Brussels, 19/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - Catherine Ashton, High Representative of European diplomacy, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a visit ahead of the meeting of the cooperation council of the EU-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) (EUROPE 10361). In Riyadh, she met the minister for foreign affairs, Saud Al-Faisal, and the deputy interior minister, Mohammed bin Nayef, with whom she discussed the political situation in the region, particularly in Bahrain and Yemen, according to a brief official press release. The press release went no further than to state that Ashton and her opposite numbers “agreed on the need to intensify dialogue and mutual support on issues of common interest”. The press release did not confirm the intention of the head of European diplomacy to meet “influential women”, who are trying to increase their influence despite Wahhabi conservatism, which deprives them of many of their basic rights. Reforms do not apply to them and they will not be voting in the forthcoming municipal elections, the second in the history of the country, which have been held to try to satisfy the mood of rebellion which has not spared the regions of the Kingdom. Officially, according to the media, the authorities state that they do not have the necessary infrastructure to allow female citizens into the polling stations. It is reiterated that a strict separation of the sexes is required in public. An internet campaign has been launched by militant women to call for gender equality and fight discrimination. Amongst other things, the site calls for women to be allowed to drive, and for jobs to be created for young female graduates.
Ashton also met the new secretary general of the GCC, Abdelaziz Zayani, for the first time. The meeting allowed them to take stock of EU-GCC cooperation and assess the situation in Yemen (Bahrain was not mentioned), with the hope of a positive outcome to the crisis in that country. The British ambassador to Riyadh, Sir Tom Philipps, on the other hand, published a lengthy article in the local daily newspaper Alyaum (the day) in which he expresses a more explicit opinion, congratulating Saudi Arabia on its commitment to help towards Bahrain's “stability” and the right of the government of that country to “ask for the (military) help of the countries of the GCC” against “Iranian threats”.
According to Gulfnews, “observers are expecting Ashton to announce during her visit to Riyadh the EU backing for the GCC initiative on Yemen”. The six oil monarchies “call on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down and transfer power to his deputy and the formation of a transitional government representing all Yemenis and prepare the country for national elections”. (F.B./transl.fl)