The nominee for President Bush's U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia says he will strive to maintain friendly relations between the U.S. and that country. James Oberwetter, a former oil industry lobbyist, stated on Friday in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that his top priority as ambassador would be to strengthen the strong and cooperative relations between Washington and Riyadh to prevent further terrorist attacks in the world. Mr. Oberwetter expressed the opinion that the terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in May and early this month sent a clear message to the Saudi government. Mr. Oberwetter's nomination has strong support from Republicans, but some Democrats oppose it. Charles Schumer, the Senator from New York, criticized this selection, stating that Oberwetter's nomination sends the wrong message that U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia are solely about oil.
New Nominee for the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia - 2003-11-22
James Oberwetter has been nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need to strengthen U.S.-Saudi relations to prevent terrorism. His nomination is supported by Republicans but faces opposition from some Democrats, particularly Charles Schumer, who argues it implies U.S. ties are only about oil.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
James Oberwetter was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need to strengthen relations to combat terrorism. His nomination is supported by Republicans but faces criticism from some Democrats.
- Oberwetter is a former oil industry lobbyist.
- Recent terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia have raised concerns about security and U.S. interests.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
U.S.-Saudi relations have historically been centered around oil and security cooperation, particularly in the context of terrorism.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%