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Kingdom holds free, fair and peaceful civic elections
To elect a bunch of local officials who will do exactly as they're told...
RIYADH/JEDDAH/DAMMAM: Municipal elections in Saudi Arabia concluded Thursday evening after 18 days of hectic campaigning, months of preparations by Saudi government and a note of success and satisfaction expressed by Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb.

Prince Mansour said the Kingdom and its government agencies have satisfied the yearnings of the people "for a free, fair and credible election."

“While the last municipal council elections were conducted with the assistance of experts from the United States, Europe and some Arab countries in addition to the United Nations, the preparations for the current elections were made by Saudi experts assisted by 16,000 Saudi workers in all the provinces,” the prince said.

He also thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for permitting women to participate in the next municipal elections, and hoped that the move would lead to a qualitative shift in municipal activities.
Posted by: Steve White 2011-09-30
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=330742