Reported By:
| Edited By: Yogesh Pawar |Source: DNA |Updated: Apr 12, 2019, 05:00 AM IST
Saudi Ambassador to India HE Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saty is in Mumbai on an official visit. Yogesh Pawar speaks to him about watching the world’s biggest election, gender rights in KSA, the emergent Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) — Qatar dynamic, the Khashoggi case and LGBTQIA rights
Since I took charge in 2012, this is the second election I am seeing. There is considerable interest in the Indian elections in the KSA. After all, India is the world’s largest democracy.
It will be inappropriate to react to individual comments made during election campaigning. We are with India on its concerns about security. Irrespective of the dispensation in power we work closely with the governments before donating any money to anybody. It is a complete falsehood KSA funds extremist madrassas/mosques. Individuals too are banned from giving to any charity outside the KSA.
Following a special decree, women are now permitted to get licences and hence drive. Overall there are efforts at improving work opportunities for women across sectors. Saudi women are in-charge at immigration desks, airline counters, hotels, shopping centres and so on. Both our stock market and our largest bank are currently headed by women. We have a woman Minister of Labour and a new woman deputy minister in the Ministry of Commerce was also appointed last week. The world's largest women's university - Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh - is totally managed and run by women. In fact KSA has appointed its first woman ambassador to the US. Princess Reema bint Bandar two weeks ago.
That's changing. Many women are being able to travel abroad and pursue education and careers abroad. We would like to see that grow. Only day before yesterday I met three Saudi women who are living here in Mumbai which they feel is their home. Of course, we are a traditionally conservative society just like you are. Family values and tradition are very dear to us. We respect our customs, our faith and our way of life. But we have to acknowledge women and their need for change. Today they are not only demanding it but often driving change too.
Yes. Upgrading of existing airports, the creation of new ones is on the anvil. A whole new tourist-cross border city Neom is being built in the far north-west Tabuk province on the Egyptian and Jordanian borders. This massive $500 billion, 26,500 sq km world-class city will extend 460 km along the Red Sea coast. A huge network of state-of-the-art roads connecting not only major cities but within them is being laid and several have become operational. We are also looking at exploring renewable energy sources in a big way and are making big investments in solar and nuclear energy. KSA wants its coming generations to continue enjoying a sustainable and prosperous future.
The GCC was formed as a body to help all the Gulf states to work with each other in a spirit of solidairty and cooperation. But how can we countenance a member of GCC working against the interest of others? The KSA has been in touch with Qatari authorities since early 2012. On two occasions, both in 2013 and 2015 the rulers of Qatar gave written assurances and committed to prevent allowing its soil to be used by extremist groups inimical to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain. We told them to stop fomenting trouble using the Al-Jazeera tv channel to create unrest in our countries with unwelcome interference in our internal matters. Providing refuge to groups like the Muslim Brotherhood which want to attack Saudi Arabia cannot be acceptable. Instead of handing over the terrorists to us like we asked they continue to sponsor terrorism against us. They are neighbours and we share a legacy of close societal and tribal ties that go back to hundreds of years. We want to resolve this problem but the Qataris have to do their bit too.
They are completely different and I don't think we should mix the two. We only hope both India and Pakistan engage in a dialogue to resolve differences. Since we enjoy a good rapport with both we will be happy to facilitate any such talks if both the countries feel it will help.
We don't go around telling other countries about what choices they should make. As sovereign states they should decide for themselves what is in their interest. Our focus is the Indo-Saudi relationship.
While we appreciate the concern, there's nothing on ground to suggest shrinkage/loss of jobs. On the contrary given the huge investments in infrastructure I spoke about, I think there is growing and sustained demand for human resources particularly specialised, trained professionals to build and maintain these. India has always been an integral part of KSA's growth story and will continue to do so. On the other side India's economy is also expanding and its fuel and petrochemical needs will proportionally rise. We look forward to make use that to collaborate more closely. The Saudi market is also the largest in North Africa where socio-cultural ties make Indian products more attractive. In both the near future and long term I see, stability, growth and expansion marking Indo-Saudi ties.
We're working to make the process entirely digital. By the end of this year people going for Haj will be able to apply for visas online without going to the embassy/consulate. We understand this is inconvenient for elderly, little children and women so we're making it easier. Eventually we want to expand this to all visas.
Our ties with with US are really strong and that is not changing. As for the Jamal Khashoggi murder, our courts are seized of the matter and we are confident we will get to the bottom of the case.
I'm not concerned about what Brunei is doing and can't comment on that but in the KSA we have the Sharia law and we go by what is prescribed.
We have our own traditions, systems and our own challenges. We also have our own way of meeting these challenges while developing our country and keeping it safe, stable and prosperous. And we do this keeping the interests of our country and people above everything else. We don't do things to make us appear different to others in the world.
