Saudi Arabia

15 June 2008 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Saudi Arabia will increase its oil production next month by 200,000 barrels a day.

Mr. Ban says he learned of the Saudi plan to raise oil output again from Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia already increased its oil production by 300,000 barrels a day this month, compared to May, to meet growing demand from customers. The additional increase would raise total Saudi production to nine-point-seven million barrels a day.

Mr. Ban was speaking after a visit to the Saudi city of Jeddah, where he met Saturday with Saudi King Abdullah. The U.N. chief says they discussed global concerns about the rising price of oil and its impact on the cost of food.    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) sent the following letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, calling on her to condemn a recent ruling by a prominent Saudi cleric against two Saudi journalists for reporting what he considered heretical articles.

Barack Obama mural, Brooklyn: Photo by Erica (CC)

According to recent reports, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak issued a fatwa last month stating that two journalists should be put to death if they did not retract their articles. Last week, over 100 Arab rights groups also condemned the fatwa.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- THE PRESIDENT: I'm George W. Bush, President of the United States. Thank you all for joining us. Ambassador, thanks for setting this up. It's important for the President to hear thoughts, hopes, dreams, aspirations, concerns from folks that are out making a living. And I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to come and visit with me. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.    » read more »

15 January 2008 -- A group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives is renewing objections to any sale of sophisticated U.S. precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, 51 Democrats and one Republican have signed on so far to a resolution disapproving of the proposed transaction, which is part of a larger $20 billion military sale to Saudi Arabia and Gulf states aimed at countering threats from Iran.    » read more »

January 14, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after the Bush Administration announced that it would officially notify the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today of its intent to sell Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) to Saudi Arabia, as part of the much larger package of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates:    » read more »

14 January 2008 -- The Bush administration officially notified Congress Monday of its intention to sell sophisticated precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia. The action, coinciding with President Bush's visit to Saudi Arabia, is part of a broader U.S. effort to bolster Gulf allies in the face of a more assertive Iran.

The Bush administration has already briefed Congress on its arms sales plans for Saudi Arabia. Monday's announcement sets in motion a 30-day period in which the House and Senate can block the plan with a joint resolution - action that appears highly unlikely.    » read more »

November 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking her to address human rights developments in Saudi Arabia and condemn the recent sentencing of a Saudi rape victim to six months in jail and 200 lashes. Obama also asked Rice to include this case in this year's report on human rights that is currently being prepared by the State Department.

Below is a copy of the letter:

November 19, 2007

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary
Department of State
2201 C Street NW    » read more »