Archives

Related Photos

Riyadh, May 25. Your Royal Highness Prince Sattam, distinguished guests, Saudis and Americans. Sixty years ago, on February 14, 1945, King AbdulAziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia, met with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt aboard a Navy ship, the U.S.S. Quincy. As we celebrate the 229th anniversary of the founding of the United States here at Quincy House tonight, it is a special honor to also mark this historic event with so many good friends.



My wife Anita and I were privileged to be with Crown Prince Abdullah in Dallas last month. At President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, too, we talked about the meeting aboard the Quincy: it established a strong personal bond between our leaders, and set the tone for decades of close relations between our two nations.



That meeting took place amidst great secrecy, in wartime. It was the first time King AbdulAziz had traveled outside Saudi Arabia. Since then, a generation of Saudis have gone to the United States as students, and returned here to take up positions of leadership. Others have established business interests and partnerships in America, much to our mutual benefit. Still others have received specialized training

at our top-flight military and research institutes, and are now applying that knowledge here in the Kingdom.



Since then, thousands of Americans have come to the Kingdom to help build Saudi Arabia’s vital petroleum industry, as well as other businesses. Many other Americans have worked over the years in the Kingdom’s hospitals and in the field of education. Americans have also helped defend the Kingdom in threatening times. And we continue to do so.



In Crawford, the Crown Prince and the President agreed that momentous changes in the world call on us to forge a new relationship between our two countries -- a strengthened partnership that builds on our past, meets today’s challenges, and embraces the opportunities our nations will face in the next sixty years.



Let me offer one more thought about the U.S.-Saudi relationship, from Quincy to Crawford and beyond. The renewed friendship between our countries begins with the recognition that we each have proud and very distinct histories.



We respect Saudi Arabia as the birthplace of Islam, one of the world’s great religions, whose message of peace, moderation, and tolerance must extend to people of all faiths and practices. The Kingdom, for its part, recognizes that America was founded on the principle of freedom, and appreciates our historic role in promoting the right of self-determination, for ourselves and for others.



These perspectives have been and will be the cause for much diplomacy. If there is no diplomacy there is no listening. Unless one listens there is no learning. Unless we strive to learn from one another, there can be no understanding.



What does this mean?



It means that we must now work to expand our dialogue, understanding, and interactions between our citizens. It is my hope that Saudi-American friendship will continue into the next generation.



In that spirit, I am pleased to announce that the United States will offer six new Fulbright scholarships, one for each decade since the meeting between King AbdulAziz and President Roosevelt sixty years ago. These prestigious grants will be awarded to young Saudis who are preparing themselves to contribute in the fields of government, the military, business, education, law, and journalism.



Once again, we are honored by your presence here at Quincy House tonight, and look forward to visiting with you. Thank you very much.



(Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz. Deputy Governor of Riyadh, was the guest of honor at this event.)