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March 25, 2005 |
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THE CABINET RATIFIES THE ARAB LEAGUE COUNCIL'S CONVENTION OF RECONCILIATION AND SOLIDARITY AND AGREES ON MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING FOR COOPERATION AND CO-ORDINATION WITH TUNISIA AND SUDAN. THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCE SULTAN REVIEW BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE BRITISH SECRETARY OF DEFENCE. PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ HEALTH CAMPAIGN SPONSORS 6500 PATIENTS IN HAIL. THE SPEECHES OF SAUDI ARABIA AT THE SYMPOSIUM ON THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AND THE 61ST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA. PALESTINIANS WARN FROM THE ISRAELI DANGERS SURROUNDING AL QUDS. 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, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz briefed the Cabinet on the contents of talks held with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority on the latest developments at the Arab, Islamic and international arenas. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Dr. Musaed Ibn Mohammed Al-E'ban, the Minister of State, Cabinet's Member and Acting Minister of Culture and Information, said that the Crown Prince renewed the Kingdom's support for the Palestinian people to regain their rights and set up their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. He noted that the Cabinet stressed its commitment to the contents of the Kingdom's speech, which was delivered in the 61st session of the United Nations International Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The Kingdom affirmed that the responsibility of preserving human rights should be shouldered by governments as they are supported by civil organizations and international institutions including the Human Rights Commission; the Kingdom had laid emphasis on the development of citizens and societies in agreement with their peculiarities and needs, but not in accordance with theories and ideas imposed from abroad. The Kingdom also emphasized that the programs of development, modernization and growth can not be accomplished without appropriate conditions and atmospheres, particularly the achievement of peace, stability and peace in the Middle East which has mostly suffered from the absence of stability, security and peace due to the Israeli occupation of Arab territories. Then the Cabinet was briefed on the contents of talks, contacts and meetings held over the previous days with the leaders of a number of Arab and friendly countries, the minister said. Acting Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then discussed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet ratified the Arab League Council's Convention of Reconciliation and Solidarity which has been issued by the 16th Arab summit meeting. The meeting also approved a draft memorandum of understanding between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Tunisia to form a political follow-up and consultation committee, which aims at enhancing aspects of cooperation and coordination of positions between the two countries at Arab and international platforms. The Cabinet also approved a draft memorandum of understanding between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of the Sudan to form a political follow-up and consultation committee which aims at enhancing aspects of cooperation and coordination of positions between the two countries at Arab and International platforms. The Cabinet ratified an amendment made by the Arab League's 16th summit to Paragraph 1 of Article 8 of the Arab Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation Treaty to read as follows: "The Arab League sets up the Economic and Social Council as one of its affiliates and should include ministers from Arab member states in charge of economic and financial affairs who will be assigned by their home governments, taking in mind the nature of the council's functions and importance of continuation of representation and efficiency. The council's mission is to achieve the economic and social objectives of the Arab League and what is related to it as per the Arab League charter or this treaty or the signed agreements within the AL's framework." The Cabinet endorsed a proposal submitted by the Chief of Experts Commission to transfer the General Commission for Civil Aviation to a public organization of legal personality and is financially and administratively independent organization. According to the new system, the General Commission for Civil Aviation will be assigned to organize the civil aviation sector and the air transportation industry and takes care of their development upon commercial bases and considerations. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Hazza'a Ibn Hamas Ibn Sultan Al'asemi Al'aseeri as Director General of the Labor minister's office; Ali Ibn Sulaiman Ibn Abdullah Al Hadeethi as Director General of Computer Department at the Ministry of Finance; Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Razeq Al-Abdul Razeq as Director General of Administrative and Financial Affairs Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; and Mohammed bin Rashid bin Ibrahim Alhimaidi as Legal Expert (B) at the Experts Commission of the Cabinet. On the other hand British Secretary of Defense Geoffrey Hoon and his accompanying delegation arrived in Riyahd. He was received at Riyadh Air base by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs. He was also received by a number of officials from the two countries. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received British Secretary of Defense Geoffrey Hoon. The crown prince also received the Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Alsheikh, Head of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Salih Al-Lihaidan, Islamic Scholars and Sheikhs who came to greet him. During the meeting, cordial talks were exchanged. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, held a meeting at his palace with British Secretary of Defense Geoffrey Hoon and the accompanying delegation. At the outset of the meeting, Prince Sultan welcomed the British Defense Secretary and hoped that bilateral relations between the two countries will be enhanced and fruitful cooperation will be continual. On his part, Hoon said that the visit embodies close relations between the two countries particularly in the military field, adding that his country is keen on continual cooperation and its development. The British Secretary noted that British Premier Tony Blair looks forward to meeting Prince Sultan within the framework of close relations binding the leaderships of the two friendly countries. During the meeting, they discussed topics of mutual concern and the latest developments at the regional and international arenas. Aspects of cooperation between the two countries were also reviewed. The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, other princes and officials. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, held at his palace a luncheon party in honor of British Secretary of Defense Geoffrey Hoon and the accompanying delegation. The party was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Civil Aviation Affairs, Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, other princes, ministers and officials. On another scale the field hospital in Hail received more than 6500 patients within Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz project for health care. The Director of the hospital Brigadier Dr Nasser Ibn Othman Al-Shehri said that the clinics include 18 Saudi doctors in different specializations, adding that the hospital will write reports on all medical cases, which can not be treated at the hospital in order to treat them in the armed forces hospitals. Meantime Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General donated for the foundation of a clinic in the village of Al Thabet in the southern region. The clinic will include surgeries for men and women, a dental surgery, a laboratory, and an X-ray center. A symposium on the future of the nuclear energy in the 21st century began its deliberations in Paris. The Saudi delegation to the symposiums is led by Prince Turki Ibn Saud Ibn Mohammed Al-Saud, the Deputy Supervisor of the Space Research Institute at King Abdulaziz City for Sciences and Technology (KACST). Addressing the symposium, Prince Turki urged the European countries to remove all obstacles that might face marketing of oil. He noted that the Saudi oil policy is based on cooperation with oil producing and consuming countries. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which owns more than one quarter of the total world oil reserves, is the biggest oil producer and exporter, and its oil reserves are expected to increase in the light of the ongoing oil explorations in the country', he said. 'The Kingdom is keen on cooperation with oil producing and consuming countries, and at the same time it is keen on building a national efficient and competitive petroleum industry' he said adding that 'the Kingdom will also remain keen on conducting dialogue with all countries on issues pertaining to energy and environment'. Prince Turki underscored the importance of continuation of petroleum as a basic source of energy, and said 'stability of the oil market will positively contribute to enhancing oil supplies'. Moreover, Prince Turki said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes in the necessity of the existence of a free oil market which does not contradict with the forces of demand and supply. 'Taking that into account, the Kingdom would like to make it clear that it opposes the existing discrimination against petroleum by some consuming countries through imposing high taxes on the petroleum products', he elaborated. 'The Kingdom also opposes extending financial assistance to some energy sources like coal and nuclear energy while imposing high taxes on petroleum', he noted and added 'the Kingdom will exploit its petroleum resources for realizing noble goals'. Prince Turki underlined the importance of stability at the oil market in a manner that benefits the oil producing and consuming countries. 'To ensure oil supplies, the Kingdom has raised its productive capacity, and participated in the process of oil refining at the major markets, in addition to building gigantic tankers', he said. 'The Kingdom would like to call for ending the existing discrimination against petroleum at the major markets through decreasing taxes imposed on petroleum products in a manner that serves the world economy', he said. Prince Turki said billions of dollars were invested in the international petroleum industry so as to make petroleum products harmless for the environment, and added 'it would be better to take into account that coal contributes to the environmental pollution, while the nuclear energy is entailed by so many dangers'. He highlighted the Kingdom's significant efforts in the field of environmental protection in cooperation with other countries. In Geneva the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reassured its full commitment to human rights and to the fight against all kinds of racism. This came in a speech delivered by Kingdom's representative to the United Nations (UN)'s European headquarters in Geneva Dr. Abdul Wahab Abdul Salam Attar before the 61st sessions of the Commission on Human Rights to mark the "International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination." The Kingdom is concerned about all kinds of racism in some societies targeting to discriminate the religion, Attar said, citing the case when some people draw a hypothetical link between Islam and terror. Saudi Arabia stressed its absolute support for countries' right in development and said that development that is not based on respect of human rights is bound to fail. The remarks came in the speech delivered by Saudi permanent representative at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva Dr. Abdul Wahab Attar before the Human Rights Committee's debate on right in development. Dr. Attar highlighted Saudi contribution to the finance of development efforts in the world. He explained that Saudi Arabia relieved a great number of poor countries of due debts totaling USD6 billion. Dr. Attar called on donor countries to help in relieving poor countries of the burden of foreign debts. On the Palestinian arena Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei slammed the Israeli decision to build thousands of housing units in the West Bank to harden its control over Jerusalem. Qurei told reporters after the weekly meeting of the Palestinian cabinet that such actions "are endangering the efforts to achieve peace in the region." "These plans are a crime and a clear violation that are not accepted and aimed at continuing the aggression on our territories and on our people," said Qurei. The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth earlier reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last week approved the construction of 3,500 new homes in a bid to secure "Greater Jerusalem," which will be two new neighborhoods linking the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim to East Jerusalem. Qurei said the expansion of settlements in the West Bank "givesthe impression that Israel is not interested in peace and aims to undermine the efforts to achieve a peaceful solution between thetwo sides." "We can never accept that they announced to withdraw from settlements in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bankand at the same time they build thousands of housing units in the West Bank," stressed Qurei. The Grand Mufti of Al Quds from his part warned the Israeli government from the dangers of harming Al Aqsa mosque, while holding it responsible for any such acts. He said the mosque position is Supreme and would never be the victim of negotiations or agreements, adding that we refuse that the mosque be the victim of the Israeli-Arab conflict, and we also refuse linking between the so-called withdrawal from Gaza and Al Aqsa mosque. Sheikh Sabri held the Arab government and people responsible for the safety of the mosque and said the Muslim Organization in Al Quds has issued a memorandum which was addressed to Arab leaders in Algiers calling on them to include the issue of Al Quds in the agenda of the Arab summit. Sheikh Akrama went on to say that the dangers surrounding the mosque are well beyond the capacities of the Palestinian people and it is our religious duty to defend the mosque. He pointed out that the Muslim Organization has issued a statement is which it called on the Israeli government to take the necessary measures to prevent any settlers from approaching the holy mosque adding that the organization has called on all citizens in Palestine to be at the mosque especially on April 10, the date specified by settlers to attack the holy mosque. The Sheikh confirmed that Muslim right in the holy Aqsa Mosque was immortal and urged the Palestinian people to maintain cohesion and solidarity to preserve national property and holy shrines. |
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