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Saudi royals, Islamic state to stay: spokesman
(This guy has been out in the Arabian sun for toooooo long) SEATTLE - Saudi Arabia is introducing political and social reforms but it will remain a monarchy committed to Islam, a spokesman for the countryâs US embassy said on Thursday. Nail Al Jubeir, information director for the Saudi embassy, said in a speech to the Seattle World Affairs Council that some of those outside the country calling for reform wanted a separation of church and state. âThatâs like ... saying âthe Vatican is a state and the seat of the Catholic church. Weâve got to separate themâ,â he said. âYou are going to have a pope for your political issues and a pope (that) deals with the religious issues and the two shall never meet. Itâs not going to happen,â Jubeir said. Saudi Arabia, the worldâs biggest oil exporter and the birthplace of Islam, has launched a program of cautious reforms including municipal elections later this year. De facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah has promised the reform process is unstoppable, but also warned the kingdom would not be embarking on âreckless adventures.â Saudi Arabia is battling a tide of violence linked to
Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-06-18 |
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