Back - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - Next
Saudi Arabian minister promises women's suffrage
In the wake of the first Saudi Arabian election, its foreign minister is looking ahead to the next election and promising suffrage for women. This could take place a early as March or April.
By BETH GARDINER
The Associated Press
LONDON, Feb. 23 -- Women may be allowed to vote in future Saudi Arabian elections, but such political reforms must be implemented "gradually," the kingdom's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Saudi
Prince Saud al-Faisal addresses a news conference in London, Wednesday. He spoke about reforming Saudi Arabian policies to conform to the rest of the world. ( AP Photo/Pool, Mike Finn-Kelcey) The Gulf nation, an absolute monarchy, recently held its first regular election, for city council members. But the vote was open only to men.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, in London for meetings with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and other officials, said his country's election commission had recommended women participate in the next vote.
"I would not be surprised if they do so in the next round of elections," he said.
Two more phases of the municipal vote will be held in March and April, but it was unclear whether Saud was referring to those elections.
Saud and Straw acknowledged having differences in areas including human rights and democratic reform in the kingdom.
"No nation can stand still," Straw said. "The challenge for Saudi Arabia ... is to adapt to this changing world reality while preserving all that is good and admirable in its society.
"Without reform, frustrated aspirations for change may fuel resentment and strengthen those forces who wish to destroy all that the society holds dear."
Straw said the political systems in most Western democracies had evolved over centuries and, by comparison, change in Saudi Arabia was happening quickly.
Saud, however, said political reforms would have to come slowly.
"The wish is to move as fast as we can, the reality says that you have to move gradually," he said. "We in Saudi Arabia believe in the necessity of political reform, but it must be evolutionary."
He said the government wanted to improve human rights, an issue Straw said was on the agenda for the ministers' talks.
"We're working very hard for that ... to assure that justice reaches every single human being in the country," Saud said.
The Saudi royal family holds absolute power in the country and few dare challenge it. It governs based on strict Islamic law, and Saudis cannot hold public gatherings to discuss political or social issues.
Saud said his country, home to 15 of the 19 hijackers who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, was working hard to fight terrorism.
"Far from being its instigator, Saudi Arabia is one of the first victims of terrorism," he said. "We are waging a relentless war on terrorists."
Story Produced by: Jimmy Kunkel
