VZCZCXRO5436
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDH #0265/01 3041222
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P R 311222Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL DHAHRAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0305
RUEHZM/GCC C COLLECTIVE
INFO RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0401

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAHRAN 000265 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP JOSHUA HARRIS AND JEREMY BERNDT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/31/2019 
TAGS: EPET SA SCUL ENRG PGOV
SUBJECT: ARAMCO:  KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE CENTER PROGRESSES DESPITE 
CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION 
 
DHAHRAN 00000265  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Joseph Kenny, Dhahran Consul General, Department 
of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Development of the King Abdulaziz Center for Knowledge 
and Culture (KACKC) continues.  The Center aims to honor Arab 
heritage, connect Saudis to their culture, and bring world 
cultures to the Kingdom, all in the service of social progress 
and intellectual achievement.  Nabih A. Al-Ibrahim (protect), 
the lead Saudi Aramco engineer for the project highlighted some 
internal challenges posed by conservative elements within Aramco 
who are opposed to the project.  The discussion underscored 
Aramco's role for project design, construction, and cost 
efficiency.  The KACKC project, said Nabih, is the "King's 
bridge to the future."  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
Not all Favor "Culture" in the Kingdom 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (C). The King Abdulaziz Center for Knowledge and Culture 
(KACKC) is a forward thinking initiative by King Abdullah 
designed to promote social progress and intellectual 
achievement.  PolOffs and PDOff met with Nabih Al-Ibrahim 
(protect), Lead Project Engineer of KACKC at Saudi Aramco, and 
discussed the project's progress.  The center is on schedule, he 
said, despite quiet opposition from conservatives within Aramco. 
 
 
 
 
¶3. (C) Resistance stems from the center's aim to provide art, a 
world-class museum, a public library, and performance 
facilities.  The sprawling center's groundbreaking took place on 
May 20, 2008 and is scheduled to open in 2011 with a full 
schedule of exhibits, programs, and events.  Nabih made no 
indication that conservative elements within Aramco have the 
potential to derail the King's vision, yet he noted that 
resistance and criticism from conservative elements will 
increase as the project nears completion and opening.  In fact, 
the King has instructed Aramco to keep a low profile as the 
project progresses.  Only the King's insistence, he noted, could 
result in the development of such a progressive endeavor, thus 
underscoring the tensions between progressive and conservative 
elements of Saudi society. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) The $400m Center is being constructed atop the oil-rich 
Dammam dome where oil was first discovered, making it both a 
national landmark that commemorates Saudi Arabia's oil resources 
and a leading educational and cultural institution.  The center 
will offer an array of exhibits, events, and learning tools that 
engage students, adults, and scholars.  Ithra's programs are 
designed to be hands-on and interactive by using world class 
publications and state-of-the-art multi-media technologies. 
Aramco has contracted with firms Davis Langdon, Buro Happold and 
Norwegian architect Snohetta, to design an integrated landscape, 
interior, and architecture. The building itself will consist of 
three rock-like images that spring from the ground, symbolizing 
the past, and reach into the sky, symbolizing the future.  Each 
rock will house a facility.  The appearance, sizes, and 
arrangement of the rocks symbolize the simultaneous unity, 
diversity, and interdependence of the peoples of KSA and the 
rest of the world.  The building's construction methods will 
adhere to environmental standards, employing hydrocarbon-based 
products and expending as few natural resources as possible. 
There is a related website that provides details about the 
actual facility. 
 
 
 
 
 
Aramco the Lifeline of the King's Progressive Vision 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
 
 
¶6. (C) Nabih posited that the King Abdulaziz University of 
Science and technology (KAUST) and the KACKC embody King 
Abdullah's progressive vision; Aramco is the only government 
agency to have earned the King's confidence to carry out such 
 
DHAHRAN 00000265  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
projects.  Nabih claimed the King had tried without success to 
find a government ministry capable of implementing his vision. 
The King's staff asked both the Ministry of Finance and Aramco 
separately --without the other's knowledge-- for a cost 
estimate.  The Ministry of Finance's budget estimate submission 
was higher than Aramco's, said Nabih, which led ultimately to 
the King tasking Aramco with the cultural project.  In Nabih's 
view, except for the King, Saudi Aramco is the most powerful 
institution in KSA.  (Comment: Although Post feels that Nabih 
overestimates Aramco's power and influence in Saudi politics 
--the MOI is much more powerful-- there is no doubt that the oil 
giant is the King's preferred tool for spurring his reform 
agenda.  End Comment.) 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (C) Although this will not be the only supermodern cultural 
institution in the Kingdom (the National Museum in Riyadh, run 
by the Ministry of Tourism, has a number of the same reformist 
elements), it is noteworthy that the King has turned again to 
Aramco to implement a significant project.  Our interpretation 
is that this demonstrates a confidence that Aramco can build 
potentially controversial institutions without getting caught up 
in the static of "normal" ministries.  As the inauguration of 
KAUST has shown, however, building and running a new institution 
are two different things.  End Comment. 
CG: JKENNY