Biden's Choice As New US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia May Be 'Insult' To Crown Prince - Report
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Saudi Arabia sends senior royals, princes and a princess, as ambassadors to the United States. Now President Biden has nominated a career State Department diplomat to be U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, and there are suggestions that the nomination won't sit well with the sensitive Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen plans to release 163 Houthi prisoners. A former U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates pleads guilty to illegal lobbying for Qatar. Iran moved underground a workshop that makes parts for its centrifuges. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in Jeddah for his first Saudi Arabian visit in more than five years, and Pakistan's new prime minister Shehbaz is in Medina.
A court in Jordan sentenced an uncle (by marriage) of King Abdullah II to 18 years in prison on corruption charges, after an earlier sentence of 37 years, but the uncle had fled to the United Kingdom in 2013. And prosecutors in Kuwait issued an arrest warrant for a prince, a member of the ruling al-Sabah family.
News from Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, and More.
President Biden's choice for a new U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia "will likely be considered a disappointment or even an insult" to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A former Trump appointee at the State Department, David Schenker, who served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, said of the nomination of career diplomat Michael Ratney: "This is not going to help."
The Saudi ambassador to the U.S. is Princess Reema bint Bandar, and her predecessor was Prince Khalid bin Salman, son of King Salman and younger brother of the crown prince. All recent U.S. ambassadors to the kingdom have been political appointees, many with military backgrounds, and Ratney would succeed retired U.S. Army General John Abizaid who headed the U.S. Central Command.
The last career U.S. foreign service officer to serve as ambassador to Saudi Arabia was Ambassador Charles W. “Chas” Freeman, Jr., who headed the mission to Riyadh from 1989 to 1991, during the first Gulf war, the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq's Saddam Hussein. Ambassador-designate Ratney would follow the pattern of career diplomats in the 1980s. Ambassador Freeman was considered one of America’s most distinguished diplomats, and one who would at times challenge policy. His books include "America's Misadventures in the Middle East" and "America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East."
The new nominee, Michael Ratney, is a widely respected, Arabic-speaking diplomat. He drew praise from both Schenker, the Trump appointee, and Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who said: “If anyone can navigate the mess that is U.S.-Saudi ties, it’s Ratney. He'll at least provide an honest assessment of how, or how not, U.S.-Saudi interests and values align. What Biden does is another matter."
Schenker, who was a political appointee as assistant secretary of state, said of Ratney: "He's a very capable diplomat. He served in positions of importance, requited himself well, and is held in high regard." He added: "But we've seen a lot of stresses in the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and this is not going to help.
“The Saudi ambassador to Washington is a princess. They will see this as a downgrade in the relationship. They will understand this in that context."
Business Insider, Biden's new pick for US ambassador to Saudi Arabia will be considered an insult by MBS, ex-official says, as US-Saudi relations hit new low.
The Saudi Arabian-led coalition in Yemen will release 163 rebel Houthi prisoners as the two-month truce continues. A Saudi spokesman said the move will "prepare the atmosphere for dialogue between the Yemeni sides and facilitate closing the prisoners and detainees file." The last major prisoner exchange was in 2020 and involved about 1,000 detainees.
Al Jazeera, Yemen: Saudi Arabia to release 163 Houthi prisoners.
A former U.S. ambassador to the Unied Arab Emirates and Pakistan will plead guilty to illegal lobbying for Qatar. Prosecutors said Richard G. Olson, a retired diplomat, would plead guilty to charges of illegally lobbying for the government of Qatar and for failure to disclose gifts he received while ambassador. Olson, who was a foreign service officer for 34 years, avoided disclosing the required ethics documents and violated a U.S. government rule of not working for a foreign government for one year after leaving government, filings by the U.S. Justice Department said. The charges brought against Olson are misdemeanors, and he was not charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
New York Times, Former U.S. ambassador to plead guilty to illegal lobbying and hiding gifts.
Iran is making parts underground for its uranium-enriching centrifuge machines. A new workshop has been established under a mountainside at Natanz, a move believed aimed at protecting the centrifuge process from attacks. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said earlier Iran had moved machines to Natanz from a closed factory at Karaj that had suffered a sabotage attack believed conducted by Israel. The underground location of the machines had not been revealed previously. The Natanz facility is a sprawling site, with an underground fuel enrichment plant with thousands of centrifuges.
Reuters, Iran moves centrifuge-parts workshop underground at Natanz, IAEA says.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is visiting Saudi Arabia for the first time in nearly five years, signaling a mending of relations over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Erdogan landed in Jeddah, the port city on the Red Sea, and met with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Earlier, a Turkish court had transferred the Khashoggi case back to Saudi Arabia, effectively ending it. Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
New York Times, Turkey's leader in Saudi Arabia, seeking to ease tensions.
The United Arab Emirates and Turkey officially started a partnership agreement that is expected to double trade between the two countries. UAE Trade Minister Thani al-Zeyoudi said tariffs will be cut, goods will be moved freely, and trade barriers reduced, all facilitating capital flows, and "we will make it easier than ever to do business."
Reuters, UAE and Turkey aim to double bilateral trade - minister.
Pakistan's new prime minister is in Saudi Arabia for talks on the Pakistan economy and trade and investment ties with Saudi companies. Shehbaz Sharif landed in the holy city of Medina, where he planned to pray. Saudi Arabia has long been a source of funds for Pakistan, which has an ailing economy. Sharif's party was believed to include Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, head of an opposition party, the Pakistan Peoples' Party, who was appointed foreign minister by Sharif. Bhutto Zardari is the son of the assassinated former prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who served as president of Pakistan.
Khaleej Times, Pakistan PM Sharif arrives in Saudi Arabia for first foreign visit.
Prosecutors in Kuwait are reported to be issuing an arrest warrant for a prince, a member of the country's ruling family. The prince was identified in news reports as Sheikh Fahad Salem al-Ali al-Sabah. State Security had filed a complaint, but no other details were made public. It is rare for a prince to face arrest, detention, or trial in most Arab Gulf states, but Kuwait has gone through extensive political reforms, with an elected parliament, and other family members have faced legal problems.
Middle East Eye, Kuwait's public prosecution orders arrest of a prince.
A court in Jordan sentenced an uncle of King Abdullah II to 18 years in prison in a corruption case. Walid al-Kurdi is in exile in the United Kingdom, and the latest charges followed a sentence for "abuse of office" with 37 years imprisonment when he fled to the UK in 2013.. He is the former chief executive officer of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and accused of corruption while he served with the company. Al-Kurdi is married to Princess Basma, sister of King Abdullah's father, the late King Hussein.
New Arab, Uncle of Jordan's King Abdullah sentenced to 18 years in prison for corruption.
Kuwait's coast guard was accused by an Iraqi parliament member of involvement in the death of an Iraqi fisherman, and Kuwait summoned Iraq's ambassador. Kuwaiti officials said the ambassador rejected remarks by Alaa al-Haidari, a member of parliament from Basra, and a Kuwaiti statement said the accusation did not "reflect the deep ties between both countries." Iraqi fishermen have complained that strong currents can push their boats into Kuwaiti territorial waters, and Kuwait's coast guard has said that people seized in border areas are handed over to the Iraqi side in good health.
The National, Kuwait summons Iraqi ambassador over MP's claim of attack on fisherman.
The United States called on Libya to end the closing of its oil sites and ports. In a statement with an unusual tone, the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli expressed Washington's "deep concern" over a continued oil shutdown. Forces opposed to Libya's National Unity Government have halted oil production at two sites and closed an oil port.
Asharq Al-Awsat, US calls on Libyan leaders to immediately end oil shutdown.
A Tunisian judge jailed seven crew members of the ship that sank off the country's coast and authorities questioned whether the sinking was deliberate. "The investigative judge issued a detention decision against the ship's crew," Mohamed Karay, a court spokesman, said. An investigation is under way to determine if the ship sank under normal circumstances or was sunk to obtain compensation from insurance companies and also to look into possible oil smuggling.
SABC News, Tunisia detains crew of ship that sank off its coast this month.
Equatorial Guinea will prosecute the owner of the oil tanker that sank off Tunisia for "fraudulently" flying its flag. Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue said Equatorial Guinea is sending a commission to Tunisia to participate in an investigation, and he asked for "international collaboration" to detect vessels illegally flying the country's flag. Rufino Ovono Ondo, transport minister, said "From now on, all vessels that fraudulently fly our flag must be boarded."
Africa News, Equatorial Guinea to prosecute owner of sunk oil tanker 'fraudulently' flying country flag.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tunisia must address concerns over democracy if it wants international aid. Testifying at a congressional hearing, Blinken said that "at the very least," Tunisia should hold its promised parliamentary elections by the end of the year. Referring to a movement toward one-man rule by Tunisian President Kais Saied, Blinken said "What's happened now has gotten them off track on that," the planned elections.
AFP, Tunisia must address democracy concerns for aid: Blinken.
Algeria threatened to break a gas supply contract with Spain if it transfers gas to Morocco. Algeria did not name Morocco but referred to a "third destination." Algeria and neighboring Morocco have long been at odds, in large part over Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
France 24, Algeria threatens to scrap gas contract with Spain amid tensions with Morocco.
MORE: Jordan's economy expected to grow by 2.4% in 2022: IMF, Zawya... Jordan pushing to restore Jerusalem mosque status quo - sources, Reuters.... Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow pulls mercenaries from Libya, MIddle East Eye... Assad family likely worth $1-2 billion, US report says, Al-Monitor... Syria names new defence minister - Presidency, Reuters... Egypt, Russia discuss next steps for nuclear power plant, Al-Monitor... Turkey summons Iraqi envoy over its military operation in northern Iraq, Reuters.
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