Saudi cabinet follows up with deep concern Israel's violations in Gaza, WB

Cabinet urges Blair, Quartet Committee to intervene to stop Israeli aggressions

CP receives Russian national security adviser

The Saudi cabinet followed-up with deep concern Israel's violations and its policy of collective punishment practiced in the ugliest forms in Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The Cabinet decided that the Kingdom increase its humanitarian assistance to meet the subsistence needs of the Palestinian people. The Kingdom will immediately contact British Former Premier and Representative of the Quartet Committee Tony Blair and its members to move and assume their responsibilities and obligations towards the preservation of the human rights of the Palestinian people and the elimination of the consequences of Israeli practices which are prohibited by the international legitimacy yet have no deterrence. The Cabinet stressed that the continual Israeli transgressions will empty peace initiatives and the trends of peace and negotiations from their contents.

This came during the session the cabinet held under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad bin Amin Madani said that the King briefed the cabinet on the consultations, communications and meetings he held over the previous days including the visits paid to the Kingdom by Senegal's President Abdullah Wade, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, and President George W. Bush of the United States of America.

In this context, the Cabinet emphasized the importance attached to the convention of the next Islamic Summit in Senegal which follows the extraordinary Islamic Summit called for by The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and held in Makkah in 1426 H. The summit endorsed the Islamic Ten-Year Plan Action at various levels. The Cabinet also welcomed Senegal's hosting of preparations for the meeting of civil society organizations in the countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference. This meeting links the Summit's works with all institutions of the societies in the countries of the organization, which started by a meeting of intellectuals and Muslim scholars prior to the Makkah Summit.

The Cabinet affirmed the Kingdom's keenness on enhancing the Saudi-French relations to serve the common interests of both countries in the long term and to ensure the clear understanding of the regional issues The Cabinet expressed the deep friendship between the Kingdom and the United States of America and the Kingdom's confidence that the foundations laid in Annapolis conference and the affirmations of President Bush during his recent visit to the region would be committed and followed-up by the administration of the United States of America for the achievement of peace and stability for all countries of the region and for the presidency of President George W. Bush to witness the set-up of a real Palestinian state that ensures the emigrated and oppressed Palestinian people their legitimate national rights.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received Russian National Security Adviser Valentin Sobolev and the accompanying delegation.

The Adviser conveyed the greetings of President Vladimir Putin of Federal Republic of Russia to the Crown Prince. In turn, the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the Russian leadership.

During the audience, they discussed issues of mutual interest. The audience was attended by a number of senior officials.