Saudis, Brits Firm Up Linkage

From Arab News:

JEDDAH: Saudi and British health-care links will be given a boost on Monday when the Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah signs a new memorandum of understanding with his British counterpart, Secretary of State Andrew Lansley.

Al-Rabeeah is in London at the invitation of the British government. His visit comes as the UK and Saudi Arabia look to extend the level of scientific, educational and commercial collaboration between the two countries.

The signing will take place on the first day of a two-day visit to the UK by Rabeeah that will also see him travel to Liverpool for discussions with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. In a separate engagement, he will meet Lord Darzi of Denham, the renown Iraqi-born surgeon and professor, at London’s Imperial College.

British Embassy spokesperson Nick Heath said that the visit should further develop medical links between Saudi Arabia and the UK.

“Dr. Al-Rabeeah has an ambitious agenda for the ministry in Saudi Arabia and for ensuing the provision of health care across the Kingdom remains world class,” he said. “This agreement will help ensure that the UK and Saudi Arabia can continue to learn from each other in this important field.”...

Trust the Brits to shun Israel, where medicine and science truly are cutting edge, and instead hook up with Wahhabis, whose "cutting edge" consists of advising burqa-wearers to take their Vitamin D.