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March 18, 2005 |
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THE SAUDI COUNCIL OF MINISTERS REVIEWS THE RESULTS OF TALKS HELD ON THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARENAS. PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ REVIEWS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE KINGS OF MOROCCO AND BAHRAIN, AND BARONESS SYMONS. THE SPEECH OF SAUDI ARABIA AT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. BARONESS SYMONS: THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TOWARDS STOPPING TERRORIST FROM USING BRITISH LAWS. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his office at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh visiting President Dr. Mahmoud Abbas of Palestinian National Authority and the accompanying delegation. At the outset of the meeting, the monarch welcomed President Abbas, wishing him a good stay in his second country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques renewed the Kingdom's support for and stand by the brotherly Palestinian people to regain their rights and set up their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. On his part, the Palestinian president stressed the Kingdom's prominent and great role in support of the Palestinian people to regain their rights and set up their state. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations at the Arab, Islamic and international arenas particularly the Palestinian issue and the situation in Iraq. The meeting was attended by Prince Saud Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chief of General Intelligence; ministers and a number of officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received at his office at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh President Dr. Mahmoud Abbas of Palestinian National Authority and the accompanying delegation. During the audience, they discussed the overall situations at the Arab, Islamic and international arenas particularly the situation in the Palestinian territories and the sufferings of the Palestinians including killing and displacing people and destroying their facilities, properties and land. Aspects of cooperation between the two brotherly countries and their peoples were also reviewed. The meeting was attended by a number of princes, ministers and officials. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at his palace in Riyadh President Dr. Mahmoud Abbas of Palestinian National Authority and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed the overall situations and the latest developments at the Arab, Islamic and international arenas particularly the situation in the Palestinian territories. The meeting was attended by Dr. Musaed Al-E'ban, Minister of State and Cabinet Member. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a message from British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The message was delivered to the Crown Prince during an audience here today with Britain's State Minister for Middle East Affairs Symons Verninham Den and her accompanying delegation. She also conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, her crown prince and the Prime Minister. On his part, the crown prince sent his greetings to the British leadership. The audience was attended by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court; Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court; senior protocol officials and British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sherard Cooper Coles. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a delegation of the French Upper House, led by Serge Vanson, Chairman of the Foreign, Defense and Armed Forces Affairs Committee, who is currently on a visit to the Kingdom. They conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of President Jacques Chirac of France. On his part, the crown prince sent his greetings to the French President. The audience was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court; Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court; senior protocol officials and French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Charles Henri d'Aragon. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a telephone call from President Ali Abdullah Salih of Yemen. During the conversation, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and regional issues in general. Crown Prince Abdullah has postponed his official visit to France because of problems related to schedule, Okaz reported quoting the Elysee Palace. The announcement came following a meeting of Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris last Tuesday. The Crown Prince was scheduled to start a three-day visit to Paris on Saturday. Meanwhile Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, chaired the cabinet's weekly session at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh. At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the contents of talks held by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev which dealt with the latest developments at the Islamic and international arenas, aspects of joint cooperation and ways of their enhancement in all fields. 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 praised the outcomes of the visit paid by Azerbaijan's President to the Kingdom which affirmed the strong relations between the two countries and came within the framework of continual efforts to strengthen them in all fields. The Cabinet commended the expressions of thanks to and appreciation of the Kingdom which Azerbaijan's president spelled out for the support his country has received. Then the Cabinet was informed of the contents of messages, consultations and contacts exchanged between the Kingdom and a number of Arab and friendly countries on the events in the region and the world particularly the situations in the occupied Palestinian territories and Iraq, the minister added. On the other hand, the Cabinet was briefed by Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior on the results of the 8th meeting of the committee concerned with the implementation of the International Borders Treaty between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen which was concluded in Sanaa. The Minister of Culture and Information noted that the Cabinet was also briefed on the outcomes of the meeting of ministers of higher education and scientific research in member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in Riyadh. The ministers approved the mechanisms proposed by the workshop organized by King Abdulaziz University on activating the Opinions Document submitted by the Crown Prince on the higher education in the 23rd session of the GCC Supreme Council held in Doha, Qatar on December 21/22, 2002. The Supreme Council also emphasized in its 24th session in Kuwait the importance of taking decisions and practical steps on the executive mechanisms. The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then discussed local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet authorized the chairman of the Board of Directors of King Abdul Aziz Center for Archives and Research or his deputy to discuss with the Sudanese side drafting a memorandum of cooperation between the center and Sudan's National Archives House, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. The Cabinet ratified the draft of a general agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Belarus. The Cabinet also ratified the draft of an agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Algeria to set up a joint Saudi Algerian investment company. The Minister of Higher Education or his deputy was authorized to discuss with the Czech Republic's side drafting a scientific and education cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Higher Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. The Cabinet then approved the appointment of Eng. Abdul Rahman Ibn Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz Almane'a as Director General of Water Department, Ministry of Water and Electricity branch in the Eastern Region; Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ibrahim Al Homaidan as Assistant Undersecretary of Al Qassim Governorate; and Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Shoaibi as Director General for Scholarship Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education. On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, held a banquet in honor of King Hamad Ibn Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain. The banquet was attended by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, Prince Turki Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information, and a number of princes. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received a number of princes, ministers, Ulema (Muslim scholars) and citizens who came to greet him. Prince Sultan also received today British State Minister for Middle East Affairs at the Foreign Office Baroness Elizabeth Symons and her accompanying delegation. During the meeting, attended by British Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper-Coles, they discussed a number of issues of mutual interest. Morocco's King Mohammad VI had received in Rabat Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. Prince Sultan conveyed to the Moroccan monarch the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard. During the meeting, cordial talks were reviewed and issues of mutual concern were discussed. The audience was attended by a number of Saudi princes and Saudi Ambassador to Morocco Dr. Mohammed Al-Bishr. From here side British State Minister for Middle East Affairs at the Foreign Office Baroness Symons said that her meetings with Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, and Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, dealt with the bilateral relations between the two countries and other international issues concerning this part of the world. Addressing a press conference Baroness Symons said that a large number of Saudi officials had come to London and visited non-governmental organizations during which a press conference had also been addressed by both Saudi Foreign Minister and his British counterpart who had highlighted the growing bilateral relations. "Today, we continue discussions on what can be done to pursue talks further. Moreover, we have an important London meeting in which we will discuss ways of helping Palestinians to establish a state and opt for solutions that had been provided by Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz," she added. The Minister pointed out that Prince Saud had also talked with British Prime Minister about the situation in Iraq and Syria and had described Saudi Arabia as the key country, which influences the entire world, and stressed that the United Kingdom is working to stop terrorist from using British laws. Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani, addressing in Geneva the 61st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, affirmed that respect for human rights constitutes a fundamental component of Saudi Arabia's policies. The Kingdom's National Human Rights Association (NHRA), he said, protects and develops the concepts of human rights independently and transparently, monitoring such aspects of society as conditions in prisons. Minister Madani went on to list other initiatives, such as the ongoing series of national dialogue forums and the broadening of membership in the Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura). Municipal elections have been instigated, and official statements from the Saudi Government have confirmed that there is nothing to prevent women from participating in future elections. There have also been reforms in education, to produce a new generation of highly educated, trained and knowledgeable citizens, women as well as men. Turning to "the greatest challenge at the present time", Minister Madani commented that Saudi Arabia, as a target of terrorists, has been denouncing, condemning and deploring terrorism in all its forms. Nations everywhere, he said, must work together to deprive terrorists of safe refuge, and to clarify that associating terrorism with any religion only strengthens the position of extremists. Declaring that security, stability, and peace are essential for development, Minister Madani commented that the Middle East in particular is suffering from their lack because of Israel's occupation of Arab territories. Saudi Arabia is hopeful that recent efforts to revive the peace process will lead to reactivation of the 'roadmap' and implementation of the Arab peace initiative that was proposed by the Kingdom. Nizar Obaid Madani, the Saudi Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs has affirmed that respect for human rights constituted a fundamental component of the policy of Saudi Arabia. In his address at the 61st session of the International Commission on human rights, an affiliate of the United Nations, he said "The (Kingdom's) National Human Rights Commission continued to play the role of helping to protect and to develop human rights concepts in a fully independent and transparent manner, and its activities to monitor conditions in prisons and reform institutions had recently been expanded to ensure that the rights of prisoners and accused persons were respected. Other initiatives included the promulgation of the "Basic Law", the institution of a national dialogue among all segments of society, and the broadening of membership in the Consultative Council, whose competence had been extended to include the review and development of laws and regulations." A process of municipal elections had also begun, he added. Madani drew attention to an official statement from the Government of Saudi Arabia affirming that there was nothing to prevent Saudi women from participating in future elections. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia's education reforms had produced a new generation of highly educated, trained and knowledgeable women, who were now taking their proper place in society. The international community faced tremendous challenges in many fields linked to the relationship between the individual and society, and to the relationship between governments and the governed, Madani said. "The greatest challenge at the present time was that of terrorism, and combating that scourge had become a goal of the new international order. As a target of indiscriminate terrorism, Saudi Arabia had denounced, condemned and deplored terrorism in all its forms, and had affirmed its determination to eradicate the scourge. All countires should work to deprive terrorists of safe refuge, and to emphasize that any attempt to associate terrorism with any religion would only strengthen the position of the extremists." Madani also emphasized that the war against terrorism should not be used as a pretext for violations of the rights of individuals, groups, nations, or States. "No modernization or development programme could succeed in the absence of a suitable environment, including enjoyment of security, stability and peace, Madani added. "Of all the regions in the world, the Middle East suffered most from the lack of those characteristics, due to the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories. Saudi Arabia hoped that the recent efforts to revive the peace process would lead to the implementation of the Arab peace initiative - proposed by Saudi Arabia - and the reactivation of the Road Map peace plan." He noted that Iraq still required international cooperation and support to establish security, achieve stability and consolidate its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In Brussels GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah said fighting terrorism is the responsibility of the all countries, without discrimination against any religion or people. In a speech he delivered at the symposium titled "the world against terrorism" held within the framework of GCC DAYS IN BRUSSELS (15-17 mars 2005), Al Attiyah pointed out that the Gulf is not only a producer of oil but a great civilization, thus mutual understanding should take place. The GCC Secretary General noted that some extremists want to obstruct the reform march and stressed the importance of fighting terrorism under the umbrella of international legitimacy. Al Attiyah pointed out to the importance accorded by GCC member states to Human Rights and to the different agreement endorsed by member states in this field. |
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