Model Arab Country

“The Saudi commitment is likely to lead several other countries that are candidates for joining the trade organizations to take a similar step and renounce the embargo in an unequivocal way, and not as a by-product of their participation in the organization.”

- Yair Shiran, Israeli ministry official.

Haim Bior. “Ministry Official: Saudi Arabia to lift economic embargo on Israel,” Haaretz, 11/16/05.
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“The opening of new branches is based on the country’s need, not on WTO membership.” “It is thus a continuation of the old policy that predates the birth of the World Trade Organization.”

- Muhammad Al-Jasser, deputy governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.

Abdul Ghafour. “Ten Foreign Banks Given License,” Arab News, 11/15/05.
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“…this is reform that is being done for the Saudi people by the Saudi leadership; it is a matter of indigenous reform…” “This is not the United States trying to incent Saudi Arabia to be concerned about Iraq or about the future of Iraq. Saudi Arabia has had to live with the threat of Saddam Hussein in the past...”

- Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State.

“ …we and the United States are working very harder to affect the public opinion on both sides…”

- Saud Al-Faisal, Saudi Foreign Minister.

“U.S., Saudi Arabia Convene First Strategic Dialogue,” Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Press Release, U.S. State Department, 11/14/05.

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