ABU DHABI Ñ Saudi Arabia's unofficial boycott on American products
has significantly affected exports from the United States.
U.S. government data report that U.S. exports to the kingdom have
reached their lowest level since 1990. Saudi sources cite the boycott that
began in April 2002 for the reduced exports. The boycott was encouraged by
prominent Saudis and advertised in newspapers, mosques, schools and over the
Internet.
The U.S. Census Bureau said that during the first half of this year U.S.
exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to $2.2 billion. This was a 30.5 percent
decrease from the same period in 2001.
In the first half of 1998, U.S. exports to the kingdom reached an
all-time high of $5 billion. In 1990, U.S. exports to Riyad were reported at
$1.7 billion.
The United States has exported a range of goods and services to Riyad,
much of which included weapons. For its part, Saudi Arabia exported mostly
crude oil to the United States.
The greatest decrease in U.S. exports was comprised of beverages,
tobacco
and machinery.
The U.S. government statistics also cited a sharp drop in Saudi exports,
mostly crude oil, to the United States. The Census Bureau said Saudi exports
to Washington reached $5.6 billion during the first half of 2002.
This was a 24.2 percent decrease from the same period during the
previous year. Saudi Arabia has been the leading U.S. trading partner in the
Middle East, with Riyad exporting $14.2 billion worth of goods and importing
$6.2 billion
in 2000.
In all, Saudi Arabia exported $13.3 billion to the United States last
year, the foreign trade division of the U.S. Census Bureau reported. Of that
figure $12.6 billion, or 95 percent were oil and natural gas.
