VZCZCXRO7433
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHJI #0277/01 1000631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100631Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9028
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0230
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1333
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1411
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6380
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000277 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU; AMMAN FOR WHITTLESEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KICR KISL PREL SA SENV
SUBJECT: REEF CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL NGO ANNOUNCES FARASAN 
ISLANDS EXPEDITION 
 
REF: A. JEDDAH 270 B. JEDDAH 106 C. 05 JEDDAH 4928 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  On April 4, Pol/Econ Chief attended a meeting 
of the environmental NGO "Reef Chief" sponsored by a local 
business leader, Tarek Taher.  Taher described his 
organization's structure and links to organizations and 
individuals and announced an expedition, conducted in 
cooperation with Saudi and regional authorities, to survey 
and film the marine environment of the Farasan Islands.  The 
organization seems very much a product of Mr. Taher's 
personal interest.  Local environmental awareness and 
involvement appears to be very limited at this time.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
FRIENDS OF REEF CHIEF MEETING 
 
¶2.  On April 4, Pol/Econ Chief attended the "1st Reef Chief 
Global Friends Meeting" at the expensively appointed offices 
of founder Tarek Taher's business headquarters in a 
fashionable Tahlia Street high-rise in Jeddah.  The meeting 
was called on short notice and there were, in addition to 
Taher and his staff, Mr. Abdullah Al-Suhaibani from the 
Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment 
of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden (PERSGA), a visiting 
female Italian journalist reporting on Saudi business and 
economy, and four female instructors from Effat College in 
Jeddah.  Taher described the development of his organization 
and the links he had developed.  He enumerated his contacts 
with Saudi and regional environmental officials, including 
the Presidency for Meterology and Environment (PME), PERSGA, 
the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) and colleges such as 
Effat Colege, Abdul Aziz University and the American 
Uniersity of Cairo (AUC).  He has forged relations wih anumber of other groups 
and individuals rangig as far afield 
as the German Consul General in Jddah, King's College 
London, University of Califrnia at Berkeley, and companies 
from Singapore to Washington, D.C.  He has also enlisted at 
least nominal support from recent visitor to Jeddah, former 
Vice President Al Gore, and another philanthropist interested 
in the maritime environment, American movie director James 
Cameron. 
 
 
FARASAN ISLANDS EXPEDITION 
 
¶3.  At the meeting, Taher announced his newly formed NGO's 
first major activity.  He related that during May, he would 
film the third and final segment of his personal documentary 
film "The Red Sea, My Planet" (reftel A) in the Farasan 
Islands.  (Note:  The Farasan Islands are located on a 
shallow coastal shelf just north of the Saudi-Yemeni border. 
Reftel B. End Note.)  Filming will be carried out in concert 
with an expedition to survey the Farasan Islands being 
conducted by PERSGA, PME, the Living Oceans Foundation, 
sponsored by Prince Khaled bin Sultan, AUC, and Effat 
College.  A number of other ships and aircraft will be 
utilized to carry out the survey.  They hope to map the 
marine and reef environments utilizing a Compact Airborne 
Spectrographic Imager (CASI) system as a prelude to a 
comprehensive survey of the areas habitats and biodiversity. 
 
PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION 
 
¶4.  In addition to filming the expedition, Taher and his 
companions will be conducting much of the public outreach 
associated with this expedition.  Saudi environmental 
officials are acutely aware of the importance of developing 
public appreciation of environmental preservation (reftel C). 
Both Reef Chief and Living Oceans Foundation will have 
on-line updates of the expedition as it proceeds.  Effat 
College is promoting environmental studies at the college 
level and producing materials for schools.  Taher's group 
will make a special effort to interact with schools on the 
Farasan Islands themselves. PERSGA and PME intend to utilize 
the event in their public and school education campaigns to 
educate the Saudi public about this unique environment.  The 
Saudi sponsored environmental clubs at schools will also be 
involved. 
 
LITTLE PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS 
 
 
JEDDAH 00000277  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  COMMENT:  It is apparent that Mr. Taher has committed 
substantial personal and financial resources to this cause, 
has developed wide contacts and is willingly guided by local 
and international experts.  Maintaining contact with Mr. 
Taher should be beneficial for the Consulate's mission of 
promoting environmental progress.  He may be a powerful 
advocate for future environmental initiatives in Saudi 
Arabia.  He could also be a good  example of what interested 
businessmen can contribute to the environmental dialogue in 
their countries. 
 
¶6.  Of concern, however, is the fact that the Reef Chief 
organization is very much Mr. Taher's organization, and it is 
questionable how long it would survive if business or 
personal considerations turned his attention elsewhere.  Also 
discouraging was the fact that the "Friends of Reef Chief" 
were all scientists and foreigners.  All of the Saudi 
scientists that Pol/Econ Chief has meet exhibit a commendable 
dedication to environmental improvement and the foreigners 
involved in this and other activities are similarly 
committed, however popular Saudi interest and involvement is 
lagging.  The apparent lack of public involvement is 
surprising, considering the importance of diving and marine 
recreational and economic activities in the Jeddah area.  The 
efforts of PME and Reef Chief to promote environmental 
awareness are essential to fostering public awareness and 
sould be encouraged and assisted, if feasible.  ENDCOMMENT 
Gfoeller