February 14th marked the 75th anniversary of the historic meeting between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and H.M. King Abdul Aziz aboard the U.S.S. Quincy and the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. In commemorating this special occasion, Business Council CEO Delano Roosevelt delivered remarks at a ceremony held under the patronage of H.R.H. Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Ambassador to the United States.
Mr. Roosevelt noted that “the meeting’s mission to build bridges of friendship, person to person, business to business, would prove to be the foundation for a friendship between these two great nations lasting for generations to come.”
Princess Reema underscored the vital role this meeting played, stating, “the enduring Saudi-U.S. relationship is a tribute to [King Abdul Aziz and President Roosevelt] who saw the importance of our cooperation and who at a turning point in history brought two nations together – a groundbreaking alliance between two nations that would transform the region. Saudi Arabia would become the United States’ first ally in the Middle East.”
The ceremony was also attended by H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs. “[The relationship] started in a meeting between two visionary men – a meeting that was about much more than just the interests of both nations, but also about a future vision for the Middle East,” stated.
Mr. Roosevelt further commemorated the anniversary during a celebration in Jeddah on the deck of the U.S.S. Farragut where the famous meeting when President Roosevelt met King Abdul Aziz was reenacted. The event was organized by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Roosevelt was joined by Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Admiral James Malloy and General John Abizaid, U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Delivering remarks, Ambassador Abizaid stated, “I’m very confident that the cooperation will stay strong, the energy will stay strong, education will stay very strong in developing economies especially when looking at the Vision 2030 developments.”
We are pleased to share with you some of the media coverage of the anniversary including an interview with Mr. Roosevelt.
