2?
NBS 073
RECEVOINREGISTY
11 AUG 1989
BRITISH EMBASSY
RIYADH
DESK OFFICE INDEX PA
Tout
in Frages/
Pau
MT Hill Esq Assistant to the Deputy Governor No 6 Convent Place Gibraltar
1 August 1989
74
Dear Val
All
MAYOR OF GIBRALTAR VISIT TO THE UK 4-6 JULY 1989
X
Thank you for copying your letter of 17 July to us. We would of course support the idea of Sheikh Abdullah al Nu'aim, Mayor of Riyadh, paying a visit to Gibraltar as a guest of Miss Montegriffo and would be delighted to help with a return visit by Miss Montegriffo to Riyadh if that begins to look a realistic prospect. Sheikh al Nu'aim is currently out of the Kingdom on his summer holidays, but we will certainly mention the matter when next we see him after his return from leave.
We appreciate the hope of the Gibraltar Government that a visit by al Nu'aim might help to attract Saudi investment to the Rock; however you should not form any unrealistic expectations. The Mayorality of Riyadh is a largely honorific position. Substantial issues affecting the city are usually taken by Prince Salman, the Governor of Riyadh Province and full brother of King Fahd, or his deputy, Prince Sattam, rather than by al Nu'aim. The Mayor of Riyadh is affable but the influence he wields within the Saudi system is not great; neither is he, by Saudi standards, particularly wealthy. Nevertheless the publicity generated from an exchange of visits would raise awareness of Gibraltar within the Kingdom and, if you could provide us with suitable information material to prime the Saudi press, could possibly stimulate some increased interest. We look forward with interest to the reaction of our Spanish colleagues if the idea comes to anything!
Yansever
Charles Hills
Wall
CJ C Hollis
CC:
P Moody Esq, SED,
FCO Q Compton Bishop Esq, MED, Chanceries: RABAT, MADRID
FCO
