Damage to Saudi-US ties ‘can be controlled’

Ghazanfar Ali Khan
This frame grab from video provided by C-SPAN2, shows the floor of the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Sept. 28, 2016 photo, as the Senate acted decisively to override President Barack Obama's veto of Sept. 11 legislation, setting the stage for the contentious bill to become law despite flaws that Obama and top Pentagon officials warn could put U.S. troops and interests at risk. (AP)

RIYADH: Two prominent Saudi human rights activists have refrained from diatribe and affirmed their hopes Saturday that the US and Saudi governments would move quickly into damage control mode, if the new legislation called Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) inflicts damages on bilateral relations.
The act can’t strain ties between the two countries, they said.
Saleh Alkhathlan, vice president of the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR), and Ibrahim Al-Qayid, NSHR founding member, made these remarks here. Alkhathlan, however, observed that “JASTA is an important indication of the changing mode among elite circles in Washington toward Riyadh, but it doesn’t in any way represent a turning point in the decades-old US-Saudi relationship.”
A large number of Arab and world leaders have expressed their concerns after the US Congress voted Wednesday to override a presidential veto of JASTA. But many leaders, academics, political analysts, and human rights activists have expressed their hope that the Saudi and US governments have the ability to control any damage caused by JASTA.
Alkhathlan said: “I am confident that the two governments will find ways to control any damage the legislation can inflict, or the subsequent court proceedings may cause."
“It is important for both— the US and the Kingdom— to recognize and let it be known that they are indispensable to each other,” said the NSHR deputy chief, adding that “there will be long and strenuous court battles but still the political will of both parties will help protect the relationship between the two countries.”
He further said that “we should also not forget that the same US Congress that voted to override the US president’s veto, just a week ago voted against a bill to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia.” Moreover, this region is still open to many political and security challenges of significant consequences to the world that can’t be confronted and solved without the full cooperation of Saudi Arabia and the US, he observed.
“My advice to the Saudi government is to restore to its history proven, quite successful diplomacy in this case, and avoid any act or statement that may inadvertently complicate this issue,” said Alkhathlan, who is also a professor of political science at the Riyadh-based King Saud University.
Referring to the problems that can be caused by JASTA, Al-Qayid said that this act violates the longstanding accepted convention to protect the sovereignty of foreign countries. “The passing of JASTA has created chaos,” said Al-Qayid, adding that the Kingdom has been complying with all international norms and regulations. It has been a member of the UN since its inception, he added.
“In fact, the Kingdom has been a victim of terrorism, besides being a partner of Western nations including the US to curb terrorism,” said Al-Qayid, who is also a veteran training consultant. He said that the Kingdom has been a friend and ally, besides being one of the most important political and commercial partners of the United States. “To my mind, it may be an election gimmick as the US election is quite at hand,” he said.