[DEBATE] : Arab Monarchs Lavish Condoleezza Rice with Gifts

[Miles Teg]

Rice tops USA 'official gift list' - Ms Rice received $312,000
(£211,000) worth of jewels from the king of Saudi Arabia - worth three 
times more than his gifts to President George W Bush.

Rice tops USA 'official gift list'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7798561.stm

USA Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has topped the list of USA 
officials for the number of gifts received in 2007, a state department 
report shows.

Ms Rice received $312,000 (£211,000) worth of jewels from the king of 
Saudi Arabia - worth three times more than his gifts to President George 
W Bush.

Among the presents listed for First Lady Laura Bush were "nuts and dried 
fruit" from the Dalai Lama - worth $6.

However, all gifts remain public property in keeping with USA law.

In January 2007, Saudi King Abdullah presented Ms Rice with a diamond 
and emerald set - including a necklace, bracelet, earrings and a ring - 
worth $147,000 (£100,000), according to the list.

In July 2007, he gave Ms Rice a set of diamond and ruby jewellery valued 
at $165,000.

The inventory also includes a $170,000 flower petal necklace he gave Ms 
Rice in 2005, which the department says was not previously disclosed.

Earlier, the state department reported erroneously that the jewellery 
valued at $147,000 had been given to Ms Rice by King Abdullah II of 
Jordan, not the Saudi monarch.

Fitness machines

Mr Bush's wife, Laura, also received a diamond and sapphire set from the 
Saudi monarch, but hers was worth just half that given to Ms Rice at 
$85,000.

 From the same Arab leaders, President Bush received just over $100,000 
in gifts in 2007, the list shows.

Among the more offbeat gifts, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrick Reinfeldt 
honoured the USA leader with a $570 made-in-Sweden power saw equipped 
"with comfort grip handles", presumably for use at his Texas ranch.

And the prime minister of Singapore gave Mr Bush $450 worth of fitness 
equipment, including a uSurf Wave Action Exerciser and an iGallop Core 
and Abs Exerciser.

The wife of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave Mrs Bush two 
hand-embroidered pillows with the names and images of first dogs Barney 
and Miss Beazley worth $100.

Unfortunately for the recipients, the gifts must be turned over to the 
General Services Administration in accordance with US law, which bars 
politicians and officials from accepting personal presents in almost all 
circumstances.