Ain-Al-Yaqeen - February 18, 2005

		February 18, 2005

NEW MINISTERS SWORN IN BEFORE THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES.
PRINCE ABDULLAH WELCOMES THE NEW MINISTERS AND EXPRESSES THE KINGDOM'S APPRECIATION OF THE EFFORTS EXERTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM CONFERENCE.
THE CROWN PRINCE: SACRIFICE FOR THE HOMELAND IS THE DUTY OF SECURITY MEN AND THE ARMED FORCES.
RESULTS OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN RIYADH REGION.
PRESIDENT BUSH CONGRATULATES THE CROWN PRINCE ON THE SUCCESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNTER-TERRORISM CONFERENCE AND HAILS THE SUCCESS OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ELECTIONS.

Four ministers were sworn before the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz on the occasion of their appointment to their new posts.

The ministers are Dr. Fuad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi, the Minister of Hajj; Iyad Ibn Amine Madani, the Minister of Culture and Information; Dr. Abdullah Ibn Saleh Ibn Obaid, the Minister of Education and Dr. Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-A'kkas, the Minister of Social Affairs.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz directed them to be keen on working for the service of the homeland and citizens, wishing them all success.

The ministers expressed their appreciation for the royal confidence in their appointment to the new posts.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prince Saud Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chief of General Intelligence, Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of State, Cabinet Member, Chief of the Court of Cabinet's Presidency, and other officials.

A royal order announced that Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ahmed Al Rasheed was relieved of his post as Minister of Education upon his request and was replaced by Dr. Abdullah Ibn Salih Obeid; and Dr. Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al Namlah, was also relieved of his post upon his request as Minister of Social Affairs and was replaced by Dr. Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Akkas.

Meanwhile, Dr. Fouad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi, the Minister of Culture and Information, and Iyad Ibn Amine Madani, the Minster of Hajj, exchanged their posts according to the royal order. The order relieved each of them of his post and appointed him to assume another ministerial portfolio.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, thanked Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ahmed Al Rasheed and Dr. Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al Namlah for the efforts they have exerted during assuming office in their ministerial positions, wishing them all the best.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has ordered the extension for four more years of the term of office of three non-cabinet ministers.

According to a royal order, the service of each of Prince Mohammed Ibn Nassir Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Governor of Jazan, and Prince Saud Ibn Abdullah Ibn Thinayan Al Saud, Chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, was extended for four years, effective 8/1/1426 H.

The term of office of Salih Ibn Abdullah Al Brahim, Deputy Chief of the Court of the Cabinet's Presidency, was extended for the same period from 23/1/1426 H. according to the royal order.

On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, chaired the cabinet's weekly session held at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh.

At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince expressed the Kingdom's appreciation of the efforts exerted by the International Counter-terrorism Conference recently concluded in Riyadh and its final communiqué: the Riyadh Declaration. More than 50 countries along with a number of international, regional and Arab organizations participated in the Conference. The Declaration expressed its appreciation of the Kingdom for calling for and hosting the Conference.

The Crown Prince also praised the spirit of understanding, cooperation and the rapprochement of visions and stands that prevailed over the Conference with regard to the danger of the phenomenon of terrorism and the inevitability of its confrontationism through united, organized and lasting international efforts that respect the principles of the international legitimacy.

The Cabinet noted the support for and adoption of the Crown Prince's proposal at the inaugural session of the Conference to set up an International Counter-terrorism Center and to form a task force to crystallize this proposal which calls for the effective international effort, the collective work and the comprehensive strategic stand in dealing with this phenomenon.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Iyad Ibn Amin Madani, the Minister of Culture and Information, said that the Cabinet emphasized the importance of uniting all the efforts of countries and organizations to implement the Conference's recommendations so that the world community can encircle terrorism, contain its causes, wipe out its resources, and confront this phenomenon which has no certain religion, country or region and which also threatens peoples' lives at home, their relations, and future.

On the other hand, the Crown Prince welcomed Dr. Abdullah Ibn Saleh Ibn Obaid, the Minister of Education and Dr. Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Akkas, the Minister of Social Affairs to the Cabinet as new ministers, commending Dr. Fuad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi, the Minister of Hajj and Iyad Ibn Amine Madani, the Minister of Culture and Information for the assumption of their new tasks and wishing them all success.

The Crown Prince also thanked Dr. Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Namla and Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ahmed Al-Rashid for the efforts they exerted during their terms of office in their respective ministries.

The Minister of Culture and Information added that the Cabinet strongly condemned the sinful explosion which took place in Beirut and led to the killing of Lebanon's former Premier Rafiq Al-Hariri and a number of his companions along with the injury of others. The Cabinet offered condolences to the victim's family and the Lebanese people, affirming the Kingdom's absolute rejection of such terrorist acts which target the innocent people and promote the spread of chaos and destruction.

Then the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the contents of talks, messages, contacts, and consultations held over the previous days with a number of leaders of Arab and friendly countries on the development of events in the region and the world.

In this regard, the Cabinet was informed of the contents of talks held with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Shaath on bilateral relations and the development of the situation at the Palestinian arena.

The Minister of Culture and Information told the Saudi Press Agency that the cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and took the following decisions:

The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs or his deputy was authorized to discuss, draft and sign with the Syrian side a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Arab Republic of Syria in the field of exchange of information on real estate, comprehensive regional planning and Geographical Information System. The final version will be forwarded for further authentication.

The Cabinet also authorized the Minister of Interior or his deputy to discuss with the Pakistani side a draft project on security cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and sign it before forwarding its final version for further authentication.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs or his deputy was authorized to sign a draft arrangement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the International Atomic Energy Agency to enforce the guarantees stated by the Nuclear Weapons Non-proliferation Treaty in its 22 June 2000 version and the annexed small quantities protocol. The final version will be forwarded for further authentication.

Having reviewed the recommendations issued by the 22nd meeting of the ad hoc committee assigned to discuss the issue of unemployment among Saudi nationals and the increase of rates of the foreign labor force, the Cabinet decided that:

First: All concerned authorities, Saudi universities, and media bodies should provide assistance for the Ministry of Labor as long as it is issuing plans to reduce the rate of issuing visas for new foreign laborers, train Saudis and activate the role of the Saudi private sector.

Second: The ministries of Interior, Labor and Civil Service are compelled, each in its field, to enforce all decisions, instructions, and circulars relating to field inspection and control procedures.

Third: The Ministry of Culture and Information will have to conduct programs, implement plans and put into force the circulars and programs prepared by the Ministry of Labor to launch media campaigns preceding executive measures that the ministry will take in implementing the relevant directives, instructions and circulars.

Fourth: All government bodies should coordinate with the ministries of Labor and Civil Service regarding the procedure of the Saudization of jobs.

Fifth: The condition of Saudization rate should be inserted among provisions and required items to sign contracts with private sector establishments to implement government projects; i.e, no company will be awarded contract with a government organization unless it has fully complied with the Saudization requirements stipulated by the Ministry of Labor.

Sixth: The ministries of Interior, Labor and other concerned authorities should modify the official working hours in the private sector in accordance with labor system.

Seventh: The Ministry of Labor should submit to the cabinet within two years a detailed and comprehensive report on the results of carrying out this decision and the difficulties that might face it along with a proposal suggesting ways and means of overcoming such difficulties.

The Cabinet approved the appointment of Mohammed Ibn Salih Ibn Rashid Al Daham as Under Secretary of the Ministry of Finance for Budget and Organization Affairs; Ibrahim Ibn Abdula Kareem Ibn Abdullah Al Shidookhi as Consultant for Water Affairs at the Ministry of Water and Electricity; Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ali Al Rais as Deputy Director General of Al Mujahideen Department at the Ministry of Interior, and Hamad Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim Al Sirayye'a as Director General of Educational Information at the Ministry of Education.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received a telephone call from U.S. President George W. Bush.

During the conversation, President Bush congratulated the crown prince on the success of the International Counter-Terrorism Conference recently hosted by the Kingdom and its positive outcomes.

Bush also hailed the success of the municipal councils elections in Saudi Arabia. Bilateral relations between the two countries were also discussed during the call.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, has also received a message from President George W. Bush of the United States of America on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of a meeting between the late King Abdul Aziz and former U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and received a memorial shield of the meeting held on board a ship in 1945.

The message and the shield were delivered to the Crown Prince during an audience at his palace with U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom James Oberwetter.

The ambassador also presented the Crown Prince with a copy of U.S. Life magazine published in 1943. The photo of the late King Abdul Aziz was on the cover of the magazine whose main topic focused on the late King and the Saudi state.

The U.S. ambassador also conveyed to the crown prince the greetings of the U.S. president. In turn, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the President.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received a message from British Premier Tony Blair.

The message was delivered to the Crown Prince by Britain's Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper Coles during his audience with the Crown Prince.

The Ambassador conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of the British leadership. In turn, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the leadership.

The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, other princes and officials.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received the President of the Federal Agency for Energy Affairs in Russia Sergey Oghanisian and the accompanying delegation.

The Russian official conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of Russia's President Vladimir Putin. In turn, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the president.

The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Saudi Ambassador to Spain, Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court, Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court and Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom Dr. Andrei Baklanov.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Head of the Civil Service Council Saeed Ibn Khalfan Al-Ghaith.

The minister conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayid Al Nahayan of the United Arab Emirates. In turn, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the president.

The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Saudi Ambassador to Spain, Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court, Mohammed Ibn Ali Al-Fayiz, Minister of Civil Service, Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court and UAE's Ambassador to the Kingdom Saeed Ibn Hamdan Al-Naqbi.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received visiting Turkish Interior Minister Abdul Qadir Aqso and the accompanying delegation. During the audience, cordial talks were exchanged. The audience was attended by Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, has received a message addressed to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz from King Juan Carlos of Spain.

The message was delivered to the Crown Prince by visiting Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos during an audience held for him and his delegation at Crown Prince's palace in Riyadh.

The minister conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of the Spanish monarch to King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah. In turn, Crown Prince Abdullah sent his greetings to the Spanish leadership. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, other princes and officials.

On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, received at the royal court at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh princes, ministers, senior officials and citizens who came to greet him.

Later, the Crown Prince received a delegation of Hail-based Al-Bajaydah tribe of Anzah who condemned the criminal acts perpetrated by the deviant group.

The Crown Prince thanked them for their support and loyalty to the Saudi leadership, stressing that the deviant group tempted by the Satan will be eradicated.

He noted that security men and the armed forces have religious and national duties and they will sacrifice themselves for the religion, the homeland and the Muslim nation.

The two audiences were attended by a number of princes and officials.

Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Al-Eyaf Al-Meqrin, the Mayor of Riyadh, and who is also the Head of the local committee for the municipal elections in Riyadh region, announced that the number of voters in Riyadh region amounted to 56,354, while the total number of votes at all constituencies amounted to 321,808.

The winner in the first constituency was Abdullah Ahmad Fozan Al-Suweilim (21,405 votes)

The winner in the second constituency was Suleiman Salih Suleiman Al-Rashoudi (14,868 votes)

The winner in the third constituency was Tariq Othman Abdullah Al-Kasabi (20,416 votes)

The winner in the fourth constituency was Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Suleiman Al-Omari (14,311 votes)

The winner in the fifth constituency was Omar Mohammed Omar Basudan (12,237 votes)

The winner in the sixth constituency was Ibrahim Hamad Ibrahim Al-Quayid (12,808 votes)

The winner in the seventh constituency was Musfir Abdullah Yahya Al-Bawardi (13,411votes)

Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Al-Eyaf Al-Meqrin reiterated that the municipal elections were held in a fair and accurate manner. He noted that a number of governmental authorities including the Ministry of Education, King Saud University, Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University and Riyadh Municipality had participated in the organization of the municipal elections.

According to election rules, losing candidates have only five days from the date of voting to file complaints with the Grievances Committee.

Victorious candidates in Saudi Arabia's first round landmark municipal polls in the capital dismissed accusations that they were Islamists, insisting that they represented mainstream Muslim society.

Results of the municipal elections in Riyadh with an average turnout of 65 percent were announced because counting of votes in some polling centers ended few minutes before the Friday prayer.

Riyadh registered voters in the entire 38 municipalities totaled 86,462 and actual voters that cast their votes were recorded at 56,354.

At Circuit One in Riyadh City, some 9,855 voted among the 14,348 registered voters while in Circuit Two, some 10,951 voters cast their votes among the 15,820 registered voters.

At Circuit Three some 9,909 voted out of the 14,294 registrants while Circuit Four had 8,354 actual voters of the 14,294 registered voters.

At Circuit Five some 4,716 out of the 8,402 registered voters turn out while at Circuit Six, some 5,489 actually voted out of the 8,553 registered voters and at Circuit Seven, 7,580 went out to vote among the 11,900 registered voters.

Outside the city, the whole Riyadh Province was divided into three axes to classify the voters.

The Northern Axis of Riyadh with registered voters of 17,441 had 14,826 that actually voted, giving them highest turnout of 85 percent.

The Western Axis with a registered voting population of 22,351 had 17,776 that voted, garnering a 79.5 percent turnout while the Southern Axis with 21,990 voters had 18,154 actual voters, registering an 82.5 percent turnout.

Prince Mansoor Ibn Miteb Ibn Abdul Aziz, chairman of the General Elections Committee, announced the preliminary results of the votes that were cast in the elections.

Riyadh Mayor Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Ayaaf Al-Miqren, who is also the chairman of the local elections committee in Riyadh, also attended the announcement of winners who described the elections as satisfactory with counting of votes in some precincts ended Friday morning.

The elections and counting went out smoothly as scheduled, the mayor said.

Prince Mansoor said the preliminary results are still subject to changes in the coming days if the Grievance Committee, which he described as autonomous and independent body from the Commission and Elections, chooses to take any action with regard to written complaints against the winners are filed by either a candidate or a registered voter.

A voter or a candidate, as stated in the rules and regulations on the conduct of elections, has five working days to present his grievances or protests on any of the results to the Grievance Committee.

Prince Mansoor apologized for the delay in the announcement of winners as promised saying that some voting circuits in the city presented their preliminary results late Friday morning.

As Friday prayers were taken into consideration, the results had to be announced Friday evening, Prince Mansoor said.

In attendance at the press conference were some candidates who voiced their concerns that religious figures were used by some candidates for publicity as the sheikhs acted as if they were condemning them over other candidates.

The protesting candidates said the religious figures were able to influence the results of the election in their area.

Other candidates also complained of the use of some candidates of the Internet and SMS or text messaging in their mobile phones during the last hour of voting, which protesters said could have also altered or swayed their voters choices.

The candidates and observers who voiced such complaints claimed that such practices of using sheikhs or Internet or SMS messages are technical violation of the election guidelines and that they will file protest in the Grievance Committee.

Responding to the concerns raised during the conference, Prince Mansoor responded that every complaint is the business of the Grievance Committee.

The Grievance Committee has the total and full authority to study each complaint and takes whatever decision it sees fit without any interference from no one, he said.

Prince Mansoor added that the committee is composed of experts in Shariah and election charter.

The Grievance or Appeals Committee has the ultimate authority to even order a re-election in some circuits if it finds that necessary, Prince Mansoor said.

Prince Mansoor also said that the Grievance Committee has in fact taken irreversible decisions in the past few months. Like rejecting district chiefs or mayors who nominated themselves as candidates.

It has also rejected some complaints against certain candidates and allowed the candidates to proceed with their campaigns, Prince Mansoor added.

As to why international observers were not allowed to monitor the elections, Prince Mansoor said it is the conventional practice in many countries that local monitors do the job when it comes to municipal council elections.

And this is what we have. Our local monitoring council are fully independent and they represent fully autonomous, independent civic organizations in the Kingdom, he said.