From The Washington Times (Nov 12, 2005):
Saudi Arabia has agreed to end all economic boycotts of Israel, allowing the World Trade Organization (WTO) yesterday to admit the oil-rich kingdom as its 149th member, diplomats said.
…
The kingdom’s minister for commerce and industry, Hashim Yamani, signed the protocol of accession, which means that Saudi Arabia will become a full member on Dec. 11, just days before a big WTO meeting in Hong Kong.
Mr. Yamani told delegates that the “door has been opened for one of the largest free-market economies to become a member.
To join, Saudi Arabia agreed to scrap all economic boycotts and it pledged not to resort to any future discriminatory trade measures against the Jewish state, diplomats said.
It’s definitively clear they have not fulfilled their obligation as a member of the WTO.
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Saudi Arabia is a trusted ally in the Middle East and should be treated as such. “Trust” as it applies to the Middle East is of course a relative term, but as a country, the Saud family is being as progressive as its (unhappy) conservative Muslim population will let it. These conservatives would certainly overthrow the government if they did not act as conservatively as they do.
All the Muslim conservatives, Bin Laden, and the mujahadeen all hate the government of Saudi Arabia, so honestly — can they really be that bad? Don’t boycott — support!
Comment by Eric on Dec 18th, 2006 @ 22:02