April 15, 2005

PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDULAZIZ URGES THE MILITARY SERVICE COUNCIL'S GENERAL SECRETARIAT TO DOUBLE ITS EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE MATTERS TO MILITARY MEN IN VARIOUS SECTORS. THE SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES THE SITE OF THE MINISTRY OF ISLAMIC AFFAIRS. PRINCE SULTAN: THE KINGDOM HAS TO FULFIL ITS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS MUSLIMS AND ISLAM. PRINCE KHALID IBN SULTAN REPRESENTS PRINCE SULTAN AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR THE MEMORIZATION OF THE HOLY QURAN FOR SERVICEMEN. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General and Second Deputy Chairman of the Military Service Council chaired at the Royal Court the Council's third meeting. The meeting was attended by princes, the Council's member ministers and the secretary general. The meeting reviewed topics on its agenda and discussed the report of the Secretary General. The Council reviewed the recommendations regarding the amendment of clause 95 with regards to officers service and item 1 of clause 53 with regards to medical leave. The Council also discussed the use of officials for advise and recommended the review of the clause in the next meeting. The Council agreed on the mechanism concerned with promotions. The Council agreed on the recommendations concerned with cases of ending services through a royal decree and cases where the minister in charge is involved and also reviewed items relating to the employment of graduates in military sectors. At the end of the meeting Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General urged the Council's general secretariat on doubling the efforts to achieve matters to service military men in various sectors. On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, launched the internet international call site of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance. In remarks on the occasion, Prince Sultan highlighted Saudi efforts to call for Islam and serve Muslims everywhere. The site provides services to Muslims on all Islamic subjects, which interest Muslims. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz delivered a speech in which he said the Ministry has been established to serve Islam and Muslims and help them to understand their religion and their rituals according to the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet. He prayed God the Almighty to make the Kingdom always ready for serving the religion and the two holy mosques. The Second Deputy Prime Minister added that the Kingdom is not like any other place as it has been honoured by being the cradle of Islam and where the houses of God the Almighty are, thus it has to do it utmost to serve God and fulfil its duty towards Muslims and Islam, or God forbid we will be wrong. From his side Sheikh Saleh Al Al-Sheikh Minister of Islamic Affairs expressed his thanks and gratitude to Prince Sultan Ibn abdul Aziz for his support to this site. He pointed out to the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard for Islam and Muslim and for the moderate call to Islam. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General listened to a briefing on the site the services it provides presented by Dr Mohammed Al Turki, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. Dr Al Turki added that the site will be published in several languages. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz was offered a memorial gift on the occasion. On another scale the number of patients of have undergone angiograms in the Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz centre for heart surgery in Al Qassim region has reached 293 cases during the years 1424/1425 H, while the number of other angioplasty has reached 251 in addition to 42 other cases of specialized treatment. The report presented by the Health Affairs in Al Qassim region showed that the number of outpatients who visited the clinics was 15791 while the number of resident patients reached 829 in intensive heart care units and 425 in heart diseases departments. The report said the number of pacemakers was 16 permanent and 26 temporary. Open heart surgeries have were four operations. The report added that the most important problems that would face the continuity of the service are the high costs and the scarcity of professionals in the field. The report called for increasing the budget of the center from SR 30 million to SR 65 million and for reaching a mechanism that will ensure the continuous support to the center. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General had opened the center which was completed at his own expenses with a cost of SR 12 million last year. The Holy Quran Competition for the Military, vying for the Prince Sultan Military Award, has started in Riyadh, with participating individuals coming from 17 countries of the Muslim world. On behalf of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs inaugurated Prince Sultan International Prize for Memorization of the Holy Quran for Servicemen. Upon arrival at the venue, the Prince was received by Chief of General Staff General Salih bin Ali Al-Muhayya and a number of officials. The contest aims at encouraging the military men in the various Muslim countries to memorize the Holy Quran and understand its meanings. Moreover the contest aims at highlighting the significant role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the service of the Holy Quran, the Islamic spirit of the Saudi armed forces as well as enhancing relations among the military men in the Muslim world. Under the patronage of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Defense and Aviation Minister for Military Affairs, opened the ceremony to begin activities of the Prince Sultan International Prize for Memorization of the Holy Quran by the military men of the Muslim countries. Speaking on the occasion, Prince Khalid highlighted the great attention being given by the Saudi officials to the Holy Quran. He noted that the organization of the contest aims at encouraging the military men for memorization and intonation of the Holy Quran Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan, said memorization of the Holy Quran paves the way for the person to become a God-fearing man. He noted that the Holy Quran is the way for the Muslims to restore the glories of the past, and to be awakened in the present time to bring about development and progress. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan praised the great attention paid by the Saudi officials towards the Holy Quran. In his speech, the Prince called for defending charges against Islam by knowledge, persuasion and reasoning. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, who urged Muslims to commit to memory the Holy Quran, to digest it, and to live by its precepts and teachings in their daily lives. He called upon Muslims to wisely defend Islam, using objective arguments and avoid insults, insinuations, and innuendoes. Along with the competition, there will be religious lectures, seminars, training sessions and workshops. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan noted that the organization of the contest aims at encouraging the military men for memorization and intonation of the Holy Quran and said memorization of the Holy Quran paves the way for the person to become a God-fearing man, and stressed the importance of the Quran in the life of members of the Armed Forces as it the Quran that gives them the power and the strength. Prince Khalid noted that the Holy Quran is the way for the Muslims to restore the glories of the past, and to be awakened in the present time to bring about development and progress. He praised the great attention paid by Saudi officials towards the Holy Quran and greeted the participants in the contest. Prince Khalied pointed out that the Quran is the support everyone needs in time of crisis as it provides strength through patience, consolidation, support and strong will. He added the Muslim world faces a crisis because of the weakness of the Muslim nation. He stressed that no glory would be achieved without the Quran. Then Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan opened the Exhibition of Kingdom's efforts in the Service of the Holy Quran. In a statement to the press Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan said the Prince Sultan International Prize for Memorization of the Holy Quran for Servicemen has achieved many good results adding that the prize is the only one in the Muslim world and all Muslim and Arab countries take part in it. He pointed out to the increasing number of Quran memorizers with the grace of God the Almighty and the constant support of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. He welcomed any improvement or increase in the number of participants from other countries. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan said a number of issues will be discussed and some of those will deal with exaggeration and terrorism. The ceremony was attended by minister of Islamic affairs, endowments, call and guidance Sheikh Saleh Al Al-Sheikh and a number of senior military officials Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and aviation and inspector General for Military Affairs, arrived in Dhahran to patronize the graduation of a number of students from courses at the Air force Institute for Technical Studies in Dhahran. At King Abdul Aziz airbase in Dhahran, he was received by Prince Jalawi Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Musaed, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province and number of military officials. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz left Riyadh and he was seen off at Riyadh Airbase by Chief of General Staff General Salih Al-Muhayyah and a number of senior military officials. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and aviation and inspector General for Military Affairs patronized in the presence of Prince Jalawi Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Musaed, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province the graduation ceremony of batches 103, 104, 105, and 106 from the Institute for Technical Air Forces studies in Dhahran. Upon arrival at Prince Sultan sport city Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan was received by Staff Air General Abdul Rahman Al-Faisal Commander of the Air Forces, Major General Sorour Ibn Mohammed Al-Harbi the commander of the Eastern region, the Commander of the King Abdul Aziz Base Staff Major General Abdul Aziz Al Ubaykan and the commander of the Institute for Technical Air Forces studies in Dhahran Staff Major General Engineer Ali Ibn Abdullah Isa. Upon arrival at the venue the royal anthem was played and the ceremony started with readings from the Holy Quran. Then the commander of the Institute for Technical Air Forces studies in Dhahran Staff Major General Engineer Ali Ibn Abdullah Isa delivered a speech in which he welcomed Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan at the ceremony for the graduation of 1000 students amongst whom a number from the Kingdom of Bahrain. At the end of the speech he congratulated the graduates. The speech of the graduate was delivered and poem was read. The results were announced and Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan distributed the honourary prizes. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan was presented with a memorial gift. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs inaugurated the project of reparation and rehabilitation of the Primary Care Clinics Complex in the Military Hospital at King Abdul Aziz Airbase in Dhahran. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Khalid was received by Major General Kittab Ibn Eid Al-Otabi, the Director General of Medical Services Department of the Armed Forces; physicians and senior military officials. Prince Khalid was briefed on the medical services provided by the complex clinics. A number of senior military officials attended the inaugural ceremony.