Saudi FM takes part in joint Gulf-British ministerial meeting

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his British counterpart James Cleverly met in New York. (X/@KSAMOFA)
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his British counterpart James Cleverly met in New York. (X/@KSAMOFA)
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Updated 19 September 2023
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Saudi FM takes part in joint Gulf-British ministerial meeting

Saudi FM takes part in joint Gulf-British ministerial meeting
  • Meeting discussed latest developments on the regional and international levels
  • Importance of strengthening Gulf-British efforts to achieve the aspirations of countries and peoples highlighted

NEW YORK: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part in a joint Gulf-British ministerial meeting in New York on Monday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal was joined at the meeting by ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, as well as the British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting discussed the latest developments on the regional and international levels, and highlighted the importance of strengthening Gulf-British efforts to achieve the aspirations of countries and peoples, and to contribute to achieving more stability and prosperity.
The meeting was attended by Abdul Rahman Al-Rasi, Undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs and the Director-General of the Office of His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulrahman Al-Dawood.

 

 


Fox News exclusive: Saudi Crown Prince on US ties, Iran and peace with Israel

Fox News exclusive: Saudi Crown Prince on US ties, Iran and peace with Israel
Updated 21 September 2023
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Fox News exclusive: Saudi Crown Prince on US ties, Iran and peace with Israel

Fox News exclusive: Saudi Crown Prince on US ties, Iran and peace with Israel
  • Crown prince said Saudi-US ties important and beneficial to both, has good relationship with President Biden
  • Told Bret Baier “every day we get closer” to Saudi-Israeli normalization
  • “If Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, the Kingdom would also need one”: Prince Mohammed

NEOM: The strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US is important and beneficial to both, a normalization deal with Israel is growing closer and if Iran obtains a nuclear weapon the Kingdom must too, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Wednesday.

“We have a lot of security and military ties that are strengthening the position of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, and strengthening the position of America globally,” he told Bret Baier of US TV network Fox News in an interview recorded at NEOM.

While ties with the US were complicated, he had a good relationship with US President Joe Biden, the crown prince said.

“The agenda between Saudi Arabia and America, today, is really interesting and we have a really amazing relationship with President Biden,” the crown prince said.

“He is sharp, he is really well focused and well prepared, and that is what I see,” he added.

During the interview, the crown prince also said Saudi Arabia had achieved the fastest growth in gross domestic product among the Group of 20 countries for two consecutive years.

Prince Mohammed also said “every day we get closer” toward the Kingdom normalizing relations with Israel. 

“For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part,” the crown prince said when asked what it would take to get a normalization agreement.

He continued: “We got to see where we go. We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, gets Israel as a player in the Middle East.”

When asked by Baier if negotiations between the Kingdom and Israel had been suspended, the crown prince said: “No, that is not true.”

If the Biden administration brokered an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, he said it would be the largest agreement since the end of the Cold War.

On the subject of Iran’s nuclear program, the crown prince said the Kingdom was concerned about any country obtaining a nuclear weapon, because the world could not tolerate “another Hiroshima.”

He said: “That’s a bad move, if you use it, you got to have a big fight with the rest of the world. There is no point in possessing nuclear weapons because they cannot be used.” Nevertheless, if Iran were to acquire a nuclear weapon, the Kingdom would require to do the same, the crown prince said.

However, the relationship with Tehran was progressing well and he hoped it would continue to do so for the benefit of the security and stability of the region.

One of the pillars of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reform agenda is to turn the Kingdom into a global tourism destination. The crown prince said investments into the sector had increased its contribution to Saudi GDP from 3 percent to 7 percent.

He rejected a link between OPEC cutting cut oil production and helping Russia wage war in Ukraine. “We just watch supply, demand, if there is shortage of supply our role in OPEC+ is to fill that shortage. If there is oversupply our role of OPEC+ is to measure that for the stability of the market,” he said.

The crown prince was asked about Saudi links to the 9/11 attacks on the US and reports of governmental support for the terrorists, 15 of whom were Saudi citizens. He rejected that claim, and pointed out that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden planned and executed attacks against Saudi Arabia in the 1990s. He was an enemy of both countries, the crown prince said.

On accusations of Saudi Arabia “sportswashing” its image around the world, the crown prince said: “If sportswashing is going to increase GDP by 1 percent, then I will continue to do sportswashing, I aim for another 1.5 percent, call it whatever you want we are going to get that.”

When asked about the merger between the Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed LIV Golf League and the PGA Tour, the prince added: “That’s a game changer for the golf industry, you will have a focus in developing the game and that’s good for the players and the fans who love golf.”


Saudi foreign minister addresses Jammu and Kashmir meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Saudi foreign minister addresses Jammu and Kashmir meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi foreign minister addresses Jammu and Kashmir meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Saudi foreign minister addresses Jammu and Kashmir meeting on sidelines of UN General Assembly
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the Kingdom stands by Muslim peoples in their efforts to maintain their Islamic identity and preserve their dignity
  • He said the Jammu and Kashmir issue is a pressing challenge to the security and stability of the region and must not remain unresolved

NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s minister of foreign affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, took part in a meeting of the Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday that was organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Addressing the meeting, the prince said the Kingdom stands by Muslim peoples in their efforts to maintain their Islamic identity and preserve their dignity, and he reiterated his country’s support for people in areas affected by conflict or unrest, including those in Jammu and Kashmir region, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said.

Prince Faisal described the Jammu and Kashmir issue as a pressing challenge to the security and stability of the region, and warned that if it is allowed to remain unresolved it will contribute to further instability.

The Kingdom is unremitting in its efforts to mediate between the parties involved in the conflict, in an attempt to deescalate it and help bring about a peaceful settlement in accordance with international resolutions, the foreign minister said. Such efforts are in line with Saudi Arabia’s unwavering stance in support of Islamic peoples, he added.

Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, the deputy minister for international multilateral affairs, and Abdulrahman Al-Dawood, director general of the Foreign Minister’s Office, also attended the meeting.


Saudi foreign minister meets Danish and other senior officials on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Saudi foreign minister meets Danish and other senior officials on sidelines of UN General Assembly
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi foreign minister meets Danish and other senior officials on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Saudi foreign minister meets Danish and other senior officials on sidelines of UN General Assembly
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan praised Denmark’s government for drafting proposed legislation designed to prevent insults or abuse directed at religious symbols and beliefs
  • He also held talks with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Democratic Republic of Congo

NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s minister of foreign affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, held talks with his Danish counterpart, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly, which is taking place in New York.

During their meeting, the prince praised moves by Denmark’s government to draft proposed legislation designed to prevent insults or abuse directed toward religious symbols and beliefs, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. It follows several recent incidents in the country during which copies of the Qur’an were burned or damaged, or threats to do so were made.

 

 

“This measure is intended to prevent infringement on the Holy Qur’an and religious symbols under the pretext of freedom of expression and opinion,” the ministry said.

The ministers also discussed ways in which the relationship and cooperation between their countries might be enhanced and developed in various fields, and the latest international developments of mutual interest.

 

 

Prince Faisal held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Christophe Lutundula, on the sidelines of the UN event, during which they reviewed bilateral relationships and ways to enhance and develop them.

He also held talks with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Prime Minister of Antigua Berbuda Gaston Browne, his Djiboutian counterpart Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo, and Dominican counterpart Roberto Alvarez.

The Kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Al-Wasel, and the director of the Foreign Minister’s Office, Abdurrahman Al-Dawood, were also present at the meetings.

 

 


Who’s Who: Abdullah Inayat, director of marketing communications consultancy agency W7Worldwide

Who’s Who: Abdullah Inayat, director of marketing communications consultancy agency W7Worldwide
Updated 20 September 2023
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Who’s Who: Abdullah Inayat, director of marketing communications consultancy agency W7Worldwide

Who’s Who: Abdullah Inayat, director of marketing communications consultancy agency W7Worldwide

Abdullah Inayat is the director and co-founder of W7Worldwide, an award-winning marketing communications consultancy agency founded in 2016 with a global outreach based in Saudi Arabia.

Inayat uses his experience and position to assist C-suite executives, such as CEOs and senior managers, and lead interactive media training sessions to develop their leadership profiles. He manages clients from the US to Europe and beyond, as well as within the region.

Early in his career, Inayat started working in the PR and communications industry, building a network of stakeholders. Later, he earned useful cross-sector skills in the industry by working with a variety of top companies and on several government projects. He participated in a number of charitable and social projects.

His key clients at the time included Red Sea Mall, 3M, Dubai International Arbitration Center, FireEye, Kaspersky Lab, MasterCard, Sadafco, Sloanes Real Estate, Sherwin Williams Paints, and Sidel, among others.

Prior to this, he worked in Global Arabia Communication as network media relations manager from 2013 to 2014 and worked with clients such as LG, Bio Oil, and Bayer.

Earlier in his career, he worked as senior account executive and in media relations in Action Global Communications in 2011, where he worked with clients including Ferrari, Maserati, and British Airways.

Inayat received a degree in media and communications from King Abdulaziz University in 2015 and has completed several training programs.


Shubra Palace — Taif’s architectural landmark

Shubra Palace — Taif’s architectural landmark
Updated 20 September 2023
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Shubra Palace — Taif’s architectural landmark

Shubra Palace — Taif’s architectural landmark
  • The building features an artistic fusion of Roman and Islamic architectural elements

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s historic Shubra Palace in Taif governorate features an artistic fusion of Roman and Islamic architectural elements.

The palace blends the styles with the traditional architecture of the Hijaz region. It was built in 1905, with four floors and about 150 rooms. Its architecture bears witness to recent eras of the region’s history.

What distinguishes the palace is the precision in its construction and the rawashin, a term originally derived from the Persian word for balcony, that includes impressive artistic touches. Along with the rawashin, its columns, doors and windows are decorated with Islamic motifs.

The windows and doors of the palace are made of carved wood, and the ceilings are embroidered with decorative patterns and inscriptions. The roof’s wall features predominant Roman decoration, while the first floor is for reception and the upper floors are for living.

Shubra Palace is surrounded by trees on one of the main streets. It has two entrances; the main entrance is located on the west side and the other on the east side. It has four similar facades with columns made of lime mortar and stone.

In the main hall of the palace, there is a large double wooden staircase with an exquisite marble floor, known as the “salmlik.” The staircase extends to the second floor, which has two wings that include large and small rooms. The walls of the inner rooms, columns, and corners have colorful decoration in the form of leaves, the edges of which are painted in gold.

Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, used the historic Shubra Palace as his headquarters in Taif, and this continued during the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud made it the seat of the presidency of the Council of Ministers when the government moved to Taif in the summer.

The palace later became the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation. In the year 1986, the palace was converted into a museum.