as as unworthy to be called Muslims and prejudiced against Sunnis. However, in the opinion of the source, the mood of this speech was [...] |
2006-06-07 12:55:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH412 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 9: AL-KHOBAR [...] (C) This week, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani devoted his sermon at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar to a wide-ranging attack on the United States and its Western cohorts for their efforts to destroy Islam. The sermon began with a resum of the Danish Cartoon controversy and his char [...] |
2006-06-12 10:19:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH425 |
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMENTS AT MAY BUSINESS [...] SUMMARY. Business leaders attending a monthly speech sponsored by the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ) maintain their optimism for the Saudi economy. They are, however, cautious when commenting on the local stock exchange. Their concern is that the market is still grossly overvalued. [...] |
2006-06-17 14:08:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH427 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 14: COMMOTION IN JCCI BOARDROOM; [...] (C) Contacts have informed the Consulate and recent news reports have confirmed that a substantial majority of the Board of Directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry have expressed opposition to Chairman, Engineer Abdullah Yehya Al Moallemi. Over the past few weeks, press repo [...] |
2006-06-20 06:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PREL PTER SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH430 |
CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IN SAUDI ARABIA: ETHIOPIAN & [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Consul General and ConGenOffs are conducting a long-term inquiry into Christian worship in Jeddah (reftel). Recently, AmConGen Jeddah learned that four Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians were arrested and detained on June 9 when they were worshipping at "Faith Rhema Church", a [...] |
2006-06-20 13:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI KIRF SA |
| 06JEDDAH432 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 16: [...] (C) In contrast to the past few sermons in which he has delivered strident lectures tinged with political and sectarian meaning, on June 16, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani delivered a sermon from his pulpit at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar, applauded by our source, censuring Musli [...] |
2006-06-21 10:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH436 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 23: EASTERN [...] (C) On June 23, speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal mosque in al-Khobar, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani fulminated against a "Fifth Column within Islam." This is a subject he has preached on before. In his sermon, al-Qahtani attacked "secularists and hypocrites" who either wittingly or unwittin [...] |
2006-07-01 07:30:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH437 |
JEDDAH MAYOR PRESENTS DEVELOPMENT PLANS; CONSUL [...] SUMMARY: On June 19, the Consul General, Pol/Econ Chief, Commercial Officer , PolOff and EconOff attended the June General Meeting of the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ). The keynote speaker was Mayor of Jeddah, Adel Fakeih who described the city's ambitious new redevelopment plan to tr [...] |
2006-07-01 07:30:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH446 |
A GRAND VISION FOR JCCI WOMEN'S CENTER [...] (C) Summary. During a meeting with Mrs. Oberwetter and Consulate General officers, the new director of the JCCI's women's center outlined her plan to expand the center's services and role in the development of Saudi women. Moving training and placement to other facilities, the women's center [...] |
2006-07-03 11:06:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ELAB KWMN PINR SA |
| 06JEDDAH449 |
AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD DISCUSSES IRAN, DETAINEES AND [...] (U) PARTICIPANTS: U.S. ---- Ambassador Khalilzad Ambassador Oberwetter Consul General Gfoeller Special Assistant Hutchings PolOff Dale (notetaker) Saudi Arabia ------------ Prince Saud Al Faisal, Foreign Minister 2. (S) Summary: During their June 27 meeting, Ambassador to Iraq Z [...] |
2006-07-05 04:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PINR PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH450 |
AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD MEETS WITH SAUDI CROWN PRINCE [...] (U) PARTICIPANTS: Meeting with King Abdullah U.S. ---- Ambassador Khalilzad Ambassador Oberwetter Consul General Gfoeller Special Assistant Hutchings PolOff Dale (notetaker) Saudi Arabia ------------ King Abdullah Prince Saud Al Faisal, Foreign Miister Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Sec [...] |
2006-07-05 04:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PINR PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH451 |
MORSELS FROM THE BUSINESS BREAKFAST TABLE [...] (C) SUMMARY: In conversations at the June meeting of the American Businessmen of Jeddah (ABJ), one American businessman admitted that he had lost confidence in the bearish Saudi stock market. An American financial consultant noted that improved adherence to principles of corporate governanc [...] |
2006-07-05 07:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL PGOV PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH452 |
NEW SAUDIA DIRECTOR GENERAL EXPOUNDS ON FUTURE OF [...] This is one of a series of cables relating to the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 2. SUMMARY: On June 25, Pol/Econ Chief and Jeddah Commercial Officer met the newly appointed Director General of Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia), Khalid Almolhem. He had earlier presid [...] |
2006-07-05 07:43:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL PGOV PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH453 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 15: JCCI TURMOIL ENDS; CONVICTION [...] (U) Ending several months of controversy (reftel), the Consulate learned from a contact on July 1, that embattled Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Chairman, Engineer Abdullah Yehia Al-Moallemi, had resigned, formally citing a disagreement over management style with the Board as [...] |
2006-07-05 07:48:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON KISL KWMN PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH454 |
A WOMAN'S VIEW ON BEING A LAWYER IN SAUDI ARABIA [...] SUMMARY: Recent press reports that the Saudi Ministry of Justice is considering allowing women to become fully licensed lawyers and judges have raised the hopes of women who are already working as legal consultants in the Kingdom. One female legal consultant in Jeddah told PolOff that she [...] |
2006-07-05 09:07:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PGOV PINR PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH455 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 30: EASTERN [...] (C) In a remarkable change from his critical sermons of preceding weeks, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani used his sermon t the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque at al-Khobar o praise the Saudi government for providing securty, political stbility and promoting the welfar of the people. The lesson began w [...] |
2006-07-08 11:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL PTER SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH458 |
SCT SETTING THE STAGE FOR SAUDI'S TOURISM FUTURE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Jeddah's new Director General of the SCT outlined his plan for tourism development in Jeddah and Kingdom-wide with Consulate General officers. The Director General is setting up the tourism sector's infrastructure by centering on critical topics such as IT development and adaptin [...] |
2006-07-08 12:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | BTIO ECON PINR SA |
| 06JEDDAH459 |
WAMY OFFICIAL UPSET ABOUT FUNDING AND CRITICAL OF [...] No summary [...] |
2006-07-08 14:19:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH460 |
SAUDI LAWYER CASTS DIM HOPE FOR REFORM [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConGenOffs met with a prominent Saudi lawyer who cast a very dim light on social reforms underway in the Kingdom. He explained that multi-level resistance to reform, including opposition from within the King's inner circle, insufficient public infrastructure, and general attitude [...] |
2006-07-08 14:26:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH466 |
GUARDED OPINION OF CAPABILITIES OF OIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: An AmCit employee of the Islamic Development Bank dismissed the Organization of the Islamic Conference as an organization that has no credibility with its members or the rest of the international community. He described the OIC as little more than a forum for Arab outrage. He [...] |
2006-07-10 13:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH467 |
WESTERN DIPLOMAT IN ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE ISLAMIC [...] SUMMARY: During a visit to a small town in the Jeddah Consular District, a female ConGenOff decided to experience first hand what it was like to wear the most conservative type of Muslim women's clothing. The five-piece ensemble proved difficult to put on and extremely uncomfortable to wear. [...] |
2006-07-10 13:25:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PGOV PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH469 |
CG MEETS NEW JAPANESE CONSUL GENERAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: On July 8, the Consul General and Pol/Econ Chief met the new Japanese Consul General in Jeddah. His primary objective is to promote Japanese business activities in western Saudi Arabia. As part of his duties, he will monitor and facilitate a major Saudi-Japanese petrochemical [...] |
2006-07-11 10:31:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON JA KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH470 |
JEDDAH'S FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS [...] (U) Summary. Jeddah's AIDS program coordinator described the HIV/AIDS problem and her efforts to improve the situation with awareness campaigns and treatment facilities for the infected. While Saudi Arabia's confirmed infection rate is relatively low, she is focused on getting more people tes [...] |
2006-07-11 10:31:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KHIV KWMN PINR SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH471 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JULY 7: EASTERN [...] (C) Imam Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani returned to provocative matters for his sermons at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar on July 7. In the first part of his lesson, al-Qahtani talked about jihad, explaining that the "Grand Jihad" is the highest form of struggle "and it's not nece [...] |
2006-07-12 07:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH472 |
LAYALINA: SHOWING THE SOCIAL SIDE OF SAUDI ARABIA [...] (U) Since the December 2005 debut of Layalina magazine in Saudi Arabia, the publication has stretched the limits of Saudi culture (reftel). The magazine regularly features Saudis and foreigners in the social scene at restaurants and events and a large section on the men's side of weddings. Ov [...] |
2006-07-12 07:30:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PINR SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH474 |
POSITIVE FIRST MEETING WITH NEW OIC DIRECTOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Director General of Political Affairs held a positive introductory meeting with ConGenOffs. He outlined the OIC's 10-year action plan that emerged from the organization's extraordinary summit held in Mecca in December 2005, and no [...] |
2006-07-12 12:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA SOCI TSPL |
| 06JEDDAH475 |
FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES TEHRAN MEETING OF IRAQ [...] (C) SUMMARY: ON JULY 11, THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD A-FAISAL AND DISCUSSED THE RECENT TEHRAN MEETING OF THE IRAQ NEIGHBORS GROUP AND THE IMPENDING INTERNATIONAL COMPACT FOR IRAQ CONFERENCE. IN TEHRAN, THE "FRANK" MULTILATERAL DISCUSSIONS ADDRESSED A VARIETY OF PRACT [...] |
2006-07-12 13:14:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL KPAL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH476 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 16: INTERNET POSTINGS; MUTAWAA; [...] (U) On July 12, an anonymous source posted a message on the fundamentalist Al Saha website that called for a "Holocaust" type event that would "burn" Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Madani, Minister of Labor Ghazi al-Qusaybi, and prominent writer Turki Al Hamad. Using easily recogni [...] |
2006-07-12 14:25:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH477 |
CORRECTED COPY--FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES TEHRAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: On July 11, the Ambassador met with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud a-Faisal and discussed the recent Tehran meeting of the Iraq Neighbor's Group and the impending International Compact for Iraq Conference. In Tehran, the "frank" multilateral discussions addressed a variety of prac [...] |
2006-07-13 02:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KPAL PREL PTER SA |
| 06JEDDAH478 |
INTERNET SHOWING GRASSROOTS DISSENTION ABOUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Public opinion is divided regarding the July 14 Saudi Press Agency statement on the situation in Lebanon. While local newspapers have reported the government line, websites show a wide variety of opinions that both support and attack the position. Those who support the statement genera [...] |
2006-07-15 14:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH481 |
AMCIT REITERATES CONCERNS ABOUT SAUDI DEFENSE [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: A U.S. citizen, who promotes American defense interests in the Kingdom, reported on a meeting he held with his SAG contact who participated in the SAG-French meeting in June about upcoming defense contracts. The AmCit told the Consul General on July 9 that the French are using [...] |
2006-07-16 13:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET//NOFORN | MARR MASS MCAP KCOR PGOV PINR |
| 06JEDDAH483 |
SAGIA STREAMLINIING THE INVESTMENT PROCESS [...] (C) Summary. On June 28 Pol/EconOffs met Mr. Mohammed Al Khosheim, Director General of the Saudi Arabia Investment Authority (SAGIA) in Jeddah. Al Khosheim described the type of investors coming to Jeddah and the process they have to complete in order to operate here. Al Khosheim touts the d [...] |
2006-07-18 09:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | BTIO ECON ETRD PINR |
| 06JEDDAH484 |
UMM AL-QURA DEAN PUSHING FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORM [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting in Jeddah with the dean of the College of Education at Umm Al-Qura University (UAQU) located in Mecca, ConGenOffs discussed factors affecting the higher education of young men and women, including the increased demand for university spots, accreditation, and studen [...] |
2006-07-18 14:36:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH486 |
MINISTER OF LABOR TELLS RELIGIOUS POLICE ONLY MOL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The religious police, or Mutawwa denied that it was responsible for the recent firing of 69 saleswomen at cosmetic and lingerie department stores in Jeddah. The Mutawwa ordered the stores closed after accusing the saleswomen of mingling with men, and criticized them for not coveri [...] |
2006-07-19 14:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR SA KISL |
| 06JEDDAH487 |
JULY 14 FRIDAY SERMONS AVERT STRONG WORDS ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: Mecca sermons focused on the need for brotherhood amongst all Muslims and its importance in combating the enemies of religion. The Medina sermons addressed the importance of optimism in times of crisis and made mention of the tyranny of the Jews over Palestine, but made no mentio [...] |
2006-07-20 09:38:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL SA PREL PGOV |
| 06JEDDAH493 |
ISLAMIC SCHOLAR CALLS FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: PolOff held a productive discussion about Islam and the need for greater dialogue with Dr. Hamid Al-Rifaie, an internationally recognized religious scholar who lives in Jeddah. He said that he is focused on opening stable channels of communication that allow Muslims to talk am [...] |
2006-07-24 11:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PINR PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH494 |
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF BUSINESS REGISTRATION IN JEDDAH [...] (U) On July 10 Pol/EconOffs and FCSOffs met Mr. Muhammad Atiq Al Harby, Director General of the Ministry of Commerce in Jeddah. During the brief meeting Al Harby gave an outline of the procedures for women to register their businesses in Jeddah. The Ministry's female section is only one year [...] |
2006-07-25 05:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KWMN PINR SA PGOV |
| 06JEDDAH495 |
YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN SPEAK: THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE [...] (C) Summary. In a discussion with Saudi college-aged women, EconOff learned about some of the issues confronting young females in Jeddah, what concerns they have for the future, and their thoughts about their portrayal in the West. As Saudi society undergoes numerous changes, young Saudi wome [...] |
2006-07-25 05:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL KWMN PINR SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH496 |
A GLIMPSE INTO JEDDAH'S FOREIGN WORKER POPULATIONS [...] (C) Summary. In a series of meetings with the labor offices of Saudi Arabia's major labor source Consulates, EconOff discussed the issues facing foreign worker populations and what the representative Consulates General do to help their citizens. The labor officers all say salary payment and [...] |
2006-07-25 05:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ELAB PHUM PINR SA |
| 06JEDDAH498 |
ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK ON AID TO IRAQ AND GAZA [...] On July 22, Econ Counselor met with two senior Islamic Development Bank officials in Jeddah. They are Amadou Boubacar Cisse (VP for Operations) and Rami Ahmad (Deputy Director of Operations in charge of Middle East projects). Cisse briefed on Iraq, Gaza and more generally on how the IDB make [...] |
2006-07-25 10:57:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON IZ KPAL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH499 |
NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON LEADERSHIP CHANGE AT JEDDAH [...] (U) Summary: During a meeting with the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) Project Manager, CG and Commercial Attach learned of new developments at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), most importantly, additional factors contributing to the removal of the Chairman. The recent moves [...] |
2006-07-25 10:58:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH505 |
HEJAZI SCHOLARS SHARE VIEWS ON RELIGION AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: Consul General and ConGenOffs reached out to religious scholars, including the liberal religious scholar Dr. Sami M. Angawi, in Jeddah to hear their views on the status of Islam in the Kingdom and how it is practiced in the nation's traditionally diverse Hejaz region. The scholars focu [...] |
2006-07-29 04:05:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PGOV PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH511 |
SAUD AL-FAISAL ASKS THE US TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE [...] (C) FM Saud al-Faisal summoned the Ambassador from Riyadh to Jeddah for a one-on-one late in the evening of July 30 to urge the Secretary to call for a ceasefire in Lebanon. In a soft-mannered but insistent and blunt approach, Prince Saud made the following points: -- "We understand the concern wi [...] |
2006-07-30 21:46:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | IS IZ LE PINS PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH513 |
CHANGES AFOOT AT THE JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM [...] (U) SUMMARY. On July 23 Consul General (CG) and Commercial Attache (CA) met the new Chairman and the Project Manager of the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF). The CG learned of the ongoing changes at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Kingdom's plans to increase tourism and th [...] |
2006-07-31 04:38:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH514 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JULY 28: EASTERN [...] (C) At the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar on July 28, Imam Shaikh Mohammed al-Qahtani offered a sermon that left our source confused and uncertain as to the imam's intent. The imam, who is notorious for attacking followers of all but the Hanbali school of Islamic thought as counte [...] |
2006-08-02 08:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH520 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 17: ISLAMIC FORUM MEETING CANCELED [...] (C) On August 1, the Consulate General received a fax from the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue informing us that our request for a meeting could not be honored at this time, because all of their staff and resources were needed to cope with the crisis in Lebanon. INVESTORS LOBBY GOV [...] |
2006-08-07 07:21:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH531 |
LABOR MINISTER DISCUSSES TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, [...] (C) Summary: On August 7, Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi al-Qusaibi described the SAG's efforts against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) to the Ambassador. Minister al-Qusaibi agreed that this was a serious issue for the SAG, and he outlined the steps that it is taking, adding that Saudi Arabia must m [...] |
2006-08-09 11:14:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KCRM PHUM SMIG ELAB ECON PGOV SA |
| 06JEDDAH532 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 4: OUTRAGE [...] Lebanon and the "West's war against Muslims" dominated the angry sermon of Imam Sheikh Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudays at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The imam called for a cease-fire in Lebanon and pleaded for support for the women, children and old people who have been harmed by the war. In a lit [...] |
2006-08-09 12:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH535 |
CONSUL GENERAL AND NEW FOREIGN MINISTRY DIRECTOR [...] (U) SUMMARY: On August 9, the CG and Pol/Econ Chief made a courtesy call on Ambassador Mohammed Tayyeb, the newly appointed Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for the Mecca Region. The Director General offered the Ministry's support in developing a New Consulate Comp [...] |
2006-08-12 09:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ABLD AMGT KISL OFDP PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH540 |
AMBASSADOR'S CONVERSATION WITH NEW CHAIRMAN OF [...] SUMMARY: On August 8, the Ambassador and staff met the new Chairman and Board members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). The Chairman gave an optimistic assessment of the Saudi economy. He enumerated a number of development projects in Jeddah and around the Kingdom, inc [...] |
2006-08-14 12:58:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | BTIO ECON EPET KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH541 |
AMBASSADOR SPEAKS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF AMERICAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 9, the Ambassador breakfasted with three members of the American business community. All three reported that Lebanon was creating wide-spread hostility towards the United States among the Saudi population, both Sunnis and Shi'as. A Raytheon official reported a promis [...] |
2006-08-14 14:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH542 |
LEBANON: UNSC 1701 DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] (C) Ambassador Oberwetter delivered the text of UNSC 1701 to FM Saud al-Faisal on August 15. The FM said that the most recent statements from the Israeli government and Hizballah "do not bode well for the future" and he cast his doubts on the ceasefire lasting. He said that disarming Hizballah and [...] |
2006-08-15 18:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | IS PREL PTER MOPS |
| 06JEDDAH545 |
AMBASSADOR URGES SAG TO SUPPORT GUATEMALA'S UNSC [...] (S) Ambassador Oberwetter renewed USG concerns with Venezuela's candidacy for Latin America's open UNSC seat during an August 15 meeting with FM Saud al-Faisal. The Ambassador raised Ref A points, adding that President Chavez had vowed to support Iran "at any time and under any conditions" d [...] |
2006-08-16 06:56:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PREL UNSC GT VE SA |
| 06JEDDAH547 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 11: [...] (C) The war between Islam and the West once again inspired the sermon from the Grand Mosque in Mecca. However, this week, Imam Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed al Talib's complaints extended far beyond Lebanon and suggest a growing hostility to Muslim involvement in the "Western-dominated" inte [...] |
2006-08-19 04:55:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH548 |
AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 8, Ambassador Oberwetter led a group to met Islamic Development Bank (IDB) President Al-Madani. The Ambassador apprised Al-Madani of the forthcoming visit of Deputy Treasury Secretary Kimmit to discuss U.S. and potential IDB involvement in the reconstruction of Lebano [...] |
2006-08-19 06:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID EFIN IZ KISL LE PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH557 |
NEW "KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY" ON THE RED SEA: [...] (C) Summary: Among the Saudi Government's many new megaprojects, the planned $26.7 billion "King Abdullah Economic City" has attracted the most media and investor attention. Its organizer, Saudi General Investment Chairman Amr Dabbagh, is pushing ahead. In a recent meeting, CG and EconCoun [...] |
2006-08-23 13:09:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH558 |
STUDENT VISAS: AMB ASKS FOR LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP [...] (C) Ambassador Oberwetter informed Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on August 22 that the Ministry of Higher Education (MHE) had not yet provided the Embassy with lists of all Saudi students who receive scholarships to study in the U.S. The Ambassador raised our concerns with counterfeit schola [...] |
2006-08-23 14:00:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER PINR PINS KCSY SA |
| 06JEDDAH559 |
FM'S VIEWS ON THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL [...] (S) Ambassador Oberwetter delivered Reftel points on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on August 21. The Ambassador emphasized tha the HRC has not taken a balanced approach to theIsrael-Hizballah conflict and he questioned why he Council spoke out so strongly agai [...] |
2006-08-23 14:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PHUM PREL SA XF |
| 06JEDDAH567 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 18: MECCA [...] (U) Once again the sermon from the Grand Mosque in Mecca advocated that the Ummah unite to confront a nebulous enemy, which inevitably comes to mean the non-Muslim world. In a strident sermon, Imam Sheikh Dr. Saud Bin Ibrahim al-Sheraim, warned his listeners, "this age of materialistic civil [...] |
2006-08-26 07:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH576 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 25: MECCA [...] (U) At the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Imam Sheikh Salah bin Mohammed Aal Talib lectured the worshipers on preparations for Doomsday. Fortunately, in contrast to recent sermons, today's sermon related to the theological Day of Judgment rather than to Islam's conflicts with the "other." The imam [...] |
2006-08-30 11:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH578 |
LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE [...] The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) conveyed the following letter via fax to Consulate General Jeddah for transmission to Secretary Rice: 2. Begin text: [Page 1] Organization of the Islamic Conference The Secretary General OIC/SG-1/2006 Jeddah 15, August 2006 Exce [...] |
2006-09-03 13:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH582 |
LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC [...] The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) conveyed the following letter and declarations via fax to Consulate General Jeddah for transmission To Secretary Rice. 2. The letter to Secretary Rice presents the Declaration on the Situation in Lebanon and the Declaration on the Situation [...] |
2006-09-04 04:40:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH583 |
LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE [...] The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) conveyed the following letter via fax to Consulate General Jeddah for transmission to Secretary Rice: 2. Begin text: [Page 1] Organization of the Islamic Conference The Secretary General OIC/SG-1/2006 04045 Jeddah 03, September 200 [...] |
2006-09-04 13:42:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH586 |
CG GFOELLER RECEIVES PETITION FROM SAUDI WOMEN TO [...] (U) SUMMARY. On July 18th, CG Gfoeller received an e-mailed draft petition from prominent Saudi women calling for a cessation of Israeli attacks in both Lebanon and Palestine. The petition stated that Israeli interference in Lebanon and Palestine has created regional instability and has dep [...] |
2006-09-05 08:20:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | IS KISL KPAO KWMN LE OPRC PHUM PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH596 |
JEDDAH JOURNAL 18: OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN; [...] The English-language Saudi Gazette reported today on another clash between historic Saudi custom and the demands of a modern economy. Saudi women are complaining that a law in force since 1965 prohibits them from obtaining licenses to operate beauty shops, but recent efforts to promote busine [...] |
2006-09-09 09:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR KISL KWMN PREL SA SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH597 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA SEPTEMBER 1: [...] The sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 1 was delivered by Dr. Salih bin-Abdallah bin-Humayd, the Chairman of the Shura Council, which advises the King. The main idea in the sermon was that of a "new dawn" for the Arab and Islamic nation. He remarked that the results of the recen [...] |
2006-09-09 10:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL PREL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH598 |
SAUDI ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION: ENVIRONMENTAL [...] SUMMARY: Pol/Econ Chief met with the director of the newly registered Saudi Environmental Association. The organization will promote environmental issues in planing and decision-making at all levels of Saudi government. Within its mandate, the organization will accept and investigate envir [...] |
2006-09-09 14:49:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON KISL PGOV PREL SA SENV SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH606 |
SEX IN SAUDI ARABIA - CLOAK AND DAGGER DATING [...] (U) Recently, Pol-Econoff spoke with a number of young men and women in Saudi Arabia. In one encounter, with a 29 year old man named Abdul, Pol-Econoff learned about the Saudi social scene. As both are roughly the same age, they began to speak about what guys that age tend to speak about, nam [...] |
2006-09-11 16:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH614 |
AMBASSADOR BRIEFED ON SAUDIA FUTURE [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 10, the Ambassador and Consulate General Jeddah, and FCS staff met the New Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) and his senior staff. The Director General offered an optimistic assessment of the airline's future. Privatization is planned over the nex [...] |
2006-09-18 04:30:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BTIO EAIR ECON KISL KPRV SA |
| 06JEDDAH623 |
SEX IN SAUDI ARABIA - CLOAK AND DAGGER DATING [...] (S) Recently, Pol-Econoff spoke with a number of young men and women in Saudi Arabia. In one encounter, with a 29 year old man named Abdul, Pol-Econoff learned about the Saudi social scene. As both are roughly the same age, they began to speak about what guys that age tend to speak about, nam [...] |
2006-09-24 15:07:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL SOCI |
| 06JEDDAH625 |
YOUNG PRESIDENTS SPEAK THEIR MINDS TO AMBASSADOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with several members of the Saudi chapter of the Young President's Organization (YPO) on August 20. The group said Israel,s actions in Lebanon were disproportionate, and claimed there is growing anti-US sentiment in the Kingdom and increasing fears of Iran. [...] |
2006-09-25 12:40:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM PINR SA ECON KISL |
| 06JEDDAH636 |
AMBASSADOR MET WITH GENERAL AUTHORITY OF CIVIL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Oberwetter met with the President Eng. Abdullah M. Nour Rehaimi and several Vice Presidents of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Jeddah on August 18 to discuss GACA's plans for deregulation and expansion in Saudi Arabia. Both sides expressed an interest [...] |
2006-10-04 12:09:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BTIO EAIR ECON KISL KPRV SA |
| 06JEDDAH643 |
IIRO SECRETARY-GENERAL TALKS OF SAUDI PROGRAMS AND [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: In a meeting at the headquarters of the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) on September 18, Secretary-General Dr. Adnan Khalil Basha told PolOffs that IIRO headquarters in Jeddah has administrative and budgetary control of all 28 country branches and receives no [...] |
2006-10-09 07:52:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PREL PINR KISL SA |
| 06JEDDAH645 |
LETTER FROM OIC SECGEN REGARDING "DESECRATION OF [...] (U) The following letter, dated October 5, 2006, was delivered to AMCON Jeddah. It is from the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to the Secretary of State, and condemns the alleged destruction of SIPDIS the cemetery of Mamella, an ancient Muslim cemetery, [...] |
2006-10-10 12:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL OPDC PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH646 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA SEPTEMBER 15: [...] (C) Shaykh Saud Ibn-Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered the sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 15. The sermon focused on the idea that Muslims should give sincere advice. The imam said, "One meets three types of people; a type that praises him, a type that criticizes him, and a type t [...] |
2006-10-10 13:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH658 |
VISITING DESK OFFICER MET WITH OIC DG OF POLITICAL [...] (C) Poloff and visiting NEA/ARP Desk Officer met with Director General of Political Affairs for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Mahdy Fathallah, on October 10. Fathallah laid out the reasons why the U.S. would benefit from closer relations with the OIC. He pointed to the pot [...] |
2006-10-16 11:58:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PINR PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH659 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, SEPTEMBER 22: [...] (C) Shaykh Usamah bin-Abdallah Khayyat delivered the sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 22. The imam condemned statements made against Islam without mentioning Pope Benedict XVI by name. The sermon opposed the view that Islam has been spread through violence. The imam said, " [...] |
2006-10-16 12:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH664 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, SEPTEMBER 29: [...] (C) Shaykh Abd-al-Rahman al-Sudays delivered the sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 29. The sermon largely dealt with the significance of Ramadan for piety and purification of the soul. The imam added that Ramadan has come "while our nation is unaware of the plotting and challe [...] |
2006-10-18 04:07:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH665 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 6: MECCA, [...] (C) Shaykh Saud Ibn-Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered the sermon in the at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on October 6. The sermon focused on the stories in the Koran, especially the Surah of Hud, which speaks of ancient communities. The imam said, "The Islamic nation is in dire need to ponder the Ko [...] |
2006-10-18 04:07:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH673 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 13: [...] (C) Sheikh Salih bin-Abdallah bin-Humayd delivered the sermon in Mecca on October 13. He emphasized the holiness of the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially the Night of Power. The imam urged Muslims to make the best of Ramadan by praying, reading the Koran, and giving charity. In the sec [...] |
2006-10-28 07:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH694 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 27: [...] (C) Sheikh Dr. Usamah Abdallah al-Khayyat delivered the sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on October 27. He said that all people seek a happy life, and that "everyone knows that a heart free of grudges is the means to achieve happiness and success. If hostility, which stems from grudges, [...] |
2006-11-06 12:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH700 |
TALES OF A PRINCE: CG MEETS WITH GOVERNOR OF [...] (S) On November 7 the CG met with a prominent Western businessman who is close to the Governor of Asir, Prince Khalid bin Faisal. The businessman is known as a "fixer" for Prince Khalid. During their conversation, he recounted to the CG a number of his interactions with the Prince. 2. (S) Their f [...] |
2006-11-08 14:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PINR SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH765 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, DECEMBER 15: [...] (C) Sheikh Salih bin-Abdallah bin-Humayd delivered the sermon in Mecca on December 15. He began by encouraging Muslims to follow Allah and participate in the Hajj. The imam continued, "Muslims are feeling that their religion is being exposed to fierce onslaught. They talk about this onslau [...] |
2006-12-19 14:05:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL |
| 06JEDDAH769 |
IRF OFFICER MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN LEADERS [...] (S) Summary. In a visit to Jeddah and Dhahran, DRL/IRF officer Kate Lurie met with various leaders of the Christian communities. In Jeddah, Lurie and Poloff held several meetings with leaders of Christian congregations. In Dhahran, Lurie met with three Americans, two Protestants and one Ca [...] |
2006-12-19 15:56:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | KIRF SOCI SA |
| 06JEDDAH770 |
GACA'S NEED FOR FAA ASSISTANCE IN ITS NEW AGE [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 9. 2. (U) Summary. EconOff from Riyadh and Jeddah Pol-Econ Chief met with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to follow up on a June 2006 meeting with the Ambassador regarding GACA's need for regulatory training, update [...] |
2006-12-20 06:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON ETRD PGOV SA |
| 06JEDDAH86 |
NEW SOUTH AFRICAN CONSUL GENERAL SPEAKS OF TRADE, [...] (C) SUMMARY: At an introductory meeting on January 29, new South African Consul General Mahdi Basadien described his mission to promote South African trade, particularly in mining and defense. His post also supports some 27,000 South Africans who travel to Saudi Arabia each year on pilgrimag [...] |
2006-01-30 09:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD IR KISL KNNP PARM PREL SA SF |
| 06JEDDAH98 |
YOUNGEST MEMBER OF CHINA DELEGATION PROVIDES [...] (C) SUMMARY. Poloff met on January 29 the youngest member of the delegation of Saudi private citizens that accompanied King Abdullah on his much-heralded recent visit to China. Sultan al-Attar, who turned 25 on the trip, was effusive in his praise for King Abdullah, highlighting the King's abi [...] |
2006-02-01 14:26:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL PTER PREL SA |
| 06JEDDAH99 |
"REAL PEOPLE TOUR": STUDENTS PROVIDE TOUR OF [...] (C) SUMMARY. As Post previously reported, Poloff visited on January 22 the central campus of Um al-Qura University, known as a center of Islamic learning in the Kingdom, in the heart of the Islamic holy city of Mecca and met with University Rector Dr. Nasir A. al-Saleh and several administrat [...] |
2006-02-01 14:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL CVIS PTER SCUL PREL SA |
| 07JEDDAH315 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JULY 31 GCC+2 MEETING [...] ABOVE-REFERENCED DEMARCHE (REFTL B) WAS DELIVERED ORALLY BY CONSULATE OFFICIALS TO MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL JULY 23, 2007. TONEY [...] |
2007-07-23 13:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV SA |
| 07JEDDAH316 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JULY 31 GCC+2 MEETING [...] Above-referenced demarche (Reftel B) was delivered orally by Consulate Officials to MFA Director General July 23, 2007. TONEY [...] |
2007-07-23 13:51:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV SA |
| 07JEDDAH392 |
SAUDIS UNSURPRISED BY SHARIF'S RETURN; CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING STABILITY IN PAKISTAN [...] (S) SUMMARY. In Ambassador Fraker's September 11 meeting with Prince Muqrin, Head of the General Intelligence Presidency, Muqrin reiterated the SAG's commitment to accepting Sharif while in exile but added that Sharif had not heeded Saad Al-Hariri's warning not to return to Pakistan. (NOTE: A [...] |
2007-09-12 06:31:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PINR PK PREL PTER SA |
| 07JEDDAH396 |
SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER ON: AMCIT DEPENDENT, FUTURE [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY. During a September 12 discussion with Ambassador Ford Fraker and Jeddah Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal summarized the SAG position on a variety of issues. The Prince stated the importance of working in partnership with the U.S. to addr [...] |
2007-09-13 12:35:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET//NOFORN | CVIS ETTC EFIN PGOV PREL PTER KIRF KTFN SA |
| 07JEDDAH419 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA SEPTEMBER 14 AND [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on September 14, a substitute Imam at the al-Khobar Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque devoted his sermon to the holy month of Ramadan. He stressed the importance of total abstinence and helping the poor. The following week he continued on the same theme, [...] |
2007-09-30 09:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 07JEDDAH450 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA SEPTEMBER 28 AND [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on September 28, a substitute Imam at the al-Khobar Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque focused his sermon once again on Ramadan. He repeated his call for the congregation to read the Koran and stressed the importance of purifying oneself to prepare for the [...] |
2007-10-17 11:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 07JEDDAH469 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA OCTOBER 19 AND [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on October 19, a substitute Imam at the al-Khobar Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque focused his sermon on respect for family values and how it relates to current discontent in the Muslim world. On October 26, Sheikh Mohammad Saleh al-Munajjid at the Omar b [...] |
2007-10-31 16:06:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 07JEDDAH481 |
VISIT OF STAS FEDEROFF TO KAUST GROUNDBREAKING [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the King SIPDIS Abdullah University for Science and Technology on October 21. The university is part of a development plan to also include a Petroleum Complex and King Abdullah Economic C [...] |
2007-11-24 06:15:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON TNGD TPHY KISL SA |
| 07JEDDAH485 |
I LEFT MY HEART IN FREEDOM AND CAME HOME [...] (S) SUMMARY: There is no subject dearer to the hearts of even moderately well-off Hejazis (inhabitants of the Western Province) than leaving Saudi Arabia. The most stilted gathering can be brightened up at once by steering the conversation to a fondly anticipated (or remembered) stint outside [...] |
2007-11-24 15:26:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | SOCI SCUL KWMN SA |
| 07JEDDAH492 |
HEJAZIS UPSET BY FATWA ABUSE IN ONGOING ISLAMIC [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: Dr. Izzat Atiyya of al-Azhar University's Hadith Department issued a polemical fatwa last May arguing that women and men could work together provided that they become family members through breastfeeding. This is one of several fatwas that the Islamic establishment has issu [...] |
2007-11-27 12:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV SOCI KISL KWMN SA |
| 07JEDDAH498 |
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE HEJAZ: [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY AND COMMENT: While the number of reported domestic abuse cases varies depending on the source, Hejazi (inhabitants of the Western Province) experts focused on addressing violence against women agree that the number of cases in the Western Province is rising. The President of [...] |
2007-11-30 18:14:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM SOCI KWMN SA |
| 07JEDDAH506 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA NOVEMBER 16, 23, [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: The Grand Mufti recommended on November 30 that terrorists be sentenced to "Had al-Haraba," a Quranic punishment that can include execution followed by displaying the body in crucified pose. Sermons in the Eastern Province's al-Khobar al-Rawdha Grand Mosque on November 16 [...] |
2007-12-09 08:51:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 07JEDDAH508 |
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY: BRAVE IDEAS, SHAKY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Nearly two years after the launch of construction, the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) remains the flagship among the megaprojects that represent King Abdullah's push for modernization and economic diversification. Although the King's support for the city still appears stron [...] |
2007-12-10 15:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND ELAB ENRG EPET |
| 07JEDDAH512 |
ABHA 2030: ASIR DEPUTY GOV DISCUSSES REFORMS, [...] (S) SUMMARY: While in Abha to open the American Culture and Commerce Festival organized by Consulate General Jeddah, the CG met with the Deputy Governor (DG) of Asir to discuss the status of ongoing reforms in the province. These reforms, collectively known as "Abha 2030," include modernizing [...] |
2007-12-15 18:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | ECON EIND ELAB SCUL SOCI |
| 07JEDDAH519 |
INSIDE PRINCE KHALED'S DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS [...] (S) SUMMARY: During a December 16 meeting with the CG, prominent Jeddah businessman Loay Bougary (strictly protect) described Prince Khaled's development plans for Mecca Province, and gave a detailed account of the consultative cabinet of experts which the prince organized to advise on these [...] |
2007-12-29 15:15:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | ECON PGOV SA SCUL SOCI |
| 07JEDDAH520 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: MT. ARAFAT DEC [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Grand Mufti gave a special sermon to pilgrims at Mount Arafat on December 18 denouncing terrorism and warning against the economic schemes of Islam's enemies. Sermons in Mecca's al-Haram Mosque on December 7, 14, and 21 elaborated on traditional issues such as piety in relati [...] |
2007-12-30 10:51:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH10 |
OIC CULTURAL DG ARGUES FOR PROHIBITING RELIGIOUS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Director General (DG) of the Cultural and Social Affairs Department of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) explained OIC positions on religious intolerance to DRL/MLGA Foreign Affairs Officer. After describing efforts to combat Islamic extremism at the cultural [...] |
2008-01-07 18:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL SCUL KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH107 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA FEBRUARY 8, 15, [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Grand Mufti criticized on February 8 the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) report on women's rights in Islam and Saudi Arabia, arguing that it was "based on fallacies" and "unfair" (Reftel B). Throughout the Kingdom, Imams conducted rain prayers against the drought [...] |
2008-03-05 17:20:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH12 |
GCC COUNTRIES IMPRESSED WITH ABHA CULTURE AND [...] (C) The CG visited the Yemeni Consulate General on December 31 to offer condolences for the death of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al Ahmar, the speaker of Yemen's parliament. During the visit, the Yemeni CG, Ambassador Mohammed Al Qutaish, said that he had read much about the American Culture [...] |
2008-01-08 12:13:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SCUL SOCIO SA |
| 08JEDDAH127 |
NINTH ANNUAL JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM: NO DE-PEG, [...] (U) SUMMARY: The ninth annual Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) drew 2,500 attendees for a Feb 24-26 series of panels and speeches concerning the future of the Saudi economy. Guided by the theme of "Value Creation through Alliances and Partnerships," this year's topics focused on economic diversif [...] |
2008-03-10 16:50:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EIND ELAB PHUM SCUL SOCI SA |
| 08JEDDAH145 |
JEDDAH MUNICIPAL COUNCIL: NOT WELL-KNOWN AND OF [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Various meetings with Jeddah Municipal Council members and prominent elite have presented a bleak picture concerning Council effectiveness and accomplishments. Over the past two years, the Council has approved and managed Municipality projects while introducing [...] |
2008-03-22 13:20:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH148 |
SMUGGLING ACROSS YEMENI BORDER DIFFICULT TO CURB [...] (C) SUMMARY: The SAG continues to face difficulties in its efforts to curb the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and people across the Yemeni border, according to a Ministry of Interior (MoI) colonel stationed in Jizan. The colonel cited terrain, profit motive, and smugglers' organization and tacti [...] |
2008-03-23 11:53:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PGOV PINR PREL PTER SNAR KCRM SA YE |
| 08JEDDAH149 |
ISLAMIC SUMMIT: TOP PRIORITIES INCLUDE SUDAN-CHAD [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In post-Summit meetings with OIC Assistant Secretary General for Jerusalem Affairs Ambassador Samir Bakr and OIC Directors for Political Affairs Yahaya Lawal and Tariq Ali Bakheet, they cited the new Charter revision (to enter into force within six months), the Dakar Agreeme [...] |
2008-03-23 11:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KISL OIC SA |
| 08JEDDAH16 |
AMERICAN CULTURE AND COMMERCE FESTIVAL IN ABHA, [...] (U) SUMMARY: With the goals of engaging broader, younger and harder-to-reach audiences outside of the Kingdom's major cities and educating Saudis about U.S. culture, education and commercial partnerships, the U.S. Consulate General Jeddah Public Affairs Section planned and conducted a four-day [...] |
2008-01-09 13:57:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SCUL ODIP OIIP BEXP SA |
| 08JEDDAH164 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA FEBRUARY 29 AND [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on February 29 and March 7, Sheikh Mohammed Saleh al-Munajjid at the Omar bin Abd al-Aziz Grand Mosque condemned the Danish newspapers that reprinted in late February Muhammad cartoons, criticized Muslims who supported the West, and called on the Musli [...] |
2008-04-07 16:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH178 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA MARCH 21 AND 28, [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: The Saudi government (SAG) has plans to distribute to Imams and preachers "the ideas" (in particular social topics) they want them to include in their Friday sermons, according to a March 25 article featuring anonymous SAG official remarks in Saudi Arabic-language daily Al Wa [...] |
2008-04-23 15:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH179 |
JEDDAH TO HOST NUCLEAR ENERGY SYMPOSIUM [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Department of Nuclear Engineering at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah is planning to host the "International Symposium on the Peaceful Applications of Nuclear Technology in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries" in November 2008. In a discussion with the Chair [...] |
2008-04-26 13:45:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PGOV PREL PINR PARM TNGD TRGY KCIP |
| 08JEDDAH182 |
S/E CUMBER DISCUSSES WITH OIC DRAFT MOU; [...] (C) SUMMARY: In April 24 meetings with Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and other high-level OIC officials, U.S. Envoy to the OIC Sada Cumber discussed the draft U.S.-OIC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as well as specific programs on which [...] |
2008-04-29 16:06:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL KISL KWMN SA |
| 08JEDDAH183 |
OIC PLANS TO OPEN OFFICE IN BAGHDAD [...] (C) In an April 29 meeting with Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Director General for Political Affairs Mahdy Fathallah, he elaborated on OIC plans to open an office in Baghdad. The OIC hopes to send soon Ambassador Hamed Mohammad Altani to run a three-person shop (the Ambassador [...] |
2008-04-30 08:39:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL IZ SA |
| 08JEDDAH184 |
FOOD VS. WATER: FARMS FACE CONFLICTING GOVT [...] (U) As farmers throughout the Hijaz prepare for the phase-out of the SAG's 30-year drive for wheat self-sufficiency, many wonder if recent increases in food prices could cause the government to reconsider. The Ministry of Agriculture's January decision to move gradually to full reliance on wh [...] |
2008-04-30 14:25:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR ECON EFIS ELAB SENV SA |
| 08JEDDAH186 |
ARREST/RELEASE OF CHRISTIAN INDIANS IN TAIF [...] (S) SUMMARY: On April 25, plain-clothed Saudis of unknown affiliation arrested 16 Christian Indians -- including women and children -- for conducting a worship service in the southwestern city of Taif. Police raided the worship location, locked-in everyone present, questioned them, and then t [...] |
2008-05-04 05:49:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PHUM KIRF SA |
| 08JEDDAH199 |
COMMERCE A/S PROMOTES "INVEST IN AMERICA" [...] (U) During an April 12-14 visit, Assistant Secretary of Commerce David Bohigian met with officials and business leaders to promote the DoC's "Invest in America" initiative and to discuss ways to promote U.S.-Saudi investment and trade. Venues included the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Indust [...] |
2008-05-12 13:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | BEXP BTIO CVIS ECON ETRD SA |
| 08JEDDAH248 |
WOMEN IN 2009 MUNI ELECTIONS? MIXED PREDICTIONS [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: A delegation from the Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative met May 13 with local politicians and prominent members of civil society to discuss trends in political reform. Members of Jeddah's Municipal Council described the body's growing role as a provider of go [...] |
2008-06-08 05:10:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KMPI PGOV PHUM SOCI SA |
| 08JEDDAH251 |
SAUDI ARABIA: REPORT ON FORCED LABOR AND CHILD [...] (U) Responding on behalf of AMEMBASSY RIYADH. 2. (U) Per request (reftel A), Post provides the following information regarding the use of forced labor and child labor in the production of goods in Saudi Arabia. Although most incidents appear to occur in service industries, there is anecdot [...] |
2008-06-08 16:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI SA |
| 08JEDDAH253 |
OIC SYG: IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM IN THE US; [...] (C) In June 4-5 Meetings Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee staff member Wendy Anderson met with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) board members, Jeddah Municipal Councilors, and other civ [...] |
2008-06-10 15:02:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KISL SOCI SA |
| 08JEDDAH254 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA APRIL 11, 18, AND [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on April 11, a substitute Imam at the Omar bin Abd al-Aziz Grand Mosque focused his sermon on justice, equality, and the increase in the price of oil in the past few years. The following week during the April 18 sermon, the Imam discussed prayer as on [...] |
2008-06-10 15:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH263 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA MAY 2, 9, AND 16: [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on May 2, Sheikh al-Munajjid at the Omar bin Abd al-Aziz Grand Mosque condemned the modern-day entertainment industry for including scenes and advertisements that corrupt the minds of youth. From the first-ever report out of the Al-Salheen Grand Mosque [...] |
2008-06-20 13:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH268 |
SAUDI FM ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION, LEBANON, [...] (S) SUMMARY: In the Ambassador's June 23 meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, they discussed: nuclear cooperation (reftels A and C), the Saudi pledge for the Nahr al Barid conference (reftel B), implementing the Annapolis Agreement, and debt forgiveness for Iraq. The Amb [...] |
2008-06-24 11:21:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PARM PREL KNNP KPAL SA |
| 08JEDDAH306 |
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MECCA REGION BRANCH: LOW [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a July 20 meeting to discuss the status of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Mecca region branch, women's section head Entesar Felemban informed PolOff of cases received, HRC internal dynamics, as well as the branch's relationship with the National Society for Human Rights (NSH [...] |
2008-07-28 11:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR KWMN SA |
| 08JEDDAH327 |
BUSINESS LEADERS SEE MODEST PROGRESS TOWARDS LEGAL REFORM [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: Jeddah business leaders note modest progress towards the implementation of King Abdullah's October 2007 decree overhauling the Kingdom's judicial system. An executive at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) is concerned by the lack of headway in establish [...] |
2008-08-10 13:28:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EINV ETRD PGOV SA |
| 08JEDDAH335 |
OIC OFFICIAL COMMENTS ON COUP IN MAURITANIA AND [...] No summary [...] |
2008-08-13 16:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PREF PREL KISL AJ GG MR TU SA |
| 08JEDDAH350 |
GACA EXPRESSES INTEREST IN REVIVING FAA [...] (C) During an August 4 - August 6 visit by Senior FAA Representative Roy Barnett from Emb Abu Dhabi, executives at the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) said they are proceeding on divesting and privatizing the authority's non-regulatory functions. They also expressed interest in re [...] |
2008-08-20 05:40:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR EINV PGOV SA |
| 08JEDDAH357 |
SAUDI FM AND NSC HEAD DISCUSS INTEL COOPERATION, [...] No summary [...] |
2008-08-24 13:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PREL EU GB IAEA IR IS IZ MNUC PK SA |
| 08JEDDAH361 |
SAUDI FM AND NSC HEAD DISCUSS INTEL COOPERATION, [...] (S) SUMMARY. During a Congressional Staff Del meeting with both Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and Head of the National Security Council Prince Bandar bin Sultan on Aug. 20, both princes presented their broad views on successful USG-Saudi intelligence cooperation; distress over C [...] |
2008-08-25 14:37:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET//NOFORN | PGOV PREL EU GB IAEA IR IS IZ MNUC PK SA |
| 08JEDDAH368 |
SAUDI ARABIA MIGRANT LABOR UPDATE: INFLATION, THE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Recent labor strikes in Kuwait coupled with rising inflation across the Gulf raise the question of potential for worker protests and strikes in Saudi Arabia. Meetings with consular and labor officers of sending countries in Jeddah indicate that inflationary pressure is not likely [...] |
2008-08-31 16:40:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON OFDP PHUM PGOV SOCI SMIG ELAB PREL SA |
| 08JEDDAH370 |
PRINCE KHALID DECREES CLOSE OF ALL SUMMER CAMPS IN [...] (C) SUMMARY. A blog recently revealed that Mecca region governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal is closing religious summer camps for Saudi youth in the Mecca region. The particular type of camps being shut and the extent to which this has actually impacted operations is the subject of local debate. [...] |
2008-09-01 12:58:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PROP PTER SOCI SCUL KISL KMDR KIRF PINS |
| 08JEDDAH39 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA DEC 28; AND JAN 4, [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on January 18, Sheikh al-Munajjid at the Omar bin Abd al-Aziz Grand Mosque focused his sermon on the importance of personal health as well as the obligations of Muslims during Ashura. (BEGIN NOTE: The Shia and Sunni celebrate Ashura in different ways [...] |
2008-01-26 06:42:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH414 |
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY STILL SEEKING CRITICAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: An official at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) confided that despite construction progress, the success of the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is far from assured. Although a core group of multinational companies have committed to opening operations in [...] |
2008-09-28 13:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EIND EINV ELAB EPET SA |
| 08JEDDAH415 |
SHI'A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY FEELS UNDER THREAT IN [...] (S) SUMMARY. A Jeddah-based Shi'a Imam details government attempts to suppress free religious expression. Another prominent Shi'a in Western Saudi Arabia explains that the community lives in a constant state of discrimination and insecurity. Both individuals support interfaith dialogue and the [...] |
2008-09-29 12:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | KIRF KISL PGOV PHUM SCUL SOCI SA XF |
| 08JEDDAH416 |
ETHIOPIANS POSING AS MUSLIMS AND CROSSING YEMENI [...] (C) SUMMARY: An Ethiopian diplomat says tat many illegal Ethiopian Christian workers ente Saudi Arabia by posing as Muslims to get pilgriage visas. Other illegal workers are smuggled though the porous Saudi-Yemeni border. Saud police raids on illegal residents among the Ethiopian community [...] |
2008-09-29 14:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB PHUM SCUL SA |
| 08JEDDAH417 |
SUBJECT: KOSOVO FM MEETING WITH OIC SECGEN IN [...] (C) SUMMARY. On September 13 Kosovo FM Skender Hyseni met with OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu in Jeddah. OIC officials commented that there has been no movement on the organization's position on the recognition of Kosovo statehood. Embassy Riyadh and Consulate General Jeddah attempted to faci [...] |
2008-09-30 05:46:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA XF |
| 08JEDDAH447 |
US CONSULATE JEDDAH HOSTS DEBATE WATCHING EVENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Consulate Jeddah has hosted two US Presidential debate-watching events to encourage participation and engagement within the Saudi Arabian community. Both events brought together professors, media, and members of Jeddawi civil society and spurned lively and nuanced conversations re [...] |
2008-10-26 13:44:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL KMPI KPAO OPRC PHUM SA SCUL SOCI XF |
| 08JEDDAH448 |
TAIF CHRISTIANS DEPORTATIONS MAY BE IMMINENT [...] (S) SUMMARY: An advocate for the Christian Indians arrested in April for holding a prayer service in Taif reveals to Poloff that deportation orders of these individuals are imminent. This is despite the fact that Assistant Minister of the Interior, Mohammed Bin Naif assured that this issue had [...] |
2008-10-26 13:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | ELAB KIRF KISL KTIP PHUM SA SMIG SOCI XF |
| 08JEDDAH449 |
SAUDI ARABIA MFA AND OIC OFFICIALS COMMENT ON [...] C) SUMMARY. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official states the significance of a high-level inter-faith dialogue being planned by Saudi Arabia to take place in New York in November with a key long-term goal of combating extremism. An OIC official denies a role in planning the event, but expres [...] |
2008-10-26 14:02:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KISL OVIP PREL SA UN XF |
| 08JEDDAH465 |
RUSSIA AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD CONFERENCE IN JEDDAH [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-04 06:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL RS SA |
| 08JEDDAH466 |
RUSSIA AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD CONFERENCE IN JEDDAH [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-04 06:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD PGOV PREL RS SA |
| 08JEDDAH495 |
SAUDIS HOST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PEACEFUL [...] (C) Summary. PolOffs attended the International Symposium on Peaceful Applications of Nuclear Technology in the GCC, hosted by Jeddah's King 'Abd al-'Aziz University (KAU) November 3 ) 5, 2008. The conference was attended by a variety of Saudi academics and foreign scientists. Presentation [...] |
2008-11-19 13:25:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP ECON ENRG TRGY SA |
| 08JEDDAH497 |
JEDDAH PRIVATE SECTOR WEIGHS IN ON THE GLOBAL [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-23 13:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL |
| 08JEDDAH498 |
EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS IN RIYADH/JEDDAH COMMENT ON [...] (C)SUMMARY: In 2004, two Egyptian doctors were arrested in Jeddah on multiple charges including drug smuggling and rape. Their punishment was recently increased significantly by an appeals judge. Officials from the Egyptian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah offered little support fo [...] |
2008-11-26 13:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KIRF KISL KTIP PHUM SA SMIG SOCI XF |
| 08JEDDAH501 |
GTIP AMBASSADOR LAGON VISITS SAUDI ARABIA [...] (C) SUMMARY. Ambassador Lagon, Director of GTIP, visited Riyadh and met with officials from the government's Human Rights Commission, Ministries of Labor and Interior, a government-run shelter, a meeting of labor sending-country diplomats, and a shelter run by the Filipino embassy. A comprehen [...] |
2008-12-01 05:16:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KCRM KPAO KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG SA |
| 08JEDDAH508 |
NEW HAJJ TERMINAL IN JEDDAH SMOOTHING ARRIVAL OF [...] Summary. The Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport has joined the ranks of world-class passenger terminals with the completion of the second phase of a multi-year renovation and expansion project. 2800 pilgrims now arrive at the streamlined modern terminal every hour in a 24/ [...] |
2008-12-06 08:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EAIR CASC SCUL KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH521 |
SAUDI BLOGGER/ACTIVIST PREVENTED FROM TRAVEL TO [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: On December 10, 2008, Saudi authorities prevented blogger and activist Fouad Al-Farhan from boarding a plane to Beirut where he was scheduled to address an annual (December 10-14) conference on freedom of the press. At a meeting with Consulate Jeddah officers in November, Al- [...] |
2008-12-17 13:01:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET//NOFORN | PGOV EINT PHUM PINR PINS PREL PTER |
| 08JEDDAH537 |
BIG PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MAKKAH REGION: [...] (SBU) Summary: Consul General and Pol/EconOff recently toured the "Future of Makkah" Exposition, a temporary exhibition in Jeddah showcasing gleaming urban development and infrastructure projects in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia and which will close this week amid questions as to the like [...] |
2008-12-31 09:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV ELTN PGOV SA |
| 08JEDDAH538 |
AGAINST THE ODDS: FIRST WOMAN IN MIDDLE EAST WITH [...] (C) Summary. Aziza Mansour, the first woman in the Middle East to receive a RE/MAX franchise, fought for recognition of her right to sell real estate for fourteen years. Appreciated and befriended by a royal benefactor when she thought her cause was lost, Ms. Mansour overcame the many barriers [...] |
2008-12-31 09:45:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ELAB KISL KWMN SA SOCI KMPI KPAO SCUL |
| 08JEDDAH70 |
OIC SUMMIT ON GAZA: REBUKES ISRAEL, CALLS FOR AID [...] (S) SUMMARY: The OIC hosted an expanded meeting of its Executive Committee in Jeddah to discuss the situation in Gaza. Attendees included Foreign Ministers and other representatives from approximately 40 member states. The main outcome included a Final Communique reiterating previous OIC rem [...] |
2008-02-05 12:34:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PREL KISL PHUM SA |
| 08JEDDAH72 |
RELIGIOUS POLICE ARREST/RELEASE AMERICAN-SAUDI [...] (S) SUMMARY: The Saudi religious police arrested and later released on February 4 an American-Saudi businesswoman for allegedly being in seclusion with an unrelated man at a Riyadh Starbucks. Yara Anabtawi contacted U.S. Consulate General Jeddah the morning of February 5, after English daily [...] |
2008-02-06 16:45:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PGOV PHUM CASC KISL KWMN SA |
| 08JEDDAH74 |
GAZA ACCOUNT DEMARCHE RESPONSE: OIC WILL [...] (S) SUMMARY: Consul General Tatiana C. Gfoeller delivered demarche (reftel B) in person on February 9 to Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Director General for Political Affairs Mahdy Fathallah and OIC Director for Political Affairs Tariq Ali Bakheet. OIC officials assured Consul G [...] |
2008-02-09 12:05:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PREL PHUM KISL KPAL WBG SA |
| 08JEDDAH77 |
OIC FINAL COMMUNIQUE FROM GAZA SUMMIT [...] (U) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) issued a Final Communique on February 3 after hosting an expanded meeting of its Executive Committee to discuss the situation in Gaza (Refs A and B). The Communique reiterates previous OIC remarks condemning Israel and urging the internatio [...] |
2008-02-10 16:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM KISL KPAL WBG SA |
| 08JEDDAH84 |
OIC SLAMS DANISH CARTOON... [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Since the OIC's 2004 election of Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu as Secretary General, one of his top priorities has been to combat misperceptions of Islam. Unsurprisingly, he issued a strong statement condemning the February 13 re-publishing of caricatures from the 2006 Mohamma [...] |
2008-02-19 06:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KISL KIRF DA NL SA |
| 08JEDDAH88 |
ENGAGING THE OIC: A STRATEGY FOR THE NEW SPECIAL [...] (S) SUMMARY: Building on Post's unprecedented and steadily increasing interaction with the OIC during the past two years, Post has learned much of OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu's intentions and how he has shaped and will continue to influence the OIC agenda. During his tenure, Ihsanoglu ha [...] |
2008-02-19 18:24:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | PREL PHUM KISL KPAL SG SA |
| 08JEDDAH91 |
OIC SYG ON KOSOVO, AMBASSADOR SWING, AND UPCOMING [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY: The Consul General met with OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and other OIC SIPDIS officials to deliver demarches regarding Kosovo independence (Reftels B, C) and support for Ambassador Swing's candidacy for Director General (DG) of the International Organization [...] |
2008-02-24 11:30:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UN UNMIK KISL YI EU KV SA |
| 08JEDDAH93 |
INSIDE THE JEDDAH MUNICIPAL COUNCIL: CURRENT [...] (C) BEGIN SUMMARY AND COMMENT: In meetings with Jeddah Municipal Councilors, including Council President Tarek Fadaak and Vice President Hasan Zahrani, Post has learned of how the Council troubleshoots resident concerns, the nature of ongoing projects, and plans for the future. In the past t [...] |
2008-02-26 08:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL SA |
| 08JEDDAH94 |
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JANUARY 25 AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the Eastern Province on January 25, the Omar bin Abd al-Aziz Grand Mosque sermon condemned the Israeli "blockade," rebuked Israel, and criticized Arabs and Muslims for not doing enough to aid the Palestinians. On February 1 the Imam spoke against domestic violence. (COMMENT: I [...] |
2008-02-26 09:59:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SOCI KISL SA |
| 09JEDDAH113 |
SHURA COUNCIL MAY BE ON THE VERGE OF LEGALIZING [...] (C) SUMMARY. According to Saudi film-maker and documentarian Dania Naseef, niece of a newly appointed Shura Council member, the Council is actively discussing the legalization of movie theaters in the Kingdom. Numerous trusted sources have confirmed that major malls in Jeddah have left empty s [...] |
2009-03-25 07:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM KPAO PGOV SA SCUL |
| 09JEDDAH114 |
JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM (JEF) BACK ON FOR OCTOBER [...] (C)SUMMARY: In meeting earlier this month with the newly appointed Chair of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Muhammad Abdul Qader Al-Fadhl, post learned that the 10th Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF), several times cancelled and postponed, is indeed now expected to take place in [...] |
2009-03-25 13:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KWBG PGOV PREL SOCI SA |
| 09JEDDAH119 |
SAUDI BLOGGER CURBS HIS ACTIVISM BUT NOT HIS [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: Fouad Al-Farhan, previously jailed activist and blogger, claims a travel ban that prevented his attending a December bloggers' conference in Beirut continues in effect. Al-Farhan says that continued harassment and threats by the SAG since his release nearly a year ago have d [...] |
2009-03-29 16:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | SECRET | EINT PGOV PHUM PINR PINS PREL PTER SA |
| 09JEDDAH121 |
OIC PONDERS CREATION OF NEW HUMAN RIGHTS ORGAN, [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Organization of the Islamic Conference(OIC) is in the process of establishing a new human rights organ, but it is far from certain whether member states will ratify the proposal during meetings in April and May and what form the new body will take. Several OIC declarations man [...] |
2009-03-30 15:28:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL OPDC OIC SA KTIP KIRF KWMN PHUM |
| 09JEDDAH123 |
OIC OFFICIALS, ADDRESSING REGIONAL ISSUES, CALL [...] (C) SUMMARY: At an Organization of the Islamic Conference(OIC) roundtable with visiting American professor William Quandt, OIC Secretariat officials reiterated previous calls for strengthened ties with the US government (refs A,B), including appointment of a new US special envoy. OIC official [...] |
2009-03-31 14:11:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL OPDC OIC SA |
| 09JEDDAH13 |
GAZA VIOLENCE LEADING TO CANCELLATION OF JEDDAH [...] (C) Summary: Due to the conflict in Gaza, the 2009 Jeddah Economic Forum, a high profile annual event that attracts prominent visitors and wide media attention, is likely to be cancelled. Our sources tell us that the organizers say funds for the event very likely will be transferred to unspe [...] |
2009-01-07 16:03:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV KWBG SOCI SA |
| 09JEDDAH131 |
MAKING A FIRST UMRAH IN MECCA: AN INSIDE VIEW [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 5, 2009, ConGen Jeddah political officer made a first visit to the Masjid Al-Haram(Grand Mosque) in Mecca in the company of three American Muslims of Sudanese origin, two men and one woman, in order to perform together the Umrah (visit to the holy places). Following is a [...] |
2009-04-08 14:38:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KIRF KISL PHUM SA |
| 09JEDDAH132 |
JEDDAH BUSINESS COMMUNITY COMES OUT IN FORCE TO [...] (U) Summary. The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) hosted a major reception on April 7 at the Jeddah Expo Center to bid farewell to Saleh Al Turki, the recently ousted Chairman of the JCCI and the President of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (reftel), and to [...] |
2009-04-09 15:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV SOCI SA |
| 09JEDDAH146 |
SAUDIS READY TO NEGOTIATE OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT [...] (C) Summary: On April 15, in response to SAG request for aviation agreements between U.S. and Saudi airlines, CG and Pol/EconOff delivered Ref A to the president and vice president of the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Abdullah Rehaimi and Captain Mohammad Ali Jamjoom, pro [...] |
2009-04-22 04:29:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PREL KTIA SA |
| 09JEDDAH147 |
JEDDAH BUSINESS LEADERS TAKE STOCK OF SHIFTING [...] (C) Summary: In the second of a series of economic roundtables organized by Pol/EconOff, leading Jeddah businessmen, bankers and economists reflected on the current state of the economy with equanimity and cautious optimism. Hosted on the evening of April 15 by Mohamed Binzagr, a Saudi Arabian [...] |
2009-04-22 14:36:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD EINV SA |
| 09JEDDAH151 |
THE ISSUE OF TOLERANCE IN SAUDI SOCIETY: A HEATED BUT INCONCLUSIVE DEBATE [...] (C) SUMMARY: On March 24 ConGen hosted an exchange -- via DVC -- between U.S author and professor Lawrence Harrison and a small group of Saudi intellectuals and social activists. Harrison, a former USAID diplomat, sparked a heated debate after raising the idea that culture is the key factor in [...] |
2009-04-26 15:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL OIC KPAO SA OPDC |
| 09JEDDAH152 |
OIC REQUEST FOR HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION TO VISIT [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-28 13:54:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KISL OPDC OIC SA |
| 09JEDDAH156 |
INFORMAL SURVEY OF JEDDAH PHARMACIES SUGGESTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Poloff's highly informal discussions with three local pharmacies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during an April 30 weekend walk around the city suggest that anti-viral medications Tamiflu and Relenza, both shown to be potentially effective in limiting the severity of the 2009 H1N1 vir [...] |
2009-05-02 04:42:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AEMR AMGT ASEC CASC ECON KFLO KPAO KSAF MG |
| 09JEDDAH157 |
ALBANIA SUBMITTING DRAFT RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Albania is submitting a draft resolution on Kosovo recognition at May 4-6 OIC Jeddah meeting preparatory to May 23-25 Damascus OIC Ministerial. En route to Jeddah OIC meeting today, the Albanian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Admirim Banaj, passed post a copy of Albania's draft reso [...] |
2009-05-04 19:17:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA KO XF |
| 09JEDDAH163 |
ALBANIA SUBMITTING DRAFT RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Albania is submitting a draft resolution on Kosovo recognition at May 4-6 OIC Jeddah meeting preparatory to May 23-25 Damascus OIC Ministerial. En route to Jeddah OIC meeting today, the Albanian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Admirim Banaj, passed post a copy of Albania's draft reso [...] |
2009-05-06 14:28:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA KO XF |
| 09JEDDAH164 |
MEDINA, ISLAM'S SECOND HOLIEST CITY, IN SEARCH OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a rare ConGen visit to Medina, Islam,s second holiest city and one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Kingdom, local officials expressed unexpectedly strong interest in establishing business ties and partnerships with U.S. firms. A tour of the city,s Islamic [...] |
2009-05-06 15:04:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KISL OPDC PREL SA OIC |
| 09JEDDAH165 |
ALBANIANS REPORT SUCCESS IN MOVING DRAFT [...] (C) SUMMARY: At a May 4-6 OIC preparatory meeting in advance of the upcoming Damascus ministerial conference, the OIC has passed an Albanian-submitted resolution encouraging its 57 member states to consider diplomatic and economic ties with Kosovo. According to the Albanian ambassador, Egypt w [...] |
2009-05-06 15:18:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA KO XF |
| 09JEDDAH166 |
ALBANIAN-SPONSORED DRAFT RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Albanian ambassador in Riyadh and representative to the OIC reported that his country's draft resolution on Kosovo recognition is moving forward to the Damascus ministerial despite a last-minute Egyptian attempt to modify and dilute the text. The Kosovo issue will be raised an [...] |
2009-05-08 13:12:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA KO XF |
| 09JEDDAH168 |
OIC SECRETARY GENERAL LETTER TO SECRETARY CLINTON [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Post received a letter from OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu to Secretary Clinton voicing strong concerns over increased Israeli settlement activities as well as the demolition of Palestinian houses. Letter asks the United States to place pressure on Israel to cease the [...] |
2009-05-09 15:22:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM KISL KPAL WBG SA |
| 09JEDDAH17 |
OIC CAMPAIGNING FOR SYG IHSANOGLU TO ATEND POTUS [...] No summary [...] |
2009-05-21 15:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL OFDP OPDC PREL SA OIC |
| 09JEDDAH172 |
OIC OFFICIAL ON KOSOVO ATTENDANCE/RECOGNITION AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to an OIC official, a request for Kosovo to attend the May 23-25 OIC Ministerial in Damascus is still pending Syrian permission. Reasons behind Egypt's role in hampering Albanian efforts to pass a resolution on Kosovo recognition remain opaque while the role of Syria as [...] |
2009-05-19 15:32:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAID EG KISL OFDP OVIP PREL RP SA SY KO |
| 09JEDDAH173 |
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CREATION OF NEW HUMAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is moving forward with plans to create a new human rights organ within the OIC. A senior OIC official passed post a draft resolution as it stands now, with key points noted below. Outstanding issues include membership and composit [...] |
2009-05-19 17:15:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | IR KISL OPDC PREL SA OIC KTIP |
| 09JEDDAH174 |
EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY IN WESTERN SAUDI ARABIA: [...] (U) SUMMARY. For the past several days, but especially today in newspaper headlines, local media have reported aftershocks and tremors in northwestern Saudi Arabia in the area near the village of Al Ais, 200 km northwest of Medina. Medina and Yanbu are about 400 km north of the major Red Sea c [...] |
2009-05-20 15:33:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | AEMR ASEC CASC PGOV SA |
| 09JEDDAH175 |
OIC CAMPAIGNING FOR SYG IHSANOGLU TO ATTEND POTUS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In recent meeting an Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) official again expressed strong interest in sending a high level delegation to Washington in June, identifying five potential participants. In the course of the meeting, a May 13 email from OIC Permanent Observer [...] |
2009-05-21 15:23:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | KISL OFDP OPDC PREL SA OIC |
| 09JEDDAH178 |
GACA COMMENTS ON MODEL OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT TEXT [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 8. 2. (C) Summary: On May 20, following his meeting with representatives of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Captain Mohamed Jamjoom, Vice President Safety and Economic Regulation at the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, provided PolEco [...] |
2009-05-25 13:49:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR ECON PREL KTIA SA |
| 09JEDDAH186 |
READ-OUT ON OIC MINISTERIAL IN DAMASCUS: SUPPORT [...] (C) SUMMARY. In May 25 conversation with Jeddah poloff, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) adviser Ufuk Gokcen reviewed developments at the May 23-25 OIC Ministerial in Damascus, which included passage of a "modest" Kosovo resolution along with a watered-down version of a proposal to [...] |
2009-05-26 15:27:00 | Consulate Jeddah | CONFIDENTIAL | EG KISL KO PREL RP SA SY OIC OFDP OVIP |
| 09JEDDAH190 |
SAUDI GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY REQUESTS US ASSISTANCE IN [...] (U) SUMMARY. In May 26 meeting with the Saudi Geological Society President to discuss the recent earthquakes in northwestern Saudi Arabia, post received a request for a visit to Saudi Arabia by experts from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to be funded at SAG expense, in order to as [...] |
2009-05-30 06:41:00 | Consulate Jeddah | UNCLASSIFIED | AEMR ASEC CASC PGOV SA |
| 09JEDDAH194 | |||||