Defense Secretary Hagel Arrived in Riyadh

Source: SUSRIS (Read full story)

 U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel arrived in Riyadh today for the third stop on his travels across the Middle East to confer on bilateral issues and regional challenges.

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A newly announced multi-nation arms deal organized by the United States will be among the topics of discussion with senior Saudi officials. The $10 billion package includes weapons for Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia and is on top of an ongoing arms deal with the Kingdom that includes 84 F-15SA Eagle fighter jets. The Saudi portion of the package is said to include advanced precision air to ground missiles and the Hagel visit will help to conclude negotiations on final details.

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Arms accord with ME allies signal to Iran, claims Hagel

Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sunday a $10 billion arms deal planned with Arab and Israeli allies sent a “very clear signal” to Iran that military options remain on the table over its nuclear program. “The bottom line is that Iran is a threat, a real threat,” Hagel, who arrived in Israel Sunday on his first visit there as defense secretary, told reporters on his plane. “The Iranians must be prevented from developing that capacity to build a nuclear weapon and deliver it,” he said.

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Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar

Source: The New York Times (Read full story)

When a handful of Taliban emissaries flew into Qatar on an American plane in 2010, the Obama administration hoped they would help negotiate a peace deal that could stabilize Afghanistan and allow the United States a graceful exit. Three years after that secret arrival, the Taliban officials remain idle and their political office here remains unused.“They are just living here enjoying the air-conditioning, driving luxury cars, eating and making babies,” one Afghan diplomat in Qatar said. “It’s all they can do; they have no work to do.”

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Doha conference endorses strategy to rebuild Darfur

Source: Gulf Times (Read full story)

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Representatives of donor countries and aid groups, meeting in Doha, yesterday approved a mechanism to rebuild Sudan’s Darfur region after a decade-long conflict. The total cost  for Darfur’s reconstruction  is estimated at $7.2bn. The Sudanese government is committed to $2bn whereas $5.245bn is expected to be pledged by the donors at the conference. The director of the International Development Department at the Foreign Ministry,  Ahmed bin Mohammed al- Meraikhi, said the mechanism was called the “funding and governance mechanism for the implementation of the Darfur development strategy”.

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Whither GCC-US Relations?

Source: Gulf Research Center (Read full story)

The US-GCC relationship appears to be at a crossroads. Despite a long history of relations and a clear common and mutual interest in the stability and security of the Gulf region, the GCC states and the United States look as if they are growing apart on an almost daily basis. This is because on basically every issue of strategic importance and concern at the moment, the two sides are taking or have taken different positions. In this environment, the differences are growing rather than shrinking, an ominous development for the coming years.

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GCC on track to become global powerhouse in manufacturing

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

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The McKinsey report states that over the next 15 years another 1.8 billion people will enter the global consuming class and worldwide consumption will nearly double to $64 trillion. In the GCC region, manufacturing now contributes on average around 10 per cent to 15 per cent of GDP, clearly demonstrating the huge growth potential of the industry. The manufacturing sector’s contribution to the UAE’s overall GDP, in particular, reached Dh141.7 billion in 2011, growing by over 11 per cent from Dh127.6 billion in 2010.

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Labor Ministry launches initiatives to bolster Saudization in private sector

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman yesterday commended the Labor Ministry’s efforts to create more job opportunities for Saudis and eradicate the country’s unemployment problem. He received Labor Minister Adel Fakeih who gave the governor a presentation on the ministry’s present and future programs, especially for the Madinah region. “There is a clear instruction from the Saudi leadership to provide good job opportunities for citizens,” the prince said. Meanwhile, speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah daily, Fakeih highlighted his ministry’s efforts to create a secure atmosphere for women to work.

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PDO employs drone technology to monitor flaring

Source: Oman Daily Observer (Read full story)

Underscoring its vigorous embrace of innovation and technology to sustain its business, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) employed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drone) to undertake its first ever live flare inspection at one of its interior oilfield locations, the majority government owned oil and gas producer has revealed.

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