1. For an excellent recent survey, see Ramon Knauerhase, ‘Saudi Arabia Faces the Future’, Current History (February 1986) pp. 75–8. Also see Joseph Kostiner, ‘The Saudi Arabian Kingdom’, in Haim Shaked and Daniel Dishon (eds), Middle East Contemporary Survey, Volume VIII (Boulder, Col.: Westview Press, 1986) pp. 616–37; and Shireen Hunter, ‘The Gulf Economic Crisis and its Social and Political Consequences’, The Middle East Journal (Autumn 1986) pp. 593–613.
2. Economist Intelligence Unit, Country Report: Saudi Arabia, 1 (1987) p. 2.
3. Knauerhase, ‘Saudi Arabia Faces the Future’ p. 75.
4. Actually, progress in this area is already under way. In November 1985, the establishment of a military production organization was approved by the Council of Ministers. Early in 1986, the director of Pakistan’s military factories, Major General Talet Massoud, visited Riyadh for talks. Supervision and direction of indigenous production has subsequently become the responsibilty of an Arms Industries Corporation headed by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdel-Aziz. The first meeting was held on 28 July 1986. Cf. Middle East Economic Digest, Middle East Special Report: Saudi Arabia, p. 13.
5. Middle East Economic Digest, Saudi Arabia: MEED Special Report (June 1987) p. 8.