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

The lavish gifts include diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels worth $500,000 received by Hillary Clinton from the Saudi Arabian king.

Hillary 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 U.S. officials in 2012.

The gift-giving continues a long-held tradition of international diplomacy, in which the wealthy and powerful 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 kept depending on their value. The Hill newspaper first reported on the gifts.

In addition to her jewels from Saudi Arabia, Hillary 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; gold, sapphire and diamond jewelry worth $58,000 from Brunei; and a sword from Yemen.

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.

Hillary Clinton received $500,000 diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels from Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz

Hillary Clinton received $500,000 diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels from Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz

Gifts were also given to Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, former CIA Chief David Petraeus and Chief Justice John Roberts, among others.

Joe Biden’s gifts included a silver knife and chopsticks from Mongolia, a leather cigar box from Mexico, and a female bare-breasted bust from Liberia.

In every case, officials accepted the items because “non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and US”, according to a document provided by the State Department.

SAMPLING OF ITEMS RECEIVED BY US OFFICIALS:

President Barack Obama’s gifts included:

  • Christmas mugs, coffee, and steak knives from Brunei
  • Basketball autographed by Chinese President Xi Jinping
  • “Silver figure representing [an] oversized coffee bean” from Colombia
  • Leather wallet and tote bag from France
  • Porcelain vase decorated with images of the White House and Kremlin from Russia
  • Chest of liquor and a Coca-Cola bottle decorated with beads from Mexico
  • 41-inch saber from Mongolia

Hillary Clinton’s gifts included:

  • Wine from Algeria
  • Two-piece bronze sculpture of a red chili pepper from Singapore
  • Cuff bracelet, necklace and earrings from Kazakhstan
  • Caviar and a wool carpet from Azerbaijan
  • Cognac from Russia
  • Gold, sapphire and diamond jewelry worth $58,000 from Brunei
  • Sword from Yemen

Joe Biden’s gifts included:

  • Silver knife and chopsticks from Mongolia
  • Leather cigar box from Mexico
  • A female bare-breasted bust from Liberia

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The US state department has revealed the annual list of gifts received by President Barack Obama from foreign governments in 2011.

Among the gifts from the British Royal Family and UK PM David Cameron to President Barack Obama were a china tea set, an eagle tapestry and a dog toy.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave the Obamas an array of luxury goods valued at $41,676.

Following US custom, the First Family and other US public officials seldom keep gifts from foreign leaders.

They are instead deposited with the US National Archives.

The US state department has revealed the annual list of gifts received by President Barack Obama from foreign governments in 2011

The US state department has revealed the annual list of gifts received by President Barack Obama from foreign governments in 2011

The gifts were reported in an annual filing by the US state department’s protocol office.

Queen Elizabeth II gave Barack Obama a red leather-bound volume entitled A Selection of Papers From the Royal Archives 1834-1897, signed photos of herself to several senior White House aides, and a brooch with gold leaves and coral flowers to First Lady Michelle Obama.

Prince Charles gave the Obamas a 15-piece china tea set.

British PM David Cameron gave the family a large tapestry with an eagle and American flag design by the Rug Company, silver bracelets for daughters Sasha and Malia, and a “bone-shaped chew toy with United Kingdom flag”, presumably for Bo, the family’s four-year-old dog.

The gifts from the Royal Family and David Cameron total about $7,137.

Canadian PM Stephen Harper gave Barack Obama a ball signed by the 2011 Toronto Raptors professional basketball team, as well as a “golden-framed 19th Century antique map of North America, surrounded by drawings of North American Indians, beavers”.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy presented the Obama family with an array of gifts on several occasions in 2011, among them a glass sculpture of Bucephalus, Alexander the Great’s horse, several Hermes bags, a 200 euro souvenir coin and a reusable grocery tote.

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