Saudi-Yemeni summit in Riyadh tackles bilateral relations, regional and int'l developments

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques receives call from Palestinian president, message from Egyptian president

UAE president receives Prince Saud Alfaisal

Prince Khalid bin Sultan: Crown Prince's health is good, will be among fellow citizens soon

OPEC retains production quotas, Naimi explains energy initiative for the poor

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired a Cabinet meeting at the Royal Court in Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

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 his meeting with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh which reflected the bilateral strong and fraternal relations between the two countries. He also briefed the cabinet on the phone calls he received from President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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 reviewed the recommendations of the emergency meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) including the recommendation of maintaining the current level of output. He added that the cabinet reasserted that the fair oil price per barrel should be $75-80, hailing OPEC's interest in enhancing the growth of world economy.

Domestically, Dr. Khoja added that having listened to a report on the developments of the detection and follow-up of the tremors in some centers and villages of the regions of Madinah and Tabuk, the king thanked Allah the Almighty for the consistent decrease in number and power of seismic activities, especially in Harat Alshaqat, the absence of any volcanic vapors, and the continued normal rates of thermal measures. The King expressed hope that the situation will return to stability and normalcy under the grace and protection of Allah the Almighty.

Dr. Khoja concluded that after closely reviewing its agenda, the cabinet approved the following: First: the cabinet approved an agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan in the field of air services signed in the city of Jeddah on 18/8/2008.

Second: the cabinet authorized the Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister-- or his deputy--to discuss with the Moroccan side and sign a draft agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Morocco on transferring those sentenced to freedom-depriving terms.

Third: the cabinet approved an agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Spain on transferring those sentenced to freedom-depriving terms, signed in the city of Jeddah on 27/5/2008.

Fourth: the cabinet approved a memorandum of cooperation between King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the National Documents Foundation in the Sudan signed in the city of Riyadh on 18/8/2008.

Fifth: the cabinet approved the (Protocol) on the Preferential Tariff Plan for the Trade Preferential System among Member States of the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Sixth: the cabinet approved the licensing of the establishment of a joint stock Company named Amanah Company for Cooperative Insurance "Amanah."

Seventh: the cabinet approved the addition of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology to the membership of the Standing National Committee for Response to Radiation and Nuclear Emergencies and the National Response Team for Radiation and Nuclear Emergencies for which cabinet decision 263 of 1/9/1429 H. was issued.

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

1- Ahmad bin Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Alsheikh is transferred from the position of governor of Qurayat province A (rank 15) to the position of Governorate Undersecretary (the same rank) at the Governorate of Jouf region,

2- Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salih bin Saad bin Salamah is appointed to the position of Media Advisor (rank 15) at the Ministry of Culture and Information,

3- Eng. Fahd bin Salih bin Abdullah Alghonaim is appointed to the position of Assistant Undersecretary for technical affairs (rank 14) at the presidency of the National Guard, and

4- Ali bin Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Albadr is appointed to the position of Director General of administrative and financial affairs (rank 14) at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.

King Abdullah received a telephone call from President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestinian National Authority and Chairman of Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization.

During the call, they discussed recent developments at the Palestinian arena and the bilateral relations between the two countries.

King Abdullah also received a message from Egypt's President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak.

The message was delivered by Egyptian Chief of Intelligence Omar Sulaiman who was received by the King. Sulaiman conveyed Egyptian President's regards to the King who in turn sent his regards.

The audience was attended by Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Chief of General Intelligence.

The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, they reviewed ways of enhancing relations between the two brotherly countries in various fields and discussed a number of regional and international issues of common interest.

The meeting was attended by a number of officials.

Later, Prince Saud Al-Faisal left Al Ain after paying a short visit to the United Arab Emirates. At Al Ain International Airport, he was seen off by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and a number of senior officials.

Meanwhile, Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, reassured the citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the health of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency upon arrival in Riyadh coming from abroad, Prince Khalid said "the Crown Prince enjoys good health and would be in the Kingdom in the very near future after having recovered from illness".

At Riyadh airbase, Prince Khalid was received by Prince Nawaf bin Mohammed bin Abdullah, Member of the Saudi Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Saudi Track and Field Federation; Prince Khalid bin Turki bin Abdulaziz; Prince Turki bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information; Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, other princes; a number of senior protocol officials and civil and military officers.

On the other hand, Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi said that the taken steps will have a direct impact on the future of the energy industry in our country.

In an address at the new Saudi Association for Energy Economics (SAEE), held recently at the Plaza Conference Center in Dhahran, Al-Naimi said “There are many opportunities and challenges facing the energy industry.”

“SAEE is in a prime position to contribute toward these opportunities. It can join in forming studies and research into important issues such as the development of energy diversification in the Kingdom.

“Also, the association can collaborate with other organizations and research centers in working out how to maximize our economic benefit from the consumption and exportation of our petroleum products.”

The gathering was attended by several members of the Association's executive management and Saudi Aramco and industry professionals.

“SAEE’s mission is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas, experiences and issues among business, academics, policymakers and other professionals interested in the field of energy economics,” said SAEE’s Vice President, Mohammed Al-Tayyeb.

He added that the association would promote the understanding and application of economics across all aspects of the energy supply chain.

“Given the central role energy plays in the Saudi economy,” said Al-Tayyeb, “we strongly believe that such an affiliation will enhance the local understanding of the challenges facing the energy industry and provide a forum to debate and propose solutions to these challenges.”

SAEE is an affiliation of the International Association of Energy Economics (IAEE), which is a global, nonprofit organization founded in 1977 and based in Ohio, United States. IAEE has more than 3,000 members and more than 30 national affiliates around the world.