The Saudis gave the advisers the White house jewels worth hundreds of thousands of dollars during the visit of Barack Obama to the Kingdom, said Ben Rhodes, a former speechwriter and Deputy national security Advisor in the Obama administration. It is reported Middle East Eye.
In his book entitled “the World as it is”, published on Tuesday, Rhodes said about the trip to Saudi Arabia in June 2009 – shortly after Barack Obama became President of the United States.
On a trip to Saudi Arabia was the beginning of the first round of Obama on the Middle East as President, and was preceded by his famous Cairo speech, which he intended to make a message to the Muslim world.
According to Rhodes, upon arrival in Saudi Arabia he and other American officials were taken to residential premises in a complex owned by the monarchy.
“When I opened the door… I found a large suitcase, says Rhodes. Inside was a jewel.”
U.S. President Barack Obama (left) met with Saudi Arabia’s king Abdullah, June 3, 2009. Photo: EPA/MATTHEW CAVANAUGH
Soon, according to Rhodes, he learned that was not the only member of the delegation that received such gifts.
“We all got bags full of jewelry,” – said the former adviser to the newspaper The Guardian.
“We gave them to the state Protocol office, which deals with gifts. You have the opportunity to buy gifts for, but considering the price – I don’t remember exactly, but I believe it was tens of thousands – no one has kept them, as far as I remember.”
In the registry Department of State noted that the Saudis gave Rhodes “one pair of silver cufflinks, one male watch, one female watch, one silver pen and one set of diamond jewelry, including earrings, ring and bracelet”.
Acceptance of such gifts is justified by the fact that “failure will put in the awkward position of the donor and US government”.
The value of the gift, which was intended to Rhodes, is estimated by the us Department of state $5405. It’s not the most expensive gift that was given to the members of the American delegation.
The then Saudi Arabia’s king Abdullah gave Obama, his wife Michelle and their daughters gifts worth nearly $190 thousand
