Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques discusses with Abbas Palestinian issue, receives two messages from Yemeni, Russian presidents

Crown Prince thanks governor, people of al-Kharj over recovery congratulations

Second Deputy Premier Prince Naif patronizes NAUSS batch graduation ceremonies

Prince Abdulrahman patronizes King Fahd Naval College batch graduation ceremonies

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz received a message from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih.

The message was delivered to the king by Vice President of Yemen Abdraboh Hadi during an audience. The audience was attended by a number of princes and senior officials.

King Abdullah received at the Royal Court at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas.

During the audience, they discussed the developments of the Palestinian cause as well as the efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees the establishment of Palestinian independent state on the Palestinian national soil.

The audience was attended by Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister; Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, Adviser to the King; Prince Dr. Bandar bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Saud, Adviser to the King; Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, President of the Cabinet Presidency Court.

The audience was also attended by President of Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Department Dr. Saeb Erekat, Palestinian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Jamal Abdul-Latif Al-Shubaki and Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

King Abdullah also received in Jeddah princes and senior officials of the Royal Court and Cabinet.

He also received a number of scholars, military officials and citizens who came to congratulate him on the 4th Anniversary of the Allegiance-Pledge.

The king also received in Jeddah Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz on the occasion of the issuance of the royal order appointing Prince Miteb as Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Executive Affairs.

During the audience, the king congratulated Prince Miteb on this occasion wishing success.

For his part, Prince Miteb thanked the king for the confidence in him.

In a statement following the occasion, Prince Miteb said the king urged him to serve his religion, homeland and citizens of the country.

King Abdullah chaired at the Royal Court at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah the Cabinet meeting.

At the outset of the session, the cabinet noted the increased development rate over the last four years as well as the King's devotion to enhancing improvement, development, prosperity in the Kingdom as well as his keenness to apply advanced technological breakthroughs to fulfill the kingdom's needs for advancement.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Moheiaddin Khoja said the cabinet also commended the King's endeavors to bring about peace and stability to the region as well as his efforts to rebuild Arab unity and overcome differences. He added that the Cabinet also lauded the King's stances on international issues as well as his remarkable role in calling for mutual human understanding and dialogue.

Dr. Khoja added that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also briefed the cabinet on the discussions, consultations, meetings and contacts he made over the past few days with leaders and envoys of friendly countries including his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas which focused on the latest developments and peace process in the region as well as the messages he received from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. He also briefed the cabinet on the two phone calls he received from Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifah and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Domestically, the cabinet lauded the establishment of King Abdullah Chair for Hisbah (virtue promotion and vice prevention) at King Saud University and the establishment of Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Chair for Virtue Promotion and Vice Prevention at the Islamic University, and stressed the important contributions these will make to the support and achievement of the virtuous goals of this great Islamic institution. The two research chairs are part of the increasing expansion of scholarly venues at various Saudi universities to help promote studies and research in various specializations.

Dr. Khoja concluded that after closely reviewing its agenda, the cabinet took the following decisions:

First: the cabinet approved a number of measures concerning rural complexes including the cancellation of organizational structures of rural complexes and transforming them according to the following arrangements:

1- Transforming the rural complexes -- 44 rural complexes in all-- contained in the minutes of the Ministerial Committee for Administrative Organization number 70 on 15/2/1428 H. -- to municipalities of category D,

2- Expanding the categories of municipalities to become five categories-- A, B, C, D, E-- and transforming the remaining rural complexes to municipalities of category E.

Second: the cabinet approved the amendment of the beginning of the next school year 1430/1431 H. (for male and female students) to begin at all education levels on Saturday 14/10/1430 H. corresponding to 3/10/2009 G.

Third: the cabinet approved:

1- The publication of final decisions issued by special judicial committees whose decisions are final,

2- The legal department at the ministry or the governmental agency that has the committee shall carry out the task of categorizing the decisions and preparing their final texts to be ready for publication after removing names from them.

3- The technology and information department at the ministry or the governmental agency that has the committee shall carry out the task of establishing electronic sites or web-pages for these committees affiliated to the site of the ministry or the governmental agency as well as the task of publishing the decisions electronically,

4- The ministry or the governmental agency that has the committee shall print a limited number of these decisions.

Fourth: the cabinet authorized the Minister of Water and Electricity or his deputy to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity and the Korean Ministry of Environment for cooperation in the field of the administration of water and sanitary drainage.

Fifth: the cabinet approved an amendment of the servicemen regulations to allow the possibility of combining two raises of those included in the table of other raises accompanying this regulation.

Sixth: the cabinet approved a number of appointments and a transfer at the 15th and 14th ranks as follows:

1- Eng. Jdaia' bin Nahar bin Bjad Alqahtani is appointed to the position of advisor for technical affairs at the 15th rank at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs,

2- Abdulsalam bin Solaiman bin Mohammad Mashat is appointed to the position of undersecretary of the mayor for services at the 14th rank at Makkah municipality,

3- Eng. Shojaa' bin Yahya bin A'amir Al Moslih is appointed to the position of undersecretary of the mayor for municipalities affairs at the 14th rank at the eastern region municipality,

4- Khalid bin Othman bin Mohammad Alsaghair is transferred from the position of director general of educational media at the 14th rank to the position of director general of the legal department at the same rank at the Ministry of Education/Boys' Education,

5- Abdullah bin Fahd bin Ali Almosaed is appointed to the position of director general of educational media at the 14th rank at the Ministry of Education/Boys' Education,

6- Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Abdullah Alhomaidhi is appointed to the position of director general of the affairs of students abroad at the 14th rank at the Ministry of Higher Education.

Meanwhile, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the second deputy premier and interior minister, and who is also the president of the supreme council for Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS), patronized in Riyadh a graduation ceremony for a new batch of students of faculties of higher studies, training, criminal evidences' sciences and languages at the university.

In an address at the ceremony, Prince Naif congratulated the graduates and hoped that they would positively contribute to the service of their society.

He underlined the importance of adherence to the religious teachings and loyalty to the homeland and rulers.

Prince Naif pointed out that the youth constitutes the most important resource for any country, adding that our ambitions are unlimited as regards matching the scientific development.

"Thanks to Allah Almighty, we have now prominent scientists in several domains," Prince Naif said.

"Without knowledge and sciences, we cannot achieve what has been achieved by others," he noted.

He said that the Kingdom was unified by the late King Abdulaziz and his sons who followed the footsteps of their great father.

Despite the difficult circumstances being faced by numerous countries in the world, the Kingdom with the grace of Allah Almighty is in a good condition.

He pointed out that the Kingdom has faced challenges and endeavors to undermine its security and stability and impede the wheel of development, but with the grace of Allah Almighty and the directives of the wise leadership and the sincere performance of its sons, as well as the responsibility shouldered by the security men as regards defending their religion and country, the Kingdom has overcome all difficulties.

He expressed appreciation for the efforts exerted by President of the University Dr Abdulaziz al-Ghamidi and the members of its academic staff as well as administrators who work tirelessly.

Prince Naif highlighted the good reputation earned by the University and said it has become a center for knowledge and attractive facility for researchers.

He noted that the university is working to broaden its activities and to attract more students.

Prince Naif also praised the support being extended to the University by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz.

He also lauded the role of the Arab interior ministers who are briefed on the annual reports of the university and who extend support to it.

Prince Naif said the scientific researches conducted by the University have contributed to enriching the Arab library.

Speaking on the occasion, Antonio Guterres, the UN’s higher commissioner for refugee’s affairs, said the Kingdom has been playing a pioneering role in the field of humanitarian charitable works, and lauded the significant role being played by the University.

On his part, regional representative for the UN’s anti-drugs and crime office in Cairo Mohammed Abdulaziz appraised the scientific programs being carried out by NAUSS and said the University has become one of the networks of the UN for criminal justice and combating crime.

Dr. Mohammed Yahya Matar, speaking on behalf of Johns Hopkins University, hailed the Kingdom's role in combating human trading and said the university has signed an agreement with the University for cooperation in various scientific programs notably in the field of combating human trading.

Meanwhile, Peter Colgin, conveyed to Prince Naif the greetings of the director general of the international agency for atomic energy (IAEA) Mohammed Al-Bradei and his blessings to the existing cooperation between IAEA and the University.

He noted that the existing cooperation between IAEA and the University has yielded positive results.

The function was attended by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the chairman of the board of directors of King Faisal research and Islamic studies center, other princes and senior officials.

Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Ghamidi, the President of the University, said the contemporary world is witnessing political conflicts, seditions, ideological disputes and security problems.

"Due to its political and economic weight as well as its civilization heritage, the Arab world will not stand aloof from these crises because it has been attracting the attention of all parties in the east and the west".

He called for a successful and comprehensive vision for the global security taking into account the developments and future changes.