the saudi rising power

THE SAUDI RISING POWER
- from Regional to International -
GeoPolitica
®
Geopolitics, Political Geography and Geostrategy Magazine
Bucharest 2015
SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW
Maricel ANTIPA - National Defense University
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Marius LAZĂR - ”Babeş-Boliay” University, Cluj-Napoca
Radu SĂGEATĂ - Romanian Academy - Institute of Geography
Ştefan GEORGESCU - ”Andrei Şaguna” University, Constanţa
EDITORIAL COLLEGE
FOUNDING DIRECTOR:
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Documentation:
Vasile SIMILEANU
Dănuţ Radu SĂGEATĂ
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Irina BOGDAN
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Alexandra DUDĂU
Roxana MANEA
Monica MUŢU
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Graphics:
Translation
Vasile SIMILEANU
Vasile SIMILEANU
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Special Correspondents:
Cristina GEORGESCU
Hichem BEN YAÏCHE
Ramona FERARU
Cleopatra LORINŢIU
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Andrei ŢURCANU
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The "GeoPolitica" Magazine would like to thank
His Excellency Abdulrahman AL RASSI,
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
for his essential support for the realization of this issue,
dedicated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
SCIENTIFIC BOARD
ROMANIAN ACADEMY
academician Dan BERINDEI
academician Constantin BĂLĂCEANU-STOLNICI
academician Mircea MALIŢA
academician Dan BĂLTEANU
SCIENTIST ACADEMY
Angel ANDREESCU
Viorel BUŢA
Teodor FRUNZETI
Constantin ONIŞOR
Ionuţ PURICĂ
Gheorghe TOMA
Gheorghe VĂDUVA
Constantin VLAD
INTERNATIONAL BOARD
Abdulrahman AL RASSI - Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudit Arabia in Russia
Alam ANWAR - Centre for West Asian Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
Zeljko BJELJAC - Geographical Institute „Jovan Cvijic”, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, Serbia
Alex BERCA - Annapolis, USA
Christian BOLÍVAR - Chilean Army War College, Santiago, Chile
Maurizio BONI - Headquarters NATO Rapid Deployable Corps, Italy
Michele BRUNELLI - Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Italy
Come CARPENTIER DE GOURDON - World Affairs Journal, New Delhi, India
Michel CHOSSUDOVSKY - Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montreal, Qc. Canada
Dimitrios DALAKLIS - World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden
Nicholas DIMA - Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research, USA
Sevdalina DIMITROVA - National Military University "Vasil Levski", Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Serhiy DZHERDZH - NATO-Ukraine Civic League, Ukraine
Viacheslav DZIUNDZIUK - National Academy of Public Administration, Ukraine
Joseph E. FALLON - New York , USA
Tiberio GRAZZIANI - L’Istituto di Alti Studi in Geopolitica e Scienze Ausiliarie (IsAG), Rome, Italy
Jaroslaw GRYZ - National Defense University and University of Finance and Management in Warsaw, Poland
Mara S. GUBAIDULLINA - Al-Farabi Khazach National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Serji HAKMAN - University of Chernovtsy, Ukraine
George (Sam) HAMONTREE III - Florida, USA
Radu HERVIAN - Drake Institute for Social Studies, Philadelphia, USA
Leonard HOCHBERG - Mackinder Forum, USA
Jean-Baptiste HUMEAU - Université d`Angers, France
Karolina ILIESKA - University St. Kliument Ohridski-Bitila, Faculty of Economics, Prilep, R. Macedonia
Slobodan JANKOVIC - Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade, Serbia
David A. JONES - University of Warsaw, Poland
Thede KAHL - Institute for Romance Languages, Wien, Austria
Dincho KARAMUNCHEV - Geopolitics Consulting LTD, Bulgaria
Vladimir KARYAKIN - Russia`s Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia
Swapnil KISHORE - IDC Herzliya - International School, Israel
Yana KOROBKO - International Advisory Council of the Institute of Peace and Development, Canada
Tamara KOVAČEVIČ - University of Novi Sad, Serbia
Anatoliy KRUGLASHOV - Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine
Matthew KWASIBORSKI - American Institute on Political and Economic System, USA
Dorin LOZOVANU -EGEA, Rep. Moldova
Sohail MAHMOOD - Preston University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Armando MARQUES-GUEDES - Direcção-Geral da Política do Mar, Lisbon, Portugal
Satoshi MORISHIMA - Middle East Cultural Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
Isa MULAJ - Institute for Economic Policy Research and Analyses, Pristina, Kosovo
Claudio MUTTI - Rivista Eurasia, Italy
Elman NASIROV - Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
John O`LOUGHLIN - University of Colorado, USA
Amanda PAUL - European Policy Centre (EPC), Brussels, Belgium
Charles PENNAFORTE - Universidade Paulista, São Paulo, Brasil
Donila PIPA - Faculty of Law, ”Vitrina” University, Tirana, Albania
Daniel PIPES - Middle East Forum, USA
Benjamin POGHOSYAN - Institute for National Strategic Studies - MOD, Armenia
Walter POSCH - Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin, Deutschland
Maria PTASHKINA - National Research University, Russian APEC Study Center, Moscow, Russia
Hans H. REISER - Regionalgeograph Donauländer, Deutschland
Charles SAINT-PROT - l’Observatoire d’études géopolitiques à Paris, France
Mohammed Saeed AL-SHAKARCHI - Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Iraq Republic in Kenya
Steven Alan SAMSON - Helms School of Government Liberty University, Lynchburg, USA
José J. SANMARTÍN - Universidad de Alicante, España
Daniele SCALEA - Università degli Studi ”La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
Musa SHTEIWI - Jordanian Center for Strategic Studies, Amman, Jordan
Gregory SIMONS - Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies Uppsala, Sweden
Vitalie SOCHIRCĂ - State University of Chişinău, R. Moldova
Vladimir TESIC - Research Center for Western Balkan Security Issues, Serbia
Mohamad TROUDI - L'Institut International d'Etudes Stratégiques (IIES), Paris, France
Nuray TURKER - Karabuk University, Turkey
Tynchtykbek TCHOROEV (CHOROTEGIN) - Kyrgyz National University ”Jusup Balasagyn”, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Andrei VOLOSHIN - Global Economy Institute, Lyov, Ukraine
Daniel WAGNER - Country Risk Solutions, Connecticut, USA
Immanuel WALLERSTEIN - Dept. of Sociology Yale University, New Haven, USA
Suolao WANG - Center for International & Strategic Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
Jan WENDT - Institute of Geography, Gdańsk University, Poland
Shams uz ZAMAN - National Defence University Islamabad, Pakistan
NATIONAL BOARD
Constantin ANECHITOAE - Ovidius University, Constanta
Cristian BARNA - National Intelligence Academy, Bucharest
Dumitru BORŢUN - SNSPA, Bucharest
Cristian BRAGHINĂ - University of Bucharest
Anna-Eva BUDURA - ”Ovidius” University, Constanta
Dumitru CODIŢĂ - International Humanitarian Law Association
Olivia COMŞA - Center of Technology and Engineering for Nuclear Projects, Bucharest-Magurele
Dan DUNGACIU - Romanian Academy: Institute of International Relations
George ERDELI - University of Bucharest
Călin FELEZEU - ”Babeş-Boliay” University, Cluj-Napoca
Tasin GEMIL - Institute of Turkish and Central-Asian Studies, Cluj-Napoca
Ştefan GEORGESCU - ”Andrei Şaguna” University, Constanta
George GRIGORE - University of Bucharest
Cornel GRIGORUŢ - ”Ovidius” University, Constanta
Constantin HLIHOR -”Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University, Bucharest
Ioan IANOŞ - University of Bucharest
Alexandru ILIEŞ - University of Oradea
Nicolae IORDAN-CONSTANTINESCU - UFB, Bucharest
Vasile NAZARE - ”Ion Conea” Geopolitical Association
Florin PINTESCU - ”Ştefan cel Mare” University, Suceava
Nicolae POPA - West University, Timisoara
Nicolae RADU - ”Al. I. Cuza” Police Academy, Bucharest
Nicolae ROTARU - National Intelligence Academy, Bucharest
Dănuţ-Radu SĂGEATĂ - Romanian Academy - Institute of Geography
Vasile SIMILEANU - Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest
Rodica STĂICULESCU - ”Ovidius” University, Constanta
Cristian TĂLÂNGĂ - University of Bucharest
Tiberiu TĂNASE - ”Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University, Bucharest
Cristian TRONCOTĂ - ”Lucian Blaga” University, Sibiu
Răzvan ZAHARIA - Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest
4
Year XIII, no. 59 (1 / 2015)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
..............
EDITORIAL
..........
..........
................................................................................
Vasile SIMILEANU
Saudi Arabia - a New Vision........................................................................................... ............. 11
..............
ARGUMENT
..........
................................................................................
Prince Saud AL FAISAL
..............
Facing Global Challenges in a Spirit of Determination................................................. ............. 13
..............
INTERVIU
..............
................................................................................
Vasile SIMILEANU
..............
Interview with His Excellency Bogdan AURESCU, Minister of Foreign Affairs .......... ............. 15
................................................................................
Vasile SIMILEANU
..............
Interview of His Excellency Abdulrahman I. AL RASSI, ................................................ .................
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia............................................................... ............. 21
................................................................................
Mihai Bogdan MĂRGINEANU
..............
Interview with Brian MORAN........................................................................................ ............. 27
..............
GEOPOLITICS
..........
................................................................................
Vasile SIMILEANU
.................
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Pivot or Regional Power Centre?....................................... ............. 29
................................................................................
Geoffrey COOK
..............
The Kingdom of the Saudi Family.................................................................................. ............. 41
................................................................................
Abdullah ALOTAIBI
..............
Saudi Arabia on the Global Level: Responsibilities and Commitments...................... ............. 48
................................................................................
Anghel ANDREESCU, Nicolae RADU
..............
Saudi Arabia, a New King, a New Beginning................................................................. ............. 53
................................................................................
Saleh Abdullah AL RAJHI
..............
Saudi Foreign Policy: the Arab Dimension.................................................................... ............. 59
................................................................................
Saud AL TAMAMY
..............
Saudi Arabia's Role in the Islamic World ...................................................................... ............. 67
................................................................................
Isam MAHGOUB
..............
Saudi Arabia and Romania - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: ................................. .................
Scattered Thoughts, Paradoxes and Realities of the Bilateral Relations.................... ............. 71
................................................................................
Răzvan MUNTEANU, Dragoş TÎRNOVEANU
..............
The Bucharest - Riyadh Axis: Cooperation and Development .................................... .................
Towards a Stable Regional Environment ..................................................................... ............. 77
..............
GEOSTRATEGY
..........
................................................................................
Abdullah F. ANSARY
.................
The Principal Steps Taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Combat Terrorism,... .................
the Financing of Terrorism and Money Laundering..................................................... ............. 87
................................................................................
Raluca COŞEA
..............
”Foreign Fighters”........................................................................................................... ........... 113
..............
7
Romulus HÂLDAN
.................
Naval Forces of Saudi Arabia on the Threshold of Decisive Modernization............... ........... 115
..............
CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
..........
................................................................................
Yusuf MURAT
..............
Pilgrimage to Mecca....................................................................................................... ........... 123
................................................................................
Glauco D’AGOSTINO
.................
Architecture in Saudi Arabia: an Exciting Challenge .................................................... .................
amidst Traditional Islamic Features and Technological Development ....................... ........... 125
................................................................................
Mircea Codruţ MARIN
..............
Saudi Arabia - Dealing with Cultural Diversity Issues................................................... ........... 141
................................................................................
Mihai Bogdan MĂRGINEANU
.................
Romanians in Saudi Arabia............................................................................................ ........... 150
..............
GEOECONOMY
..........
................................................................................
Vasile NAZARE
..............
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Geopolitics of Oil............................................. ........... 153
................................................................................
Dan Marcel BĂRBUŢ
..............
Oil Politics of Saudi Arabia............................................................................................. ........... 166
................................................................................
***
.................
The National Institute of Aerospace Research and Development ”Elie Carafoli”: .... .................
INCAS Bucharest ............................................................................................................ ........... 171
................................................................................
Ionuţ PURICA
.................
Saudi Arabia and Romania: Complements and Similarities ........................................ ........... 177
................................................................................
Severin CĂZĂNESCU, Dan Ion OPREA
.................
The Long Term Environment-Production Puzzle’s Solution as Sustainable Bridge ... .................
between Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and European Union ........................................... ........... 180
................................................................................
***
.................
AQUAPROIECT SA........................................................................................................... ........... 191
................................................................................
Marius DINCĂ
.................
Islamic Type of Banking and Finance in the Middle East............................................. ........... 195
..............
UNIVERSITAS
..........
................................................................................
Monica MUŢU
.................
”Ion Conea” Geopolitical Association (AGIC)................................................................ ........... 203
................................................................................
Michael-Bogdan MĂRGINEANU
.................
KAUST, a Beacon for Science and Technology in the Middle East and the World..... ........... 205
................................................................................
***
8
.................
The European Romanian-Pan-Arabian Cultural Center ............................................... ........... 207
..............
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
- King Salman bin Abdulaziz AL SAUD -
9