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Viewing cable 09JEDDAH290, HAQL, SAUDI ARABIA: NOW, WHERE THE HECK IS THAT?

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09JEDDAH290 2009-08-03 15:53 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Jeddah
VZCZCXRO3561
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHJI #0290/01 2151553
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031553Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1456
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 8450
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0088
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000290 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EG IS JO KPAO PHUM PREL SA SOCI PSOC
SUBJECT: HAQL, SAUDI ARABIA:  NOW, WHERE THE HECK IS THAT? 
 
JEDDAH 00000290  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A 3-member American delegation of ConGen 
Jeddah officers recently visited Haql, Saudi Arabia, a city 
that lies almost within swimming distance from major tourist 
resorts in Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. Haql reaps none of the 
rewards for its location in such a prime tourism region. 
Instead it is isolated by strict Saudi entry policies and 
geographic remoteness from other major cities in Saudi 
Arabia, and by the small, inconvenient border that connects 
the town to Aqaba, Jordan.  ConGen officers subsequent 
personal travel to Jordan, Israel, and Egypt revealed that 
Haql -- a city whose lights glimmer clearly in the night's 
sky to those living in the neighboring countries -- is 
virtually unknown to its Arab and Jewish neighbors. A meeting 
with the Haql mayor revealed that the town's focus leans 
mostly inward, the new university under construction being 
the top priority. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) A SLEEPY CITY PERCHED BESIDE MAJOR JORDANIAN, 
ISRAELI, AND EGYPTIAN RESORTS: ConGen officers (Poloff, 
PDoff, ARSO) traveled to Haql, Saudi Arabia on May 27, 2009. 
A small city that sits on the Gulf of Aqaba, just a few 
kilometers from the border with Jordan, Haql can be seen in 
the distance from Aqaba in Jordan, Eilat in Israel, and Taba 
in Egypt. Despite its proximity to these major touristic 
resorts, one could easily enter Haql unaware of the throngs 
of European and other tourists sunning themselves on beaches 
just minutes away. According to the mayor, Haql and its 
environs boast a population of 30,000. The city itself feels 
working-class, its buildings basic, with none of the flashy 
commercial trappings that one would expect at a resort or for 
that matter in larger Saudi cities.  A few small, rudimentary 
chalets dotting the coast near the Jordanian border hint at 
the direction Haql might have taken had it not found itself 
in Saudi Arabia. 
 
3. (SBU)  A CITY WITH NO NAME: After departing from Haql, 
ConGenoffs visited Aqaba, Eilat, and Taba within a two- 
day period on personal travel. Through the duration of their 
trip, they openly shared the story of coming from Saudi 
Arabia overland with fellows travelers and locals.  Their 
story raised inquisitive looks in Jordan and astonished 
glances in Israel and Egypt. Individuals on all sides had 
almost uniformally never heard of Haql -- especially so in 
Israel and Egypt.  Even the Jordanians had little knowledge 
of the neighbor to the South.  At a hotel in Taba Heights, 
Egypt, astride the water, and with a clear view of Haql 
across the gulf, long-time employees and residents alike had 
no idea of what city they were looking at, some guessing that 
it was Aqaba, while a few assuming Saudi Arabia, but without 
knowing the name of the place.  ConGenoffs met no one in the 
three countries who had previously visited Haql. 
 
4. (U) A QUIET BORDER TO JORDAN: The border between Haql, 
Saudi Arabia, and Aqaba, Jordan, is clearly not a major 
crossing point. Most Saudis and foreigners who cross into 
Jordan do so using two other inland borders with higher 
capacity and access to major highways. The Haql mayor 
indicated that 500-1000 persons daily transit the border. At 
the time that ConGenoffs crossed the border -- at mid-day -- 
traffic was limited to a few cars and trucks headed in the 
direction of Jordan.  The mayor commented that some families 
are split between Jordan and Saudi Arabia and use this border 
for visitation. Facilities on neither side of the border are 
equipped for tourists, and few if any border staff are able 
to converse in English. 
 
5. (SBU) POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM HIGH WERE IT NOT FOR NATURAL 
CONSTRAINTS:  Haql sits atop a vast, largely undeveloped 
Saudi coastline along the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea. 
Unlike the crowded Jordanian and Israeli coasts, the Saudi 
side has almost limitless, empty space for resorts.  The 
coral reefs and diving opportunities in the Gulf of Aqaba are 
considered world class. The area between Haql and the 
Northern Saudi city of Tabuk is occupied largely by stunning 
red  deserts and rugged mountains piercing through the sands, 
a landscape that extends down from the heavily touristed Wadi 
Rum in Jordan. Despite these potential attractions, there is 
no indication of foreigners visiting the area, either from 
within Saudi Arabia or from the tri-country area to the north 
and west.  While the area is easily reached from the three 
non-Saudi resort cities next to it, Haql is remotely located 
within Saudi Arabia. The closest significant airport sits in 
Tabuk, two hours away. 
 
6. (U) MAYOR OF HAQL MEETS FIRST US DELEGATION: The Haql 
mayor received the American delegation, the first diplomats 
 
JEDDAH 00000290  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
in memory to have visited the city. The mayor explained that 
he sees tourism as a potential area of growth for the small 
city and pointed out that there are good opportunities in 
this sector, but did not elaborate further on any plans. The 
mayor spoke with pride about a new university that will be 
installed in Haql in the near future. The university's 
academic focus will be administration and will allow more 
students to attend university since at the current time the 
nearest Saudi university is a full two hours away -- located 
in Tabuk. 
 
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The opportunity for an American delegation 
to visit Haql provided insights about a remote area of the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that has had little exposure to the 
United States and Western culture. Contrasts between Haql and 
the neighboring resorts in Jordan, Israel, and Egypt could 
not be more stark. On the one hand, the potential for tourism 
to Haql seems high -- given its natural resources and the 
easy access by travelers to the tightly-packed Gulf of Aqaba 
resort region.  At the same time, Saudi Arabia's 
strictly-controlled and still limited touristic ventures in 
recent years are not likely to awaken Haql from its quiet 
slumber.  END COMMENT. 
QUINN