JEDDAH, 16 May 2008 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will begin on Monday a weeklong tour of the Eastern Province, during which he will attend Saudi Aramco’s 75th anniversary celebrations, press reports said yesterday.
“Preparations have been stepped up to welcome King Abdullah to the Eastern Province where he is scheduled to arrive on Monday,” Al-Jazirah Arabic daily said, adding that the king will remain in the region until May 25.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah will hold talks with US President George W. Bush in Riyadh today, the Saudi Press Agency said, adding that the talks would focus on major regional and international issues and ways of boosting bilateral relations.
King Abdullah’s itinerary in the province includes hosting a consultative summit of GCC leaders in Dammam. He will preside over the half-yearly summit to discuss the latest developments in the region and unify GCC stand on them.
The king will lay the foundation stone for a university hospital and the new campus of King Faisal University in Dammam, the paper said. Education authorities will declare next Tuesday and Wednesday as holidays for students in Dammam, Alkhobar, Dhahran and Qatif, it added.
Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom’s oil giant, plans to hold a series of celebrations on its 75th anniversary to generate enthusiasm and excitement among its employees and friends worldwide. It marks the historic signing of the original concession agreement between Saudi Arabia and Standard Oil of California on May 29, 1933.
The theme of the celebrations will be “Energy for Generations,” and will focus on the human side of the company as well as its commitment to the Kingdom and global prosperity.
“The 75th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate Saudi Aramco’s great achievements over the years and to highlight the company’s role in contributing to the future of the Kingdom and the world economy,” said Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources and chairman of the company’s board.
Al-Naimi commended the farseeing decision taken by King Abdul Aziz to sign the deal with the American company, adding that it made Saudi Arabia an influential world power. Then Finance Minister Abdullah Al-Sulaiman signed the agreement in Jeddah on behalf of the Kingdom while Lloyd N. Hamilton, lawyer and land-lease expert, signed for the US company.
“We view this as an opportunity to connect the company’s remarkable past with the exciting promise of the future,” said Abdallah S. Jum’ah, the company’s president and CEO. “It will also allow us to send a big ‘thank you’ to our current and retired employees, to the people of the Kingdom and to all those with whom we partner,” he said.
Jum’ah added: “World-class organizations are successful because they have been able to realize a bold vision. Saudi Aramco is particularly fortunate in that its vision remains fresh thanks to the support of the Kingdom’s leaders throughout the company’s history.”
Nasser A. Al-Nafisee, director of the celebrations, was equally excited. “We are certain that the events planned for the anniversary year will excite, empower and inspire as we showcase the story of Saudi Aramco’s success, while uniting our people in a spirit of celebration during this landmark year,” he said.
