New Laws of Commercial Registration and Trade Names take effect on Thursday    Civil Defense warns of heavy rains across Saudi Arabia until Monday    Saudi Exchange suspends trading of seven companies over financial disclosure delays    New fleet of 76 public transport buses starts operation in Jeddah on Tuesday Environmentally friendly electric buses introduced for first time    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    EU preparing 'further countermeasures' to protect its interest, von der Leyen says    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize 'large areas' of land    US cancels visa of Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias    Danish prime minister refutes US claim on Greenland on visit to the Arctic territory    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Cristiano Ronaldo joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves    Saudi Arabia welcomes trilateral border treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan    Swedish table tennis legend Jörgen Persson appointed head coach of Saudi national team    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    









Ayoon Wa Azan (Their Estrangement Is Final) (15-02-12)
Published in AL HAYAT on 15 - 02 - 2012

If I were to describe King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in one word, I would use the word ‘reformer'. Or perhaps ‘honest' or ‘frank', a quality that rather complements the one before because he calls a spade a spade, and does not attempt to present it in a diplomatic veneer.
I thought about the qualities I observed in the King, as I heard him talking about the frightful days ahead, and how the confidence of the whole world in the United Nations was shaken following the double Russian-Chinese veto to protect the Syrian regime, a gesture that the King has categorically rejected.
What I say today – and I hope that the readers will come back to me in the future if I were proven wrong, is that the relationship between King Abdullah and President Bashar al-Assad started on good terms in 2005, deteriorated, and then returned to its previous warmth in the summer of 2010. The relationship then deteriorated again because of the ‘killing machine', and the victims it has claimed in the ranks of the Syrian people. My opinion, which I accept to be held to account for it in the future, is that the relationship between the King and the President will not improve again, because their estrangement is now final.
President Bashar al-Assad was greatly pleased when good relations returned with the King, and I told him: Please, please, please, do not upset King Abdullah again. If he is to be upset, then he shall not be conciliated again. This conversation had taken place three months before the first signs of the subsequent Arab uprisings surfaced, and I have not seen Dr. Bashar after that.
I heard the King speak at the Royal Court, before the luncheon traditionally held for the guests of the National Festival for Heritage and Culture (Janadriya). Then on the following day, I saw Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Defense, in a session that was also attended by my friend Marwan Hamadeh.
I wanted to congratulate Prince Salman personally for assuming the post of Defense Minister, having congratulated him earlier by fax. But I also found the occasion an opportunity to ask him about the Iranian threats and ambitions, and the danger of an American or Israeli war against Iran on the security of neighboring countries. I also asked him about the new Iraqi role in the Gulf, since I heard criticisms and concerns about this role in two GCC countries I visited this month, so much so that I now believe that the Arab summit will not be held in Baghdad next month as planned.
Prince Salman spoke frankly and clearly, and had a lengthy discussion with Marwan about Lebanon and the effects of the Syrian crisis over the country. Perhaps I will return to what I heard in the future, since there were both facts and opinions exchanged, but the meeting was not for publication. I therefore will not publish today, and instead shall await an opportunity soon to disclose some information.
There was a long queue of visitors in the waiting rooms near the Minister's office. Yet his busy work schedule does not put Prince Salman off his well-known journalistic interests. On his desk, I noticed there was a dossier that contained excerpts from the daily press, and I reminded him how I used to see him visit Kamel Mroueh, the Editor and Founder of Al-Hayat, in Beirut, and how he would sit with him waiting for Kamel to finish his editorial “Have Your Say and Walk”. This brought back memories of the Lebanese press to him, and we went on to talk about Sa'id Freiha, Salim al-Lawzi and others.
I was pleased to see that Prince Salman was in good health. When I saw him in mourning following the passing of Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, Rest in Peace, he seemed tired and weighed down with grief. However, this time, he was as I knew him, before the saddening death of Prince Sultan.
I would never visit Riyadh without also meeting with Prince Khalid bin Sultan, the deputy defense minister, and publisher of our newspaper Al-Hayat. I had many political questions for Prince Khalid, but he beat me to it, and started asking me about the information I have come across since our last meeting. But I refused to be lured, and demanded my right to ask the questions as a journalist, which he would answer as an official.
Prince Khalid is unforthcoming when it comes to answers, and I have always found difficulty in extracting information from him. I asked him about Syria, Iran and Iraq, but I only received brief answers, which may find their way to this column soon – appearing as though they are my own.
I want to conclude with some humor. King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz had promised me last year to “go halves” with me if he wins the million riyals from George Kordahi. So this year, I asked him about my share of the million, but he said that he has won nothing either. George Kordahi is now gone, so I ask: Where are the million riyals, O Arabs? I then answer: George took the million and fled.
khazen@alhayat.com


Clic here to read the story from its source.