Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, President Mubarak discuss recent developments, Palestinian, Iraqi, Lebanese issues

King Abdullah reviews in cabinet means to deal with global economic developments

Chinese Mideast envoy: Our relations with Kingdom supports regional stability

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud held talks in Sharm El-Sheikh with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on major regional issues, including Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq.

Apart from discussing ways of further strengthening bilateral ties, the Saudi-Egyptian summit meeting, which was held at the Conference Center of this Red Sea resort, focused on Arab efforts to find a solution to the political crisis in Lebanon.

The two leaders also called for a just and comprehensive Middle East settlement that would ensure the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

They further reviewed the situation in Iraq, and emphasized the need to protect the country's security and territorial integrity.

Saudi Ambassador to Cairo Hisham Nazer said the talks were "highly important" in light of the current challenges facing the region. King Abdullah's visit was aimed at finding solutions to crises in the region, he said

. "The developments that are taking place in the region demand continuous consultation and coordination between Saudi Arabia and Egypt in light of their strong position at regional and international levels," the ambassador said

. He added that the meeting reflected the desire of both leaders to consult each other on key issues.

"The Sharm El-Sheikh meeting reflects the strong and historic relations between the two countries," he told the Saudi Press Agency. "These relations represent one of the central pillars of Arab cooperation," he added

. At Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, he was received by President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak; Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazeef; Minister of Defense and Military Production Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi; Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abu-Al-Gheit; Minister of Commerce and Industry Eng. Rasheed Mohammed Rasheed; Chief of Intelligence Authority Omer Suleiman; Chief of the Presidency of the Republic's Court Dr. Zakariya Azmi; Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Hisham Nazer; and Saudi Permanent Representative to the Arab League Ahmed Qattan.

The meeting comes after last month's Arab Summit in Damascus, which both leaders did not attend due to Syria's controversial role in Lebanon's political crisis. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal had earlier said the Damascus summit lacked the spirit of previous Arab summits. "We have not found that spirit in this summit. And that is why there has been an absence (of leaders) and a low-level representation," he added

. Expressing regret that some Lebanese political parties "attacked" the Arab League's resolution to bring an end to the crisis, Prince Saud called for the organization to take measures against countries that breach resolutions

. He denied that the Kingdom had pressured leaders of other countries to not attend the summit. "These are sovereign states. I do not think that they follow policies of another state," Prince Saud said.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud left Sharm el-Sheikh for Riyadh following a brief visit to Egypt. At the main gate of the Conference's Center, President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak bade the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud farewell.

At Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was seen off by Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazeef; Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abu-Al-Gheit; Minister of Commerce and Industry Eng. Rasheed Mohammed Rasheed; Chief of Intelligence Authority Omer Suleiman; Saudi Permanent Representative to the Arab League Ahmed Qattan and senior staff members of the Saudi Embassy in Cairo. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was accompanied by his official delegation.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received at his office at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh Portugal's Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Luis Amado and the accompanying delegation.

The Minister conveyed to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques the greetings of President Anibal Antonio Cavaco Silva of Portugal. In turn, the King sent his greetings to the President.

During the audience, issues of common interest were reviewed. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence; and a number of senior officials.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received at his office at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh Polish Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz and the accompanying delegation.

The Speaker conveyed the greetings of President Lech Kaczynski of Poland to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. In turn, the King sent his greetings to the President.

Issues of interest to the two countries were reviewed during the audience. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence and a number of senior officials.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received at his office at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace Albanian Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli and the accompanying delegation.

During the audience, the Speaker thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for receiving her and the accompanying delegation and for warm welcome and generous hospitality.

Several of issues were reviewed during the audience which was attended by Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence; and a number of officials.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom and Chairman of Board of Trustees of Middle East Institute Wyche Fowler.

The audience was attended by Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence and a number of princes and officials.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace.

At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the meetings and communications he held over the previous days with a number of leaders of countries, their envoys and representatives of international organizations.

In this context, the Monarch valued the visit paid by Sheikh Sabah Alahmad Aljaber Alsabah, the Emir of Kuwait, to the Kingdom on Saturday and the consultations which took place during the visit which aimed to boost the brotherly relations between the two countries, Arab unity, Arab national interests, and the causes of the Islamic nation.

The King also appreciated his meeting with the President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.

The King stressed the constant support of the Kingdom for the Palestinian people, their national unity and legitimate rights.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Amin Madani said that regarding Arab affairs, the Cabinet affirmed that the kingdom is following up with great concern the latest events at the Iraqi arena.

The cabinet reiterated the kingdom's keenness on the Iraqi territorial integrity and the protection of the Iraqi national will from foreign hegemony and infiltrations.

The Minister of Culture and Information added that the Cabinet was briefed on a number of reports on the international economic situations and their effects on the national economy.

The King directed that the international economic developments, the decreased production of some foodstuffs at their sources of origin, their increased consumption and their increased prices should be dealt with carefully, scientifically and methodically in a way that alleviates their negative effects on the Saudi economy, maintains the grounds of the national economic activity and its vitality, and expands the role of the private sector in it.

The Minister noted that the Cabinet reviewed a number of topics on its agenda and issued the following decisions:

The Cabinet approved the participation of the Supreme Commission for Tourism in the membership of Arab Tourism Guides Union.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Interior, or his deputy, to discuss a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of civil defense between the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco; and sign it.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance --or his deputy-- to discuss with the Indonesian side a draft memorandum of understanding in the field of Islamic affairs and endowments between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia; and sign it.

The Cabinet authorized the Minister of Higher Education --or his deputy-- to discuss with the Argentine side a draft memorandum on scientific and educational cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Argentina; and sign it.

The Cabinet authorized the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology --or his deputy-- to discuss a draft agreement on scientific and technical cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the United States of America; and sign it.

The Cabinet approved two agreements on mutual promotion and protection of investment between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on one hand and the Government of the Turkish Republic and the Government of the Federal Republic of Switzerland on the other which were signed in Ankara on 08/08/2006 and in Riyadh on 01/04/2006.

The Cabinet approved a number of appointments as follows:

1- Prince Abdullah bin Fahd bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Saud as Undersecretary Governor for Security Affairs at the Governorate of Makkah Region.

2- Saad bin Zaid bin Abdulrahman Al-Zaid as Committee Coordinator at the Secretariat General of the Cabinet.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Minister of Interior received in Riyadh the President of National Society for Human Rights, Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Hajjar, the Society's Vice President Dr. Muflih bin Rabiean Al-Qahtani and members of the Society.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz welcomed the president and the members, thanking the Society for its great role to implement its national tasks and functions, and wishing that the Society contributes to promoting and supporting the concept of human rights in accordance with the Islamic Sharia. Prince Naif wished them all success.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of topics pertaining to the prosperity and good living of citizens and residents.

On the other hand, the Chinese envoy to the Middle East Sun Bigan, described the anxiety of some countries towards the growing Saudi –Chinese relations as unjustified, considering this relation as a major aspect to the region stability.

In an interview with Al-Riyadh newspaper, he denied that his country's relation with Gulf countries is a mere economic, adding that China has a full cooperation in economic, cultural, energy and environment protection fields, giving an example with the dialogue arranged in the Kingdom between China and Arab countries.

Sun didn't confirm his country's important role in Iraq, yet he showed his countries excellence in its efforts to reconstruct Iraq.

The Chinese envoy added that the relation between the Kingdom and China doesn't harm any third party; on the contrary, it supports establishing stability and security in the region.

There's a friendship relation between China and Iraq and the Iraqi people has the right to decide their fate. The neighbor countries should exert their utmost to guarantee Iraq stability and security, he added.

We have a firm stand towards the Iranian nuclear profile: We call for nuclear non-proliferation but at the same time this has to be done through diplomatic channels, he concluded.