(November 5, 2009, updated) -- LBReport.com has learned that LB Mayor Bob Foster is visiting Saudi Arabia (and will miss the Nov. 12 LB City Council meeting) as part of a trip to the mideast kingdom for six U.S. Mayors paid for by the Saudi regime.
Mayor Foster office aide Stacey Toda denied a report that the Mayor was in Saudi Arabia as of Nov. 5, but confirmed that he planned to be part of the trip.
[update] US Conference of Mayor contacts were unavailable after east coast business hours but this morning (Nov. 6) confirmed that six Mayors will be traveling "on an official invitation from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia from November 5 - 12, 2009."
This, the third mission from the Saudi Embassy to U.S. Mayors [see below for LBReport.com details on a previous similar trip], will provide them the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Saudi economy, its educational system, culture, people, and government. They will also meet U.S. Embassy officials, other high-ranking Saudi business people and government officials as well as high school and university students. The delegation will also visit one of the world’s largest oil fields in the Eastern Province. (All expenses for mayors and spouses will be covered, including airfare and lodging by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia)
Members of the delegation include U.S. Conference of Mayors President Seattle, WA Mayor Greg Nickels, Mayor Michael Coleman, Columbus, OH, Mayor Virginia DuPuy, Waco, TX, Mayor Timothy J. Davlin, Springfield, IL, Mayor Bob Foster, Long Beach, CA and Mayor Scott Smith, Mesa, AZ. The United States Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran will accompany the mayors.
The story's key points were first reported in some detail on Nov. 5 by reporter J.B. Smith in the Waco, Texas Tribune-Herald who reported online (Nov. 5) that the Mayors of Waco, TX, Mesa, AZ, Columbus, OH, Springfield, IL...and LB, CA would be part of the trip assisted by the "U.S. Conference of Mayors" (which the news outlet said had chosen the participants) although the trip will actually be paid for by the Saudi regime.
The "U.S. Conference of Mayors" is a non-governmental privately run lobbying group based in Washington, D.C. The group's website says 2009 dues for the group (for cities with populations of 300,000-499,999 like LB) are $17,511.
WacoTrib.com reporter Smith says the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C. indicates it's the third such trip paid for by the mideast kingdom in an attempt to "strengthen economic and business relations."
A press release on the upcoming trip isn't available on U.S. Conference of Mayors' website...but a release from earlier this year indicates that ten U.S. Mayors traveled to Saudi Arabia in May 2009 "as guests of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington (DC)."
The goal was to give U.S. mayors the opportunity to learn first-hand about the Saudi economy, government, educational system, culture, and people, through meetings with high-ranking Saudi government officials, businesspeople, high school and college students, museum officials, and others.
[T]he delegation met with a variety of national and local governmental officials, including His Royal Highness Prince Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister for Municipal and Rural Affairs; His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and also former Saudi Ambassador to the United States; His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister for Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; and His Excellency Minister Abdullah Alireza, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Alireza told the delegation that he was "grateful for your coming. Through discussion we can begin to understand each other better."
His ministry oversees consumer protection, international exhibits, bilateral trade agreements, and relations with the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Minister headed the team that negotiated Saudi Arabia’s entrance into the WTO.
Like other officials with whom the delegation met, the Minister expressed great optimism for the U.S.'saudi relationship in the future, especially with the Presidency of Barack Obama...
The delegation met May 10 with the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy David H. Rundell. The U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia is not yet in place.
The mayors met the Minister of Foreign Affairs His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal on Sunday, and then His Excellency Abdullah Al'sheikh, Chairman of the Consultative Council (Saudi Parliament), as well as members of several Consultative Council committees. The Consultative Council proposes new laws and amends existing ones. It consists of 150 members, appointed by the King for four-year terms that can be renewed.
In addition, the mayors met with His Royal Highness Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz, Acting Governor of Riyadh, and His Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Ayaf, Mayor of Riyadh.
On Sunday afternoon, the mayors met with officials from the Ministry of Interior for Security Affairs, learning about the rehabilitation program for men who had been imprisoned in Guantanamo, Cuba. They heard first-hand from their teachers as well as from three of the men themselves, who discussed the process. The delegation then met with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin nayef bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs...
The last two days were spent in Jeddah, a large seaport in western Saudi, located on the Red Sea. The delegation visited on Tuesday, May 12, the Help Center, established in November 1985 to provide broad services and care to children with mental disabilities. Since its founding, the Center has provided services to more than 3,000 children, with the goal of encouraging social, communication, and self-help skills.
The delegation next met with officials of the National Association of Human Rights, followed by a meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Governor of Makkah Region. The mayors then visited with professors and students of Dar Al-Hikma College for Women, and toured the campus.
Wednesday was devoted to a meeting with Khalid Ageel, Deputy Mayor of Jeddah, followed by lunch at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, learning about the range of services offered to businesses in the area, and about business and investment opportunities in Jeddah.
U.S. officials joining the delegation at various times included Louise A. Johnson, Political Officer, U.S. Embassy, who met the delegation at the airport upon their arrival in Riyadh, the first stop. U.S. Consul General in Damman Joseph A. Kenny and Political and Economic Officer Ramon Escobar met the delegation on Monday, May 11. Joining the delegation during their stay in Jeddah were U.S. Consul General Martin Quinn and Deborah Kanarek, Vice Consul, Jeddah.
Throughout the visit to Saudi Arabia the mayors were accompanied by Dr. Abdulmohsen Alyas, Deputy Director of Information, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington (DC) and Rima Hassan, Public Affairs Officer.
Speculation that Mayor Foster's visit might have something to do with C17 purchases could not be confirmed...and Mayor Foster's office aide Toda denied mentioning it to a website, which reported it without attribution. The website's publisher is the government affairs advisor to the LB Area Chamber of Commerce. [update] In its report on the Mayor's visit to Saudi Arabia, the website inaccurately reported, "Saudi Arabia has long been a regular buyer of Boeing C-17 aircraft, which are manufactured here in Long Beach"...which is untrue; the Kingdom has purchased some Boeing products but not C17s. [end update]
Mayor Foster is part of the "U.S. Conference of Mayors'" leadership, recently reappointed to a second term as chair of its "Environmental Committee." L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is the group's current "Second Vice President."
LB's then-Mayor Beverly O'Neill ultimately became the group's president for a year, during which she frequently lobbied Congress for transportation legislation containing elements supported by the Port.(including so-called "projects of national significance").
Developing.
