The genius Minister of Foreign Affairs

Written by Nasser Kandil,

The position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs is considered in the countries which are interested in their international and regional status and which defy the roles that transcend their borders, owning a status in the political geography for their territory, having a geographical position, a religious legacy and resources that make them the center of the attraction of the whole world as Saudi Arabia, the second position in the country after the king, in case there is a strong a Crown Prince, then he will be the third man at worst cases, just for that the King Salman has chosen the genius Adel Al-Jubeir as a Minister of Foreign Affairs for his country, for the first time this important ministry was moved from the sons of the royal family and causing the departure of the son of the former King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah , so who is the genius Adel  Al-Jubeir?

The attitudes of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs especially those who belong to the Diplomatic corps for many years after occupying the position of presidency of this corps, are characterized of prudence, balance, accuracy, and are controlled by considerations of caution, patience, the ability of choosing the expressions, and the anticipation of falling into contradiction by saying one thing and its opposite, or saying one thing and its negation, or saying one thing and leaving the days to contradict it even after years, so how if it is after days and weeks?

On 29-4-2015 Adel Al-Jubeir was assigned as a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia after he has spent approximately twenty years in the Saudi diplomatic corps in the most important capital in the world Washington, one of his exploits was his role in nominating the American writer Thomas Friedman an advisor of the former King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to take the responsibility of turning his article in New York Times into a text of the Arab Initiative for Peace, so what do some points in the biography of Al-Jubeir show although he did not spend yet more than seven months in the ministry.

Al-Jubeir likes to use the adopted formula in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs by issuing the  official positions at the spokesman of a Saudi official source, like on 14-7-2015 the CNN has reported of a Saudi official source, which is Al-Jubeir personally commenting on signing the nuclear understanding with Iran saying that his countries will have a strong response to the Iranian nuclear understanding , and that the administration of Obama has committed a historic mistake.

After less than two months and particularly on 4-9-2-15 and after the end of the summit which included the American President Barak Obama with the Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir has said that “Saudi Arabia is satisfied with the assurances of the American President Barak Obama concerning the Iranian nuclear agreement, it thinks that it contributes in achieving the stability in the region.”

On 17-8-2015 and after the Russian efforts have succeeded in convincing Saudi Arabia of the personality of the Crown Crown prince and under the auspices of his father the King for holding the first Saudi Syrian meeting that has included Mohammed Bin Salman and the Major General Ali Mamlouk the Head of the National Security Council in Syria, Al-Jubeir has issued at the spokesman of Saudi official source an explanation for the meeting that undermines everything that was supposed and hoped to be in this meeting, he has presented a genius explanation which the days have proved its correctness,!!!  He said “Do not be boast of blaming Saudi Arabia, and other of the propaganda! Mamlouk cannot boast of Iran and its militias, because Al-Assad was outraged because of his knowing the details of the negotiation with his two allies Russia and Iran, but he was terrified because the negotiations have reached to the extent of wondering “who does accept hosting Al-Assad?”the issue is not related to Iranians alone, even the Russians were discussing the phase after Al-Assad, the Russian delegation which attended the meeting of Mamlouk with the Saudis, has not accompanied him on the same plane, they came in another plane to be witnesses and not a securing party for Al-Assad who is aware that the recalling  of Moscow of its nationals from Syria is serious, in addition to the Russian attitude towards the UN Resolution No 2216 which is dedicated to Yemen”. Al-Jubeir concluded his source with reference to that” the Saudis have achieved two important goals. First, the disclosure of Al-Assad in front of the Russians and proving that the reason of the terrorism in Syria is not because the standing against Al-Assad’s crimes, because the Sunni terrorism is without a sponsoring country while the Shiite terrorism in Syria is under the sponsorship of Iran. Second, the Saudis have proved for the umpteenth that there is no credibility for Al-Assad and that they fight the terrorism relentlessly”.

 On 27-9-2015 after less than two months, after Al-Jubeir had talked about the disclosure of the Syrian President  Bashar Al-Assad in front of the Russians allies, the Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the support of the United States for the opposition troops in Syria that it is illegitimate and useless, he said that the troops of the opposition have received an American training then they joined the ranks of the Islamic State Organization ISIS with arms supplied by Washington, moreover he has said in an interview with American TV networks “ In my opinion granting military support for illegitimate entities is inconsistent with the modern principles of the international law, and the Charter of the United Nations”, he added that “ The president Bashar Al-Assad deserves an international support in his war against the terrorist organizations, emphasizing that the support of his country for the government of Al-Assad corresponds with the Charter of the United Nations, he said that Moscow’s support to Damascus represents by supplying weapons to the Syrian government, training their armed forces, and providing assistance to the people in Syria.

On 30-9-2015 Russia was carrying out its first air strikes in Syria against the groups which are supported by Saudi Arabia and with the coordination of the Syrian army and by the demand of the President, as the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov has said, but Al-Jubeir has forgotten what he has said about the disclosure, he has responded violently towards the Russian attitude, for example on 9-10-2015 the British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” said citing from Saudi sources, it is known that they are  Al-Jubeir personally that “ Riyadh wants to supply the Syrian opposition with qualitative weapons in response of the Russian raids on Syria” he added “ his country will respond to the Russian military intervention in Syria by supplying groups of the opposition with qualitative weapons” the source continued that “the supplies are of modern weapons including anti-tank weapons which will be presented to three groups from the opposition troops “ Al Fatih Army” “ Free Syrian Army” and “ The Southern front” . The source has insisted on that the supplies of the weapons do not include “ ISIS “ and “ Al Nusra Front “ organizations despite that the latter is representing the basis of the alliance troops “Al Fatih Army” as BBC has said, on the next day the Russian Defense Ministry has announced the name of “Al Fatih Army” on the top of the list which its raid aircraft has targeted, On 12-10-2015 Al-Jubeir has repeated the challenging speech and said that a Saudi source has said that “the Saudi officials have notified their Russian counterparts that the Russian military intervention in Syria will have serious consequence”.

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The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir refused on Tuesday 29-9-2015 in New York the Russian initiative concerning the Syrian President, and said that “Bashar Al-Assad has two choices either to depart or to face the military option”.

On 19-10-2015 Al-Jubeir has assured in a press conference with his German counterpart Frank Walter Steinmeier in Riyadh that “ Al-Assad has to step down after forming the transitional governmental body” he added that “ Al-Assad should not have any role in the political solution”  pointing that “he can stay during the process of forming the transitional body” but when this body is formed and  becomes able to rule, then there is no role for Al-Assad” he added ” if this matter has settled today or after a week or during a month, the Syrian people will decide themselves ???????????  But it is clear that from the beginning of the (conflict) that there is no future for Al-Assad in Syria” which means an implicit acceptance of the remaining of Al-Assad if he wins the elections????? Al-Jubeir is accurate in choosing his expressions that correspond with his attitudes for no more than twenty days!

On 24-9-2015 the Saudi sources ( Al-Jubeir himself) have notified  that during performing the ceremony of Mina in Mecca on Tuesday the pilgrims have stumbled during their rushing at the entrance of the bridge of pebbles this has caused the death of 100 pilgrims and 400 others  were varyingly wounded ”

On 18-10-2015 The Associated Press Agency has announced  that the final number of the dead in Al Hajj disaster is 2246  while the number of the wounded exceeds the thousands.

On 3-9-2015 the European Union has accused Saudi Arabia of its escaping of its responsibilities towards the Syrian refugees. On 15-9-2015 Al-Jubeir has announced at the official spokesman in the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the kingdom has received from the outbreak of the crisis in Syria approximately two millions and a half Syrian citizens!!! Stressing the keenness of the Kingdom of not treating them as refugees or putting them in refugees camps in order to preserve their dignity, security so it gave them complete freedom of movement, and awarded those who wanted to stay in the Kingdom the regular residence like the rest of residents, with all the consequent rights as the free health care and engagement in employment and education market.

What is left is to know the secret of this genius?

With reference to what distinguished this Saudi character Adel Al-Jubeir after his taking the responsibility in the embassy of his country in Washington is what “ Washington Post” has described him as the lover of the pocket handkerchiefs, when he travels to Riyadh he wears his suit and vestment, laughing with his American friends saying that “ The Saudis like to wear the white sheets, it said that it is known for Al-Jubeir that he always boasts that he does not like the Saudi national costume, and being single and among the distinguished members of “ Milan Coffee” in Washington once he described himself as the actor (Kojak) and once ( Michael Jordan) the basketball player.

The Israeli Jerusalem Post said about Al-Jubeir that” since the early nineties he was in contact and coordination with the Jewish groups” including AIPAC, while the National Director of the Anti defamation League, the American Abraham Foxman has described him by saying that “ he understands America, and he always tells you about what you like to hear”.