Saudi cabinet under King Abdullah stresses Saudi Arabia won’t tolerate any violation of sovereignty over its lands

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques says kingdom is strong, capable of deterring any aggressors

Assistant Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Sultan tours borders, asserts Jabal Dokhan is under control

Prince Khalid: Houthis are a group that betrayed its nation

King Abdullah instructs Saudi forces not to advance one inch into others’ lands, nor allow anyone enter ours, says Prince Khalid

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chaired the weekly cabinet meeting at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

At the outset of the session, King Abdullah briefed the cabinet on the talks, contacts, consultations he made over the past few days with world leaders or their envoys including the message he received from Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah as well as the two phone calls he received from Jordanian King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak in which they expressed their condemnation of the sinful attacks which targeted Saudi territories. They also expressed full support for the steps taken by the Kingdom to defend its soil and security.

King Abdullah in turn expressed appreciation for their support as well as the support of other Arab countries and Gulf, Arab and Islamic Organizations who denounced the attacks.

He also briefed the cabinet on the message he received from Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifah as well as those he received from Japanese Premier Yukio Hatoyama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the meeting, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja said the cabinet listened to a report on the security measures and preparations made by the Kingdom to defend its borders after a group of militants attempted to infiltrate the border through Jabal Dukhan in the Jazan region and targeted border guard personnel stationed there.

Dr. Khoja hailed the effective measures taken to deal with the situation including the evacuation of borderline villages as well as the successful military operations carried out by the Saudi Armed Forces within Saudi borders.

The cabinet stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not tolerate any violation of its sovereign lands, underlining that such illegal infiltration gives it the full right to take all measures to end it in addition to taking the necessary measures to protect its citizens and lands, secure its borders, deter the aggressors, put an end to anyone thinking of carrying out any infiltrations or sabotage and to prevent any repetitions in the future.

The cabinet appreciated the efforts and coordination carried out by all various sectors in taking all necessary measures to maintain the security and stability of the homeland and citizens. The cabinet expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the martyrs and wished the injured quick recovery.

The minister said the cabinet, then, listened to a report on the development of events regionally and internationally, reiterating the firm positions of the kingdom toward them.

Then, the cabinet reviewed a number of economic, social and scientific activities witnessed by the kingdom during the week.

In this regard, the cabinet highlighted the launching of the joint project between the Saudi Basic Industries Company "SABIC" and the Chinese company Sinopec and the launching of the production plants of refined petrochemical and oil products of Rabigh Company for Refining and Petrochemicals "PetroRabigh" in a strategic partnership between Saudi Aramco and the Japanese Company Sumitomo Chemical, stressing that the two projects embody the strong relations between the kingdom and China and Japan in various fields and are an important fruit of cooperation between the Saudi companies and these companies, which is a start for more cooperation projects.

The Minister of Culture and Information stated that then, the cabinet continued the discussion of its agenda and issued the following decisions:

First, the cabinet approved the addition of the president of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to the membership of the Civil Defense Council.

Second, the cabinet authorized the Minister of Higher Education, or his deputy, to discuss with the Bosnian side a draft memorandum of scientific and educational cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education and Sciences in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and sign it.

Third, the cabinet approved item (sixth) of the rules and arrangements concerning how to treat Saudis working in the sectors targeted for privatization when these sectors are transferred to the private sector as is decreed by the cabinet’s decision number 210 dated on 18/7/1429 H. After amendment, the text of item (sixth) will include a number of measures:

1- Formation of a standing committee at the Pension General Authority with participation by the Ministry of Finance, the Social Insurance General Corporation and the ministry or body supervising the sector targeted for privatization.

2- This committee shall carry out comprehensive studies on the financial costs which might result from the application of these rules on the employees of the sector targeted for privatization and which might be shouldered by either the civil pension or social insurance systems, and propose possible solutions for financing these costs provided that the supervising body or the body to which the sector targeted for privatization belongs shall bear the necessary costs for conducting the actuarial studies.

3- The Pension General Authority shall call for a meeting with the committee in each privatization case in a period not exceeding four months from the date of the issuance of the decision of the Supreme Economic Council approving the executive program of privatizing the sector targeted for privatization provided that the concerned body shall provide the Pension General Authority with a copy of that decision.

4- The committee shall complete its work in a period not exceeding one year from the date of the start of their first meeting on the sector targeted for privatization, and the Pension General Authority shall submit the results reached by the committee to the cabinet.

Fourth, the cabinet authorized the Minister of Transport, or his deputy to sign The Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden signed in Djibouti on 29 January 2009 according to the text attached to the decision provided that the Ministry of Transport shall submit the final copy approved by the International Maritime Organization to complete the legal measures.

Fifth, the cabinet approved appointments at the 14th rank and the position of Minister Plenipotentiary as follows:

1- Mohammad bin Salih bin Abdullah Almoanas is appointed to the position of security advisor at the 14th rank at the Ministry of Interior,

2- Dr. Ali bin Abdulkareem bin Ibrahim Almosalam is appointed to the position of consultant computer engineer at the 14th rank at the Ministry of Interior,

3- Turki bin Khalid bin Faisal bin Hashr is appointed to the position of Minister Plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry,

4- Ahmad bin Mohammad bin Abdullah Albihlal is appointed to the position of Minister Plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, visited the region of Jazan.

During the visit, he went to the center of command and control in Alkhobah where he was briefed on progress of operations and then went to the units of paratroopers and special security units. In a speech on the occasion, he hailed the courage of the armed forces in confronting the aggressors.

Then, Prince Khalid went to the command of the 18th brigade and was briefed on its duties.

Prince Khalid said that the situation is fully under control and reassuring, that readiness is strong and that morale is high.

At the end of the tour, he told reporters that "We are dealing with infiltrators, with gangs. Thanks Allah, the situation is reassuring. All what they previously seized especially "Jabal Dokhan" has been completely controlled even if there are some infiltrations in some places. But, we assure all that the situation is reassuring, readiness is strong and morale is very high...the mountains inside the kingdom have been cleared..."

Prince Khalid said the operations resulted in the martyrdom of three security men and the injury of 15. Most of the inured left the hospital. Only three remain receiving treatment, he said. Five are missing. One of them returned. Those are missing, not captives, he added. A number of infiltrators has been arrested, he stated.

Prince Khalid stressed the strength of Saudi-Yemeni relations.

The prince visited Jazan at King Fahd Central Hospital, Jazan, the wounded who confronted the intruders while performing duty towards their religion, King and Country.

Prince Khalid got reassured about their health condition and conveyed to them, the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz - the Supreme Commander of all military forces; the Crown Prince, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General and the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.