Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques receives U.S. official, chairs cabinet session

Prince Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf: Prince Sultan University boasts good ranking amongst Saudi, Arab universities

Prince Faisal bin Sultan announces launch of construction works on Tabuk charity housing project's 2nd stage

Prince of Makkah patronizes Jeddah trade forum's inaugural session

Saudi Arabia addresses 11th human rights council session

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received former US National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.

The audience was attended by Governor of Northern Borders Region Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Musa’id; Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz; Chief of General Intelligence Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz and a number of princes and officials.

King Abdullah also sent a cable of congratulations to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the anniversary of his country's National Day.

In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah wished the President permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity.

The king sent a cable of congratulations to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the anniversary of her country's Independence Day.

In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah wished the President permanent good health and happiness and her people steady progress and prosperity.

Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has sent a cable of congratulations to Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on the anniversary of his country's National Day.

In his cable, the Crown Prince wished the President permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity.

Crown Prince Sultan also sent a cable of Congratulations to Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo on the anniversary of her country's Independence Day.

In his cable, the Crown Prince wished the President permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity.

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

At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques 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 the phone call he received from Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Moheiaddin Khojah said that the Cabinet discussed the inspection tour the King made to King Abdullah University for Sciences and Technology which will be opening later this year. He added that the Cabinet considered the commencement of studying at the new university at this date a major step forward.

Dr. Khojah also added that the cabinet listened to a report on combating Swine Flue (H1N1)-- declared pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO)-- as well as preparations for containing the virus spread in this year's Hajj season.

The cabinet stressed the importance of concerted efforts regionally and internationally especially those advised by WHO and world organizations for combating the disease.

Dr. Khojah also added that the cabinet discussed latest developments especially the situation in Palestine as well as the results of US envoy's recent visit to the region regarding US commitments and peace efforts in the region.

Dr. Khojah concluded that after closely reviewing its agenda, the cabinet approved the following:

The Foreign Ministry shall discuss with the British side the signing of a memorandum of understanding -- or a similar document-- on organization of the process of taking the biological data (finger print and face image) for whoever wants to get an entry visa to Britain of the citizens and expatriates of the Kingdom through the approved commercial partner.

The Foreign Ministry shall discuss with other countries desiring to take similar measures the signing of memoranda of understanding-- or similar documents-- on issuance of entry visas.

The cabinet approved the enforcement of the decision of the financial and economic cooperation committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its 76th meeting held in the city of Doha, Qatar, on 5/5/1429 H. corresponding to 10/5/2008 G. on the addition of goods committed by Oman to the World Trade Organization to the list of goods exempt from the unified customs tariff of the GCC countries.

The cabinet approved the enforcement of the decision of the financial and economic cooperation committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its 77th meeting held in the city of Jeddah on 17/9/1429 H. corresponding to 17/9/2008 G. on the addition of goods committed by Kuwait to the World Trade Organization within the framework of the agreement of information technology to the list of goods exempt from the unified customs tariff of the GCC countries.

The cabinet approved the enforcement of the decision of the financial and economic cooperation committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its 77th meeting held in the city of Jeddah on 17/9/1429 H. corresponding to 17/9/2008 G. on the amended controls for the exemption of industry input from customs taxes (duties) in the GCC countries.

The cabinet approved a committee named (the National Committee for Clean Development Mechanism) under the supervision of the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

The committee shall be presided over by a representative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the membership of a number of relevant departments.

The Committee shall carry out a number of tasks including the identification of the necessary criteria to evaluate the projects that achieve the desired goals of the clean development mechanism as well as the follow-up of the work of the executive council of the mechanism of the clean development mechanism formed under Kyoto Protocol and making the necessary contacts with it and with other relevant bodies.

The cabinet decided to continue the state's adoption of financing the activities of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and its programs for domestic tourism. The cabinet decided to establish local tourism development companies in capital of which the state will participate.

Their basic tasks shall be the development of tourist destinations especially in the new tourist areas in the kingdom.

The cabinet decided to find appropriate forms for government lending funds' participation in financing local tourism projects.

The cabinet decided that the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and its agencies in the regions shall work for increasing the participation of the private sector in the local tourism development and in the voluntary financing of the activities of the local tourism promotion.

The cabinet decided that the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities shall benefit from the income it generates from the services and licenses it provides in its field of work covering the operation of local tourism.

The cabinet decided that the government departments owning tourism places shall work to invest in them and to let them for long-term periods so as to help in their development and investment.

The cabinet approved the agreement on encouragement of mutual investments and their protection between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ukraine signed in the city of Riyadh on 3/4/1429 H. corresponding to 9/4/2008 G.

The cabinet approved two appointments at the 14th rank as follows:

1- Eng. Abdulaziz bin Mohammad bin Fahd Almazyad is appointed to the position of assistant undersecretary of the ministry for technical affairs at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.

2- Ibrahim bin Ahmad bin Salih Alsoqo'oob is appointed to the position of assistant undersecretary of the ministry for radio affairs at the Ministry of Culture and Information.

On the other hand, Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, thanked Crown Prince Sultan on the occasion of the start of the construction work of 250 new housing units representing the second phase of Sultan bin Abdulaziz Charity Housing Foundation's project in nine sites in the region of Tabuk.

Prince Fahd thanked the crown prince in a cable he sent to him on this occasion saying the housing units will help many families benefiting from this project.

Meanwhile, in Riyadh the Security Spokesman of the Interior Ministry said this morning the ongoing efforts to restore citizens detained in Guantanamo Bay, have resulted in the extradition of three citizens who arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last week.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Spokesman said that the citizens are:

-Ahmed Zaid Salem Zuhair,

-Khalid Saad Mohammed Al-Seif,

-Abdulaziz Kadim Salim Al-E'eili.

He pointed out that the three citizens will be subject to the Kingdom's regulations, noting that their relatives have been informed of their arrival and all facilities have been provided for their families to meet them.

The Security Spokesman stressed that the Kingdom is proceeding in its efforts to bring back the remaining Saudi detainees in Guantanamo Bay, in spite of the difficulties confronting these efforts as a result of violation of the regulations and instructions by some citizens who have been extradited earlier.

He commended the major role of continual commitment to instructions and regulations by those citizens extradited earlier to support the efforts of extraditing all citizens detained abroad.

The Spokesman expressed the Kingdom's satisfaction and appreciation of the level of cooperation shown by the competent authorities of the United States of America with the efforts to extradite all Saudi detainees in Guantanamo Bay.

In Tunis, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu praised the leading role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the establishment of OIC that is currently comprises 57 states.

In a press interview published by the Tunisia-based Al-Sabah Newspaper, Dr. Ihsanoglu lauded the continued support given by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to OIC so that OIC can achieve its goals.

He also highlighted the successes achieved by OIC at the level of Islamic action.

The Deputy Chairman of Saudi Human Rights Commission Dr. Zaid bin Abdulmohsen Al Hussein, who is leading the Kingdom's delegation to the 11th Session of the Human Rights Council held yesterday in Geneva, stressed that the desire for development patronized by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and followed by keen interest by the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier has been translated into ongoing development programs that promote and protect human rights.

In a speech while reviewing the Kingdom's Universal Periodic Report (UPR), Dr. Al Hussein highlighted the royal orders forming the Supreme Judicial Council, the Supreme Court, the Administrative Judicial Council and the Supreme Administrative Court, stressing that the Shoura Council has approved the system for combating human trafficking.

Dr. Al Hussein emphasized that the promotion of human rights requires constant and balanced effort that takes into account the social and cultural conditions.

Dr. Al Hussein drew attention to the fact that the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for dialogue among followers of religions, cultures and civilizations emanated from the Kingdom's belief in this trend which emphasizes that dialogue is the effective way to avoid conflicts and disputes that lead to violence among human beings.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rejected the recommendations of the members of the Human Rights Council and the non-governmental organizations in Geneva regarding the abolition of the death penalty and corporal punishment.

Dr. Al Hussein noted that that the Kingdom accepts the recommendations put forward within the limits of its commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ratified by the Royal Decree No. (M/25) dated 25/05/1421 H. and the Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by the Royal Decree No. (M/7) dated 16/04/1416 H.

He also stressed that there is no discrimination against foreign workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During the session, the Member States of the Human Rights Council and the non-governmental organizations recommended the adoption of the Kingdom's report, praising the ongoing development witnessed by the Kingdom in the field of human rights.