VZCZCXRO8920
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHJI #0535 2240950
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 120950Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9414
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1492
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1571
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6737
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000535 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2016 
TAGS: ABLD AMGT KISL OFDP PREL SA
SUBJECT: CONSUL GENERAL AND NEW FOREIGN MINISTRY DIRECTOR 
GENERAL DISCUSS NEED FOR NEW CONSULATE 
 
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  On August 9, the CG and Pol/Econ Chief made 
a courtesy call on Ambassador Mohammed Tayyeb, the newly 
appointed Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MFA) for the Mecca Region.   The Director General offered 
the Ministry's support in developing a New Consulate 
Compound.  The CG offered a brief history of the search for a 
new site for the Consulate General and described the current 
locations under consideration in central Jeddah and Obhur. 
The Ambassador recommended Obhur as a growing area with 
improving access to central Jeddah.  Tayyeb noted that the 
Saudi government spends four months every year in Jeddah 
adding considerably to the duties of the regional MFA office 
and the Consulate.  END SUMMARY. 
 
NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL 
 
¶2.  (U) On August 9, the Consul General and Pol/Econ Chief 
paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Mohammed ben Ahmed Tayyeb. 
 Ambassador Tayyeb assumed the position of Director General 
of the Makka Al Mukarramah Region of the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs on July 29.  Ambassador Tayyeb was educated in the 
United States in Arizona and Michigan.  A political 
specialist, he served as First Secretary at the Saudi Embassy 
in Paris in the late 1980s.  For eight years prior to his 
current appointment, Tayyeb served as foreign affairs advisor 
to Minister of Culture and Information, Iyad bin Ameen 
al-Madani. 
 
MINISTRY ANXIOUS TO ASSIST CONSULATE 
 
¶3.  (U) In the course of a cordial meeting, Ambassador Tayyeb 
expressed his and the Ministry's desire to assist the 
Consulate General and facilitate its operations.  He assured 
the CG that the security of diplomatic representatives was a 
primary objective of the Saudi government.  The CG expressed 
her gratitude and singled out the SANG for their diligence 
and alertness over the past year. 
 
UPDATE ON SEARCH FOR CONSULATE SITE 
 
¶4.  (C) The CG briefed the Ambassador on the current status 
of the search for a site for a New Consulate Compound.  She 
described the two potential sites currently under 
consideration; one in central Jeddah and a second in Obhur on 
the northern edge of Jeddah.  Ambassador Tayyeb expressed his 
opinion that although more distant, the site in Obhur had 
advantages.  Jeddah is rapidly expanding, and the 
preponderant growth has been to the north-west, towards 
Obhur.  Construction of a bridge over Obhur Creek is imminent 
and will speed travel between that area and the central city. 
 (Note:  At a meeting the previous day with the Jeddah 
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reported in septel, the 
Chairman explained that expansion of the airport and 
realignment of Jeddah traffic patterns will make travel from 
the northern outskirts to central Jeddah much quicker in the 
future.  End note.)  Additionally, many important individuals 
reside along the Red Sea shore in Obhur making security 
better than in less exclusive areas nearer central Jeddah. 
Obhur is also close to the airport. 
 
JEDDAH SUMMER CAPITAL OF SAUDI ARABIA 
 
¶5.  (U) In discussing the operations of the Consulate, 
Ambassador Tayyeb noted that while Jeddah has historically 
been the commercial capital of the Kingdom, during four 
months of the year, when the King and the Court are in 
residence, Jeddah is the de facto capital of the country. 
This observation was brought home by the fact that this 
meeting took place in the former royal palace built by King 
Ibn Saud in 1944 and used by him for many years.  During this 
period, all of the visitors who would meet with the King and 
senior officials travel to Jeddah rather than Riyadh. 
Gfoeller