Clinton gets new stairway as “all that glitters is gold” with Saudi King as “girls best friend”

Saudi King Abdullah Lavishes Hillary Clinton With N81 Million ($500K) Worth Of Jewels
1 September, 2013 – by naijamayor
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This file photo shows, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, right, holding a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Riyadh. Photo: AP

This file photo shows, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, right, holding a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Riyadh. Photo: AP

Foreign leaders gave lavish gifts to a number of US officials last year, including the Saudi Arabian king, who gave Hillary Clinton diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels worth half a million dollars.

Clinton’s gifts from King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz – which included a necklace, bracelet, earrings and a ring – were by far the most expensive items among the hundreds of gifts given to US officials in 2012.

A complete list of the gifts received last year, as well as a couple dozen from previous years, were disclosed by the State Department on Thursday.

The gift-giving continues a long-held tradition of international diplomacy, in which dignitaries show their appreciation for one another by exchanging artwork, jewelry, electronics and other presents.

Most of the items are required to be donated to the national archives, though a few may be bought by the recipients. The Hill newspaper first reported on the gifts.

In addition to her jewels from Saudi Arabia, Clinton also received wine from Algeria; a two-piece bronze sculpture of a red chili pepper from Singapore; a cuff bracelet, necklace and earrings from Kazakhstan; caviar and a wool carpet from Azerbaijan; Cognac from Russia; and gold, sapphire and diamond jewelry worth $58,000 from Brunei.

Among President Obama’s gifts were: Christmas mugs, coffee, and steak knives from Brunei; a basketball autographed by Chinese President Xi Jinping; a ‘silver figure representing [an] oversized coffee bean’ from Colombia; a leather wallet and tote bag from France; a porcelain vase decorated with images of the White House and Kremlin from Russia; a chest of liquor and a Coca-Cola bottle decorated with beads from Mexico; and a 41-inch saber from Mongolia. …more