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Arabia
Foreign Ministry to Appoint Women for First Time: Saud
2005-02-24
It was a cold day in London, but the near zero degree temperature did not chill the second day of Saudi-British conference, where the two nations' chief diplomats reflected on eight decades of warm relations between their two peoples and charted an equally amicable course for the future. Addressing the conference, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal announced plans to appoint women to the Foreign Ministry for the first time this year. He pointed out that successful political reforms required "an evolutionary process."

Prince Saud said the two kingdoms were uniquely positioned to cooperate and play an effective role in dealing with major global issues. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who led his country's delegation to the conference, said the entire British government greatly valued the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia. The conference, entitled "Two Kingdoms: Facing the Challenges Ahead," aimed at strengthening Saudi-British ties. In his keynote address, Prince Saud said the role of Saudi women was changing rapidly. "Our educational reforms have created a new generation of highly educated and professionally trained Saudi women who are acquiring their rightful position in Saudi society. I am proud to mention here that this year we shall have women working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time," he said.
Posted by:Fred

#7  and a full week of "she's unavailable - menstruating"
Posted by: Frank G   2005-02-24 4:06:10 PM  

#6  .com, the tea service will be given by the ladies' female servants. Sauid ladies won't do. And TW, I was thinking the same thing. Woman to woman discourse, but nothing important.

BTW, Mister minister: Yeah, the US had to go through a civil war to eliminate slavery and voting rights were granted to British women in two stages, but open up your calcified brain and understand all that means is that your country should be smart enough not to follow the same wrong policies.
Posted by: chicago mike   2005-02-24 3:20:37 PM  

#5  If the women sit behind a screen, they could direct visitors to the appropriate office. Tea service only in a meeting room, where the tea can be delivered, and the women whisk themselves out of sight, before the men walk in. Perhaps the Saudis will open a Women's Section, where female citizens can come and talk to female civil servants, so long as no real action is taken until the women's male guardians come in person to sign the approval papers, over on the Men's side of the building.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-02-24 1:14:43 PM  

#4  So they're going to give them positions in the Foreign Ministry, eh? They can't have their own passports, but they're going to be part of the ministry that administers them? Hell, they aren't allowed to drive themselves to work, what sort of positions is he blathering about, Tea Service?
Posted by: .com   2005-02-24 9:01:00 AM  

#3  Not quite, TW. The Hejaz (Red Sea coast, including Mecca and Medina) were put under a Hashemite king (as were Jordan and Iraq) because they liked the family. Saud invaded in the 1920s (30s?) I think. The Brits didn't invite them in, or set it up that way, but they didn't do anything to stop it.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-02-24 8:16:12 AM  

#2  Saudi-British conference, where the two nations’ chief diplomats reflected on eight decades of warm relations between their two peoples

Involving macho sheiks and English public school graduates, no doubt.
Posted by: gromgorru   2005-02-24 7:43:16 AM  

#1  After all, wasn't it the Brits who created Saudi Arabia in the first place?
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-02-24 7:30:16 AM  

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