Bahrain Compound
US Department Of State Post Report
Some but not all of the residential compounds have recreational facilities that include a swimming pool, tennis court, and/or fitness center. NSA has two swimming pools open to the Embassy’s American personnel. The BAPCO (Bahrain Petroleum Company) Club at Awali permits some foreigners in the business and diplomatic communities to hold memberships to use its beach, bowling, dining, and swimming facilities. All the major hotels in Bahrain (Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Sheraton, and Crown Plaza) offer memberships in their swimming pool, health club, and tennis facilities. Several private clubs (Al-Bandar and the Marina) offer membership to foreigners and have attractive, well-located facilities. Embassy personnel may also participate in an active tennis league, and the tennis court at NSA is open on a first-come, first-served basis to Government employees. There is a small indoor ice-skating rink open to the public. Horseback riding and riding lessons are available. ... [Read More]
History of the Consulate - Consulate General of the US - Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
The present compound and chancery were built in August 1949, followed by the Consul General’s residence in 1951. The construction workers comprised mostly of Italian POW’s from nearby Eritrea. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
The Consulate General staff will generally place newcomers directly into their permanent housing. If this is not possible, arrangements will be made for temporary lodging in another vacant residence or in a hotel. Many excellent hotels are located nearby, including the Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, and Sofitel. The Hyatt and Marriott are located about 1 mile from the compound. Permanent HousingLast Updated: 9/28/2004 11:04 AM [Read More]
May
1111--05/13/03 Remarks at Vinell Compound; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ... [Read More]
United Arab Emirates
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion in accordance with established customs, and the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there were some restrictions. The Federal Constitution declares that Islam is the official religion of the country. There was some change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report; government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion. In August 2003, the Government closed the Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-up, an Abu Dhabi-based think tank that published and distributed literature, sponsored lectures, and operated a website. This center was accused of providing a platform for some anti-Semitic individuals. In October 2003, the Dubai Evangelical Church Center (DECC) opened in a large compound of Christian churches just outside of Dubai. In April the e ... [Read More]
Kuwait
The Roman Catholic Church faces problems of overcrowding at its two official church facilities. Its cathedral in downtown Kuwait City regularly draws as many as 100,000 worshippers to its more than 30 weekly services. Due to limited space on the compound, the church is unable to construct any new buildings. The National Evangelical Church also faces overcrowding at its compound, which serves a weekly average of 20,000 worshippers in 55 congregations. ... The Government prohibits missionaries from proselytizing to Muslims; however, they may serve non-Muslim congregations. The law prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam, although this law is not enforced rigidly. Informal religious instruction occurs inside private homes and on church compounds without government interference; however, there were reports that government inspectors from the Awqaf Ministry periodically visit public and private schools outside of church compounds to ensure that religious teaching other than Islam does not takes place. The Roman Catholic Church has requested that Catholic students be allowed to study the catechism separately during the period in which Muslim students receive mandatory instruction in Islam. During the period covered by this report, the Government still had not responded to the request. ... [Read More]
Middle East Overview
The terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia on 12 May and 9 November galvanized Riyadh into launching a sustained crackdown against al-Qaida’s presence in the Kingdom and spurred an unprecedented level of cooperation with the United States. Riyadh has aggressively attacked al-Qaida’s operational and support network in Saudi Arabia and detained or killed a number of prominent operatives and financial facilitators. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: General Franks Praises Allied Troops as Combat Operations Begin
At Camp Commando, a staging base in Kuwait, an Iraqi Scud missile struck about 10:28 a.m. local time (0728 GMT, 2:28 a.m. EDT), but there were no casualties, according to a CENTCOM report. Both U.S. Marines and British Army soldiers saw the gray missile land just outside the compound, the report said. ... [Read More]
Marriage to Saudis
The following information has been prepared by our Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to assist United States citizens in understanding the cultural and legal differences they face when considering marriage to a Saudi citizen. The information was culled from interviews with Americans married to Saudis, most of whom were American women. While the majority of this document will address concerns specific to American women, American men may also want to consider these issues as well. All the Americans interviewed strongly urged prospective spouses of Saudi men to visit the Kingdom and meet the Saudi in-laws before ... [Read More]
President’s FY 2006 International Affairs Budget Request
The European leaders I spoke with agree that it is time to close the book on our past differences over Iraq, and time for all of us to help the Iraqi people write a new book –the history of a democratic and free Iraq. To help the advance of democracy human rights and rule of law in Iraq, President Bush has requested $360 million for economic assistance targeted toward key infrastructure projects that will help the Iraqi government deliver basic services to its citizens, collect revenues and develop a free market system capable of joining the global economy. The FY 2005 supplemental includes $690 million to continue U.S. mission operations and $658 million to construct a new embassy compound in Baghdad. ... [Read More]
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