RIYADH, 11 January — British Minister of Trade Richard Caborn yesterday tried to allay fears about consumption British beef saying that it "is the safest beef in the world."
Caborn made the claim at a press conference after a meeting with Minister of Commerce Dr. Osama Faqih. British Ambassador Derek Plumbly and senior members of his staff were also present.
The minister avoided a direct reply when told that France had blamed Britain for the spread of mad cow disease. He reiterated that veterinarians had certified British beef as fit for consumption and could thus reassure Saudis on this.
Official sources point out that with the ban on beef imports from the European Union, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the US, the UAE, the Sudan and India are filling the gap in the market. India replaced Spain as the sixth largest supplier of beef. The US has been pushed into the seventh slot. In the UK beef consumption has declined by some 40 percent.
On the question of Britain's investment in the Kingdom's gas sector, the minister said a UK trade mission, consisting of companies at the leading edge in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries, will arrive here in May.
The minister and Ambassador Plumbly also spoke on the new Saudi-British Electronics Training Institute, which is being set up under the Al-Yamamah Economic Offset Program. Caborn visited the institute, a joint venture with British Aerospace, yesterday.
They explained that the institute will play an important role in training young Saudis for jobs requiring specialized skills. "It will help in training and retraining Saudis for the employment market and promote Saudization of the work force," the minister said. He pointed out that it would also prepare Saudis for higher studies in engineering and electronics.
Asked about the visit of British diplomat John Kerr to Riyadh in connection with the arrest of five Britons, the ambassador said his visit had been planned long before.
