Consul General Martin Quinn's National Day Remarks (March 8, 2009)
Ambassador Tayeb, Ambassador Fraker, Your Excellencies, Consul Generals, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Evening. It is with great honor that I welcome you here to celebrate our National Day, our 4th of July on March 8th - which is also International Women's Day. Before I go any further, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who put together the event this evening - most especially the 22 American food vendors of Jeddah and the Hilton Hotel and their employees who have so generously contributed to the celebration, as well as our Consulate staff who have worked extremely had to bring everything together. And may I say that with regard to International Women's Day, I am also very happy to have my wife Darlene visiting Jeddh at this time.
Over the last several months I have spent in Jeddah, I have met some wonderful people engaged in a range of pursuits and businesses, all passionate about promoting the standing of their country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I am always excited to meet people like this because I know that together we can find ways to address areas of mutual interest.
As the President has said: "In words and deeds, we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America."
I want to emphasize our commitment to working with our friends in Saudi Arabia and in the international community to find solutions to the great issues of the day that face us.
Building vital partnerships in the Kingdom is a way to solidify the special US-Saudi relationship which is based on mutual respect and a long history of consultation between friends. Over the years, the US mission has taken key steps to cultivate even stronger and more resilient bilateral ties.
The most recent action is the resumption of limited visa services here in Jeddah. This achievement is one we worked hard to realize (and no one harder than our Ambassador).
As proud and honored as we are to foster the US-Saudi relationship here in Jeddah, we look forward with anticipation to the resumption of full visa services when we move to the new consulate compound in summer 2010.
At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to bid farewell to a man who we all know is a true supporter of the US-Saudi relationship and who has focused diligently and energetically on issues of mutual interest during his tenure as ambassador.
Ambassador Ford M. Fraker was sworn in as US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2007. At the time of his nomination, Ambassador Fraker was serving as Chairman of the Trinity Group Limited, a private investment banking firm in the United Kingdom, and as a consultant for Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation in Boston, MA. Ambassador Fraker was a banker in the Middle East for more than thirty years, working in Lebanon, the UAE and Bahrain. In 1991, he founded Fraker & Co. and in 1997, he co-founded Trinity Group Limited.
Before serving as US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Fraker spent decades working in the region. While we will miss his expertise and influence, we warmly thank him for all the work he has done to strengthen ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia. We wish him the smoothest sailing in his future endeavors.
Finally, I am also happy to share with you and the Ambassadors a taste of America, through the various cuisines prepared by the many American food vendors located in Jeddah. And I have a strong feeling this will not be the last meal many of us share in Jeddah with Ambassador Fraker.
As a parting gift, it is my priviledge now to present to Ambassador Fraker a flag which has been flown above the Consulate General in Jeddah in his honor.
Please join me in welcoming and recognizing the Ambassador of the United States of America Ford Fraker.