PRINCE TURKI AL-FAISAL, THE SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO THE US, SAID 'THE SAUDI-AMERICAN RELATIONS TODAY ARE STRONGER THAN THEY HAVE EVER BEEN'. PRINCE TURKI, WHO WAS SPEAKING LAST NIGHT HERE BEFORE ALABAMA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, NOTED THAT THE CHALLENGES FACING THE TWO COUNTRIES INCLUDE THE WAR ON TERRORISM, PROBLEMS OF ENERGY AND TRADE, MILITARY COOPERATION AND THE MIDDLE EAST STABILITY. HE POINTED OUT THAT COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES EXISTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE STRATEGIC DIALOGUE PROGRAM WHICH AIMS AT ENHANCING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AS WELL AS THROUGH THE PERIODICAL MEETINGS BETWEEN THE SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER AND US STATE SECRETARY AND JOINT WORKING GROUPS FOR THE DISCUSSION OF ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST. PRINCE TURKI SAID THE FIRST MEETING FOR THE STRATEGIC DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA AND THE US BEGAN DURING THE VISIT OF THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ, WHEN HE WAS THE CROWN PRINCE, TO THE US IN 2005. HE NOTED THAT THE TOPICS OF THE STRATEGIC DIALOGUE INCLUDE ECONOMY, ENERGY, FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, CONSULAR AFFAIRS, PARTNERSHIP IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, CULTURAL EXCHANGE, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS DEFENSE COOPERATION AND COUNTERTERRORISM. CALLING FOR FURTHER ENHANCING SAUDI-AMERICAN RELATIONS, PRINCE TURKI SAID SO MANY OF THE AMERICANS ARE KEEN ON GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH SAUDI ARABIA. 'IF THE AMERICANS VISIT THE KINGDOM, THEN THEY WILL FIND A MODERN STATE AND A CIVILIZED SOCIETY', HE SAID. HE POINTED OUT TO THE ACHIEVEMENTS ATTAINED BY THE SAUDI SURGEONS, AND SAID THEY HAD SUCCESSFULLY SEPARATED CONJOINED TWINS AND CONDUCTED ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION OPERATIONS. 'IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, INTERNET USAGE HAS GROWN BY TEN TIMES IN THE KINGDOM', HE SAID. --MORE
