Arab leaders didn’t wait until the holidays before they showered Condi Rice with jewels. Her haul from her Arab admirers was valued at $316,000 by the State Department’s Office of Protocol. King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan gave her an emerald and diamond necklace, a ring, a bracelet and earrings and a jewelry box to keep them in valued at $147,000 all in. In July, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia pressed on the secretary of her a ruby and diamond necklace with matching earrings, bracelet and ring worth $165,000 to go with a $170,000 flower petal motif necklace he gave her in 2005, but which was not previously declared. Laura Bush did less well from the Saudi king, making do with an $85,000 sapphire and diamond jewelry set and a tent made of gold. George W.’s gifts from Arab leaders amounted to $100,000 last year. More practical, the Swedish premier gave him a $570 “brush cutter” with “comfort grip handles.” The prime minister of Singapore gave the president $450 worth of gym kit, including a "uSurf Wave Action Exerciser" and an "iGallop Core and Abs Exerciser." Most unlikely gifts? Two machine guns given to General Peter Pace, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, from his Colombian and Russian counterparts. Most touching gift? Nuts and dried fruit from the Dalai Lama to the first lady. Value? Just $6. Under federal law, none of the gifts can be kept.
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