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March 4, 2005 |
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***** The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Dominican Republic Hipólito Mejía on the occasion of his country's national day. In his own name and on behalf of the Saudi government and people, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the president continual good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. The king also lauded the existing relations between the Kingdom and the Dominican Republic and their peoples. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to Sultan Hasan Al Bulqiya Muezuddin of Brunei on the occasion of his country's national day. In his own name and on behalf of the Saudi government and people, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the Sultan continual good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. The king also lauded the existing relations between the Kingdom and the Sultanate and their peoples. The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of condolences to President Mohammed Khatami of Iran on victims of the earthquake, which recently hit South Iran. Similar cables of condolences were sent to Khatami by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz , the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, and Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to President Arnold Ruutel of Estonia on the occasion of his country's independence. In his own name and on behalf of the Saudi government and people, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the president continual good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz received at Al-Yamamah palace the sons of Lebanon's late former Premier Rafiq Al-Hariri. The monarch offered his condolences to Al-Hariri's sons, family and the Lebanese people, expressing his appreciation of the great services provided by the late premier for his country and nation. The audience 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 and Chief of the Court of Cabinet's Presidency; other princes; ministers and officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, has made a telephone call to President Mohammed Khatami of Iran, condoling him on the victims of the earthquake that killed and injured a number of people in Southern Iran. On his part, the president thanked the crown prince for his noble feelings. During the conversation, they also discussed the fraternal relations binding the two countries. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, has received an invitation from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federal Republic of Brazil to attende the South American and Arab summit to be held in Brazil in May. The invitation was handed over to Prince Abdullah by Brazil's External Relations Minister Celso Amorim during his visit to the Kingdom in an audience with the Crown Prince at his palace in Riyadh. The Assistant Foreign Minister Dr. Nizar Ibn Obaid Madani and the Brazilian Ambassador attended the audience. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, has approved the start of the 3rd Session of Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Contest for Memorization of the Holy Quran of the servicemen of the National Guard. The Contest's General Supervisor Dr. Ibrahim Ibn Mohammed Abu A'bah said the prizes worth more than SR 500,000 will be at the Crown Prince's own expense, noting that a primary elimination started in all the Kingdom's regions Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister 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 Ghadhawerah tribe of Anzah who condemned the criminal acts perpetrated by the deviant group. The Crown Prince thanked them for their support for the Saudi leadership, stressing that the Saudi people will eradicate anyone who tries to destabilize the Kingdom. The two audiences were attended by a number of princes and officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received at the royal court at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh a delegation of the British House of Commons headed by Tony Clark currently on a visit to the Kingdom. The audience was attended by Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court, Dr. Salih Ibn Homaid, the Chairman of Shoura Council, Prince Sultan Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman, Advisor at the Saudi embassy in Britain and Abdul Mohsin Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Tuwaijri, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a telephone call from President Jacques Chirac of France. The call dealt with the development of events in the region and at the international arena and the bilateral relations between the two countries. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has received a message from Russian Defense Minister Sergey Borisovich Ivanov. The message was delivered to General Salih Al-Muhayya, the Chief of General Staff, by Michael Dimeteryiev, the Head of the Federal Commission for Military and Technical Cooperation in Russia. The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has donated S.R. 3.2 million for the establishment of a Center of Hearing and Speech for the Ministry of Education in Taif Governorate. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Taif's Governor Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Muammar expressed his thanks to and appreciation of Prince Sultan for this humanitarian generous donation. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received the Moroccan King's brother Prince Maulai Rasheed. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged cordial talks. They all had lunch with Prince Sultan. The reception was attended by a number of Saudi princes and Saudi Ambassador to Morocco Dr. Mohammed Al-Bisher. Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Ahmed Ibn Mirdas Al Qahtani lauded the support of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, for the Yemeni Media Females Forum, the country's first foundational organization to take care of Yemeni females working in the media. In a key address at the opening session of a conference held by the organization, the ambassador said Prince Sultan was quick to provide the forum with an electronic library and accessories. Following the ambassador's speech, the Chairwoman of the organization Rahmah Hujairah expressed thanks to Prince Sultan, wishing him continuous health and happiness. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, received at his office at the Ministry Jun Konji, the Representative of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). During the visit, she briefed Prince Naif on the Fund's achievements in the field of Children's care in the world in general and the Arab world in particular. On his part, Prince Naif commended UNICEF efforts and achievements. The meeting attended by a number of officials. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, received at his office at the Ministry in Riyadh the French Ambassador to the Kingdom Charles Henri d'Aragon. During the audience, they discussed aspects of mutual relations. The meeting was attended by a number of officials. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, has directed to name one of Riyadh's streets after Rafiq Bahaaeddine Al-Hariri, Lebanon's former Premier who was assassinated in Beirut. The move reflects appreciation of his sincere efforts to serve his country Lebanon and his second country the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the efforts exerted by Naif University for Security Affairs in order to achieve comprehensive security in the Arab world through its varied programmes. The prince also praised the studies and researches completed by the university in different security fields. This was expressed in a letter addressed from Prince Saud Al-Faisal to Abdul Aziz Ibn Saqr Al-Ghamdi, President of Naif University for Security Affairs. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and member of the board of directors of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) praised the Shoura Council decision for NCWCD to complete the registration of conservation areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to a timetable. Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said has received a message from Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, inviting him to attend the Arab Summit due to be held in Algeria. On behalf of the Sultan, the message was received by Sayyid Asa'ad Ibn Tariq Al Said, representative of the Sultan, when he received Abdul Qadir Ibn Saleh, speaker of Algerian Majlis Al Ummah. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Ali Al Qatabi, president of the Majlis Al Shura; Saif Ibn Mohammed Ibn Salem Al Abri, secretary-general at the office of the Sultan's representative; Algerian ambassador to the Sultanate and members of the delegation accompanying the speaker. The Algerian delegation left later and it was seen off by Qatabi and the Algerian ambassador. Prince Dr Faisal Ibn Abdullah Mashari Al Saud Director of the National Center for Standards and Assessment at the Ministry of Higher Education, received a delegation from Sultan Qaboos University under the chairmanship of Dr Salem Al Hatroush and the membership of Dr Abdullah Bousaidi, Dr Motaz Al Birwani and Dr Malek Al Wardi. The meeting discussed cooperation between the University and the Center and ways of enhancing it. The document of Saudi Arabia's ratification of the UN's agreement on combating organized crime across borders has been deposited to the UN's Secretary General. The agreement has become operational effective Thursday, February 17, 2005. In the light of the memorandum submitted by Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, the Cabinet approved the agreement on 14/3/1425 AH, while a Royal decree ratifying the agreement was issued on 24/3/1425 AH. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered a review and amendment of the country's presidential election law, paving the way formulti-candidate polls in September. "This morning I have asked the parliament and the Shura (Consultative) Council to amend Article 76 of the constitution, which deals with the election of the president to discuss it and suggest the appropriate amendment to be in line with this stage of our nation's history," Mubarak said in a speech broadcast live on Egyptian television. He said the amendment would be put to a general public referendum before the presidential polls, scheduled for September. Currently, Egypt holds presidential referendums in which people vote "yes" or "no" for a single candidate who has been approved by parliament. Iraqi forces captured a key aide to Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the government said Mohamed Najam Ibrahim was arrested by Iraqi National Guardsmen in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad. It gave no date for the arrest. Ibrahim had carried out beheadings with his brother, the government said. "The two beheaded a number of citizens in addition to launching attacks against Iraqi security forces," the statement said. The government said Ibrahim was being interrogated by authorities. Thee police said they arrested two other leaders of the insurgency in Baqouba, including an aide to al-Zarqawi named Haidar Abu Bawari. The Minister of Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani toured the King Abdul Aziz Cultural Center. The tour included the royal hall and ceremonial hall, the lecture theatre, the conference hall, the library and the museum. Federal prosecutors denied Wednesday that Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, accused of plotting with Al-Qaeda to assassinate President Bush, was tortured in Saudi Arabia, but called him a "grave danger" to the United States and said he should be held without bail. In papers filed in the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, US Attorney Paul McNulty said that Abu Ali saw a doctor and that the physician found no evidence of torture or harm. Abu Ali never made any claims of abuse to Americans officials when he was being returned to the United States from more than a year's detention in Saudi Arabia, he said. The prosecutor added Abu Ali was allowed to play soccer and work out while in Saudi custody and called his allegations of mistreatment "an utter fabrication." Abu Ali is the first person charged in the US with supporting Osama Bin Laden's organization in seven months. Abu Ali, a US citizen, grew up in Falls Church and was active in Northern Virginia's Muslim community. His family denies the charges against him and describes him as a student of Islam who went to Saudi Arabia to pursue his studies. He was taking his final exams on Islam at the University of Madinah when Saudi authorities arrested him in class in June 2003, as part of a crackdown after the May 12, 2003 bombing of three Western residential compounds in Riyadh that killed 23 people. A Yemeni appeals court upheld a death sentence for a man convicted of being the mastermind behind the bombing of the USS Cole, but reduced a death sentence given to a second man, a government official said. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was sentenced to death in September for his involvement in the bombing, including plotting and preparing. The court upheld his sentence. But accomplice Jamal Ahmed Ali al-Badawi of Yemen, who initially was also sentenced to death, had his sentence reduced to 15 years in prison. The court also upheld a 10-year jail sentence against Fahd al-Qasaa and reduced the sentence against Maamoun al-Msoua from eight to five years. It upheld five-year sentences for Ali al-Muratab and Murad al-Serouri. A plane carrying the Saudi relief assistance to victims of the earthquake which recently hit Iran arrived in Kirman Airport, South East Iran. The plane was carrying 70 ton of food materials, medical supplies, tents and generators. The plane was received by a representative from the Iranian Red Crescent Society and a number of officials. In a statement to the SPA, Saudi ambassador to Iran Dr Nasser Al-Bireik said the relief assistance comes within the framework of the existing fraternal relations between the Kingdom and Iran. Yemeni security forces have detained five people, including a woman, suspected of belonging to al-Qaeda and plotting attacks on embassies and western targets in the country, security sources said. " we have succeeded to arrest five suspected al-Qaeda members who were trying to plant explosive materials near an installation belonging to a western country," one source told AFP. The five suspects, who "were planning attacks on embassies and western targets", included a woman, the source said. "The security services had received last week threats from unknown terrorists who threatened to attack western embassies and interests in Sanaa if the authorities would execute those accused in the cases of the French tanker Limburg and the USS Cole destroyer," the source said. Another source close to the investigation told AFP that "according to preliminary interrogations, the members of the group had enjoyed the backing of foreign parties to carry out what they described as 'martyrdom' operations against installations" belonging to western countries. Members of the group were also accused of other illegal activities, including the forging currency and documents, as well as arms trafficking and smuggling, the source said. Iran and Syria signed four cooperation agreements in different economic and cultural areas. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji al-Otari heading the Syrian delegation signed a memorandum of understanding with Iranian first vice-president Mohammad-Reza Aref in the 4th meeting of Iran-Syria High Economic Committee. Iranian Housing Minister Ali Abdolali-Zadeh and Syrian Economy and Commerce Minister, Amer Husni Luttfi reached an agreement for cooperation in customs and administrative areas. Also in the meeting, Iranian minister of science, research and technology signed a scientific, research, and technology memorandum of understanding with Syrian culture minister, Mahmoud Al-Seyyed. Iranian oil minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, and Syrian minister of oil and natural resources Ebrahim Haddad signed a memorandum of understanding. Syrian Prime Minister arrived in Tehran to attend the 4th meeting of Iran-Syria High Economic Committee. The 3rd meeting of Iran-Syria High Economic Committee was held in Damascus, Syria, last year. Syrian PM and Iranian first vice-president hoped in that meeting that trade-economic cooperation between the two countries increase to 3 billion dollars in the next five years. Iranian ambassador to Syria Mohammad-Reza Bagheri had earlier stated that the amount exceeds currently 100 million dollars. Saddam Hussein's half-brother, who was a personal adviser during his presidency, was captured in a joint Iraqi and coalition forces operation, Iraqi government officials said. Sab'awi Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti was No. 36 on the U.S. military's list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis, and one of 12 people on the list who remained at large. A half-brother on Saddam's mother's side, al-Hasan held many positions in his regime, the latest as Saddam's personal adviser. There is evidence that al-Hasan was financing insurgents in the post-Saddam era, an Iraqi intelligence official said. "It is safe to say that Sab'awi al-Tikriti was an active member in the planning, supervising and carrying out of numerous terrorist operations inside Iraq," said a statement issued by the Iraqi government. Saddam was captured December 13, 2003, near Tikrit and is in coalition custody. "The capture of Sab'awi is a result of the Iraqi government's efforts to chase and detain all criminals who committed crimes of genocide and have the blood of the Iraq people on their hands," said the Iraqi government statement. "These people must get their fair punishment for their crimes." In what appeared to be the deadliest single attack after the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, a suicide car bomber killed at least 115 government job hopefuls last Monday. More than 200 others were wounded in the powerful bombing, which rattled Hilla, some 100 km south of Baghdad, a spokeswoman for the Iraqi Red Crescent said. Ambulances and medical equipment were called in from Baghdad due to a sudden shortage of emergency stuff after the blast, she noted. The explosive-laden vehicle ran into a large crowd of people who were lining in front of a health center for physical check-up to work for the state, said Adnan Abdul-Rahman, spokesman for the Interior Ministry. The bomb was detonated around 9:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) when the street was also packed with passers-by, he added. Wreckage and human parts bestrewed the area and the street was sprayed with blood. It remained unclear how many among the victims were would-be police recruits or civil servants, both of whom came under frequent attacks by insurgents. Hilla, a mainly Shiite city, is the capital of Babil Province, situated within the notorious "death triangle", where rebels were among the most active in Iraq. |