Late last month President Obama sent a letter to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, congratulating him and the Muslim world at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In response King Abdullah lauded US-Saudi relations, describing them as “close and historic relations between the two friendly countries.” He also commended the efforts of our two countries “to achieve peace and justice, spread security and stability in the Middle East region and the world at large,” stressing his determination “to deepen our relationships on all levels.” The partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia is strong and moving forward for the benefit of our two peoples and the region. Our friendship began almost 70 years ago at the historic meeting between King Abdul Aziz and President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy and has grown steadily based on common interests and mutual respect. This month, as Saudis celebrate their National Day, we can feel confident that the prosperity and security of both of our countries have been enhanced by our friendship and cooperation. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated, “the stronger our partnership, the brighter that future will be for all our people.” The United States and Saudi Arabia work together on a wide range of issues, from science and technology to health and safety, where, for example, we help raise awareness of breast cancer and advise Haj pilgrims on how to stay healthy. We work together to promote trade and investment and expand opportunities for women and youth. Hundreds of US businesses now work hand in hand with their counterparts in the Kingdom. We commend Saudi Arabia for the significant investments it has made since joining the World Trade Organization, including the recognition given to fields such as Intellectual Property Rights and regulatory policies. King Abdullah places extraordinary emphasis on the education and training of the young people of Saudi Arabia and the United States is proud to support meeting the Kingdom's goals. Through the King Abdullah Scholarship Program, Saudi Arabia now has over 47,000 students in the United States. This is a remarkable figure, which places Saudi Arabia among the top ten countries worldwide in terms of number of students studying in the US. We hope that more and more Saudis will take advantage of the new emphasis on world-class learning and choose to study in our colleges and universities. We also laud the efforts of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue, an institution launched several years ago by King Abdullah that promises to play a continuing positive role in the development of Saudi society. We salute him for his recent efforts to establish the King Abdullah International Center for Dialogue between Religions and Cultures. On the domestic front, we salute King Abdullah for the brave decisions he made last Sunday to permit Saudi women to be full members in the Shoura Council, as well as to participate fully in future municipal council elections. As Secretary Clinton stated recently, “if we want a safe, secure, prosperous, peaceful future, women must be equal partners and free to realize their own God-given potential.” King Abdullah's decision to give women their rightful place in Saudi public life is certainly a positive step forward, not only for Saudi women, but for all Saudis. Our close cooperation can be seen most clearly in our mutual efforts to respond to regional challenges and provide humanitarian assistance in times of crisis. Twenty years ago, Saudi Arabia and the United States worked hand in hand to roll back Saddam Hussein's brutal occupation of an Arab and Muslim country. Today our two countries continue to consult and engage closely to address shared concerns. We are grateful for Saudi Arabia's commitment to help ensure stability in international energy markets at a time of global financial vulnerability. The United States has a firm and enduring commitment to Gulf security, including a commitment to countering the threat of Iran's nuclear program and Iran's destabilizing activities in the region. With Saudi Arabia we have a shared interest in ensuring security and stability across the Middle East, including peaceful transfer of power in Yemen, the need for political and economic support for the transition underway in Egypt, and concern about the Assad regime's unabated violence against the Syrian people. Saudi Arabia's role in the global community is wide-reaching. On the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, we reflect on the resilience of our partnership. Far from being affected by the violent actions of a few, the vast majority of our two peoples are focused on pursuing ambitions for themselves and their children, on achieving greater levels of education, and creating new economic opportunities. This month, we congratulate Saudi Arabia on the occasion of its National Day, celebrating the unification of the Kingdom. The Saudi people have much to celebrate on National Day and as President Obama has stated, “the American people are friends of Saudi Arabia and its people, and they are friends of the Arab and Muslim people, and they are also friends of humanity”. While the first meeting between the leaders of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took place upon the steel of a warship, the partnership was forged upon the mutual understanding of our two great nations. At this historic meeting the deck of the USS Quincy had been transformed by American personnel into a majlis seating arrangement, complete with rugs and cushions, in honor of their Saudi guests. One needs to look no further than this gesture of hospitality to understand the special relationship that the United States holds with Saudi Arabia. The United States is proud of the strength and breadth of this partnership, and I am certain that this relationship will continue to thrive for many years to come. •James B. Smith is the United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. __
