Tag: Saudi

RIYADH - US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates was holding talks in Riyadh on Wednesday with Saudi King Abdullah, with both sides concerned by Iranian intentions in the region and spiralling unrest in Yemen.
"Iran will be a major focus of their conversations, both in terms of the regional threat they pose but also lately in the role they've been playing in trying to exploit the unrest in the region to their advantage," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said ahead of the meeting.

RIYADH - A total of 5,080 "terror" suspects were being tried or had already been sentenced in Saudi Arabia, which battled a wave of Al Qaeda attacks in 2003-2006, the kingdom's prosecutor said on Saturday. A court specialised in terror crimes had issued its verdicts in the case of 1,612 people, while 603 other cases were still being examined, the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency. Prosecutors were also preparing charges

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia's ban on women voting or running as candidates is to remain in place for the conservative Muslim kingdom's municipal elections in April, the electoral committee head said on Monday. "We are not ready for the participation of women in these municipal elections," Abdulrahman al-Dahmash told reporters, renewing earlier promises that authorities would "allow (women's) participation in the next ballot.
"At a time of pro-democracy uprisings across the Arab world,

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned the recent incident of the deliberate desecration of the Holy Quran by a fanatic in Florida and discussed bilateral relations besides the political situation in the Middle East and the Arab world.
These matters were discussed in a meeting between Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Secretary-General of National Security Council of Saudi Arabia, and President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency.
The meeting

ISLAMABAD - Apart from telling them that Afghan police were fighting alongside terrorists in Pakistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik also told the Americans in September 2009 that Osama Bin Laden could be in Iran, Saudi Arabia or Yemen.
This was revealed by a WikiLeaks' released diplomatic cable sent by the then US ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson on September, 10, 2009 to Washington. Rehman Malik complained about the involvement of Afghanistan, India and Iran in

RIYADH - The moment my wife and I left our apartment compound in downtown Riyadh, a jeep screeched to a halt in front of us and a bearded man stepped out. "Is this your wife? I want to give you some advice. Don't let her wear makeup," said the religious policeman, dressed in a traditional white robe. "If she uses makeup, other men will only look at her," he added, raising his forefinger to stress his point and staring hard at me. A woman wearing makeup or not completely covering up

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia plans to begin municipal elections next month, the first political concession from the conservative US ally since protests sweeping the region hit the kingdom, a government website said on Wednesday. The announcement on the website of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs did not say if women would be able to take part or give more details. "The first phase of the elections will start on Saturday, 19/5/1432," it said, a date in the Islamic calendar that is

ISLAMABAD - In a rare show of anger by one of the most trusted friends of Pakistan, the Saudi envoy on Monday expressed his displeasure over the out of context involvement of his country in the release of Raymond Davis, the killer of two Pakistanis. During a meeting on Monday, Ambassador Abdul Aziz bin Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer told Senator Mohammad Ali Durrani that his country had no role whatsoever in Davis' release episode. "Saudi Arabia did not play any role in getting Raymond Davis

ISLAMABAD - Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Ghadeer called on Interior Minister Rehman Malik at his office on Saturday. A source in the interior ministry said both the leaders discussed the overall situation emerging after the release of the US national Raymond Davis who killed two Pakistanis It added that Rehman Malik appreciated the Saudi role in the release of the US national and expressed satisfaction on the modus operandi adopted in this regard. It

RIYADH - Saudi King Abdullah announced on Friday billions of dollars in handouts for his people and boosted his security apparatus in a renewed effort to shield the world's top oil exporter from unrest rocking the Arab world. In a rare televised address to the nation, the ageing king made a brief statement congratulating Saudis for their loyalty and national unity before a battery of decrees were read out suggesting he was embracing increasingly conservative policies. Amongst a wave

JEDDAH - A senior Saudi prince said in comments published on Sunday that loyal Saudis had foiled plans by "evil people" to stage protests. Web activists had slated March 11 as the first day for mass protests around the country in favour of democratic government and a constitutional rather than absolute monarchy.
But a religious ruling banning demonstrations in the world's biggest oil exporter, and a heavy police crackdown in key cities, appeared to intimidate most who are

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia launched a massive security operation on Friday in a menacing show of force to deter protesters from a planned a "Day of Rage" to press for democratic reform in the kingdom. Illegal demonstrations were supposed to start after Muslim Friday prayers at noon but as the mosques emptied there were no signs of rallies, with security men manning checkpoints in key locations across several cities. In the strategic Olaya commercial centre of the capital Riyadh, where

ISLAMABAD- Lieutenant General Abdul Rahman Bin Abdullah Al-Murshid, Commander Royal Saudi Land Forces, visited the General Headquarters (GHQ) on Wednesday and called on Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The visiting dignitary remained with him for some time and discussed matters of professional interest. "He was also given briefings on various professional issues. The visit signifies the unique and brotherly relations enjoyed by the people and Armed Forces of both the

DUBAI - Saudi Arabia came under renewed pressure on Wednesday to ease its ban on demonstrations, as Facebook activists called for a "Day of Rage" and a "Saudi revolution" later this week.
With the tightly controlled kingdom's security forces poised to crack down on any unauthorised demonstrations, US-based lobby group Human Rights Watch added its voice to demands for a relaxation of the protest ban. "Saudi Arabia should rescind its categorical ban on peaceful demonstrations," it

JEDDAH - Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said a decision to support imposing a no-fly zone over Libya was up to the Arab League, not only Gulf countries. "It is an issue that is the responsibility of the Arab League," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told a press conference in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Arab League foreign ministers will meet Saturday to discuss ways to stop Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi from bombing and strafing his own citizens who are battling the loyalist

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it would ban all protests and marches after minority Shi'ites staged small protests in the oil-producing eastern province. Security forces would use all measures to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by state television. The ban follows a series of protests by Saudi Shi'ites in the kingdom's east in the past weeks mainly to demand the release of prisoners they say are long held without

ATHENS - Greek police clashed with protesters on Wednesday as around 100,000 workers, pensioners and students marched to parliament in protest at austerity policies aimed at helping Greece cope with a huge debt crisis. Riot police fired scores of rounds of teargas and flash bombs at protesters hurling petrol bombs, choking the main Syndagma square with smoke and sending crowds of striking protesters running for cover.
Public and private sector employees' 24-hour strike grounded