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May 13, 2005 |
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PRINCE ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ BRIEFS THE CABINET ON HIS TALKS DURING HIS RECENT VISITS TO FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THEIR POSITIVE OUTCOMES. PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL DELIVERS THE SAUDI STATEMENT AT THE SOUTH AMERICAN-ARAB SUMMIT. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to British Premier Tony Blair on the occasion of his re-election. In his cable, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the premier continuous health and happiness and the people of Britain steady progress and prosperity. On this occasion, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques stressed the friendship and good relations between the two countries and their common wish to boost them, to strengthen security and stability and to achieve peace in the Middle East and all parts of the world under the umbrella of justice and noble human values. Similar cables were sent to the premier from Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, and Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. 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 his talks during his recent visits to the Republic of France and the United States of America and their positive outcomes of enhancing bilateral relations and strengthening strategic, political, economic, cultural and educational ties between the Kingdom and the two countries. He also informed the Cabinet of the results of the two visits in the interest of the Arab world and Islamic countries. The Crown Prince commended the warm reception, sincerity of feelings and depth of understanding shown by the leaderships and officials of the United States of America and France along with the atmosphere of frankness, clarity and transparency that prevailed during the meetings and talks. The Crown Prince also briefed the Cabinet on his visits to Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Jordan during which he clarified the Kingdom's positions on developments in the region and the world, the Kingdom's support for and defense of Arab and Islamic issues and its support for security, stability in the region so that peoples in the region and the world enjoy security, peace and rapprochement. 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 Crown Prince conveyed the greetings and appreciation of the leaders of these countries to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its remarkable role and efforts in enhancing security and stability in the region and its continual pursuit of extending bridges of cooperation with various countries in this regard. The Minister of Culture and Information noted that Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, informed the Cabinet of his inspection tour of Hail Region and the developmental projects achieved there. Prince Sultan stressed that the tour came within the framework of the care for and attention paid by the government under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince to the Kingdom's regions and its support for developmental projects and sensing of the needs of citizens in various regions. The Minister pointed out that the Cabinet reviewed the start of the Arab-South American Summit in Brazil and emphasized its importance, and noted the high priority the Kingdom accords its relations with friendly countries in Latin America, and the appreciation the kingdom has for the stand of Brazil's President in this regard. Then the Cabinet was briefed on reports about the development of the situations in the region particularly the escalation of the situation in Iraq and continual daily killing of the innocent. The Cabinet affirmed that the continual acts of killing and violence in Iraq will bar the Iraqi people from achieving their aspirations of security and stability. On the recent explosion in Junieh, Lebanon, the Cabinet condemned the act, emphasizing that such acts are contrary to the efforts pursued to support Lebanon's stability. Again, the Cabinet stressed the Kingdom's keenness on Egypt's security and stability and the Kingdom's stand by the people of Egypt in confronting the acts of violence and terrorism. The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet ratified the framework agreement for economic cooperation between the GCC member states on one hand and India on the other. The agreement was previously approved by the Gulf Cooperation Council's 24th summit held in Kuwait. The agreement aims at encouraging economic cooperation between the two parties, expanding and liberating trade ties and concluding free trade zone agreement. The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the field of Islamic affairs and endowments aiming at cooperation in organizing mosques, training Islamic callers and preachers and exchanging experience in the field of the organization of mosques and endowments. The Minister of Culture and Information or his deputy was authorized to discuss with the Azerbaijani side a draft arrangement for news exchange between the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and the Azerbaijani News Agency aiming at using the means available for news exchanges in addition to the expertise in the field of information and technology. The Minister or his deputy was also authorized to sign the arrangement and forward it for further authentication. The Cabinet approved the agreement on Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the protocol on Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and fixed platforms based along the continental shelf. The agreement and the protocol aim at the protection of maritime navigation utilities in ports and on vessels visiting them as well as the maritime fixed platforms within the framework of the international law. However, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reservation regarding Article 11 and Paragraph 1 of Article 16 of the agreement. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, telephoned Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih. During the call, they discussed the latest developments at the regional and international arenas as well as the bilateral relations between the two countries. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, has sent a written message to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, President of the United Arab Emirates, dealing with fraternal relations between the two countries and a number of issues of mutual concern. The message was delivered to the president by Ibrahim Al-Anqari, Special advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, during a meeting with the UAE president. On another scale the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stressed the necessity of enhancing reforms in the world financial system in order to support the efforts of the developing countries to achieve economic growth along with social equality. In a statement, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the Arab-South American Summit, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, said that the reforms must include tools more adequate to prevent and to manage financial crisis and to give more role to the developing countries in the decision-making process in the financial multi-party organizations without disrupting the interests of other countries. The Following is the full text of Prince Saud's statement at the Summit: "President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva Of Federal Republic of Brazil, Majesties, Presidents, and Excellencies, heads and members of the delegations May God peace be upon you I have the honor on behalf of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to convey his greetings and sincere wishes for the success of this summit. I also express in the name of the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the great appreciations for the efforts of the Federal Republic of Brazil for the preparations of this summit which will help us to reach the desired goals toped by enhancing the cooperation among our countries to achieve our common interests and benefit our peoples. The history of the relations between the Arab world and the Latin American countries goes back to more than five hundred years during which the Arab sailors started to arrive to this part of the world. And through out the 19th century, the wave of the Arab migration to Latin America reached high levels under which the Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian communities were able because of the acceptance of the Brazilian people to the newcomers, to integrate into the Brazilian society and other Latin American societies. Mr. President Despite the Arab intensive presence in this part of the world, the size of the trade exchange and investment between the Arab countries and Latin American countries are currently not up to the level of the available resources and capabilities of both sides. In 2004, the volume of trade exchange between Arab and South American countries was $ 10 billion representing 1.13 % of its total external trade and this is not in harmony with the ambitions of our peoples. "And we view the initiative of President to hold this important conference a good opportunity to correct this reality by determining the obstacles that prevent the upliftment in different fields of cooperation which affirm the adoption of programs and plans to assure the elimination of these obstacles facing our cooperation. We also should pay attention to ensure the necessity of encouraging and supporting the flow of investments, exchange of experiences and the transfer of technology as a response to global changes that took place during the past years which led to creation of a united economic world which could pave the way for a large flow of investment through borders. In the world of globalization and information technology, we must take the opportunities to develop our joint economic capabilities. This means in the first place, the elimination of barriers that prevent the free flow of capitals and investment projects. The most important one is the taxation barrier which is imposed on the foreign investors and the complicated administration procedures for their investments. In this context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued a new regulation for the foreign investment. It provides a full list of assurances and incentives that enable the investor to keep pace with all modern changes and developments. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was keen in line with joint international efforts to meet the international developments in the international trade regulations by stressing the necessity of enhancing the reforms in the world financial system in order to support the efforts of the developing countries to achieve economic growth along with social equality. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses that the reforms must include tools more adequate to prevent and to manage financial crisis and to give more role to the developing countries in the decision-making process in the financial multi-party organizations without disrupting the interests of other countries. "With respect to the stability of the international energy markets, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has worked to ensure the consuming countries of the assurance of oil supplies to meet the possibility of the shortages of those supplies regardless of any reason despite the high cost of this assurance. The crisis that took place in the region, proved the credibility of the Kingdom's policy and its balance approach in this field along with its keenness that this run-out commodity is dealt with, in a suitable manner of its importance. This comes by not imposing high tax of negative impacts on the demand and not limiting investment in its development and improving its uses. Mr. President The project of the communiqué of the summit has good ideas about ways of facing poverty, starvation and the importance of tackling the developmental and social issues. Despite the fact that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a developing country with increasing financial needs, but still it contributes in financing the developmental, economic and social efforts in the developing countries. In this regard, the Kingdom's total un-recovered aids and soft developmental loans through the bilateral and multi-party channels in the last three decades was about $ 83 billion which forms 4 percent of the annual average of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Kingdom in those years. This has exceeded the official goal of the developmental aid which is determined by the United Nations. As many as 73 developing countries in different continents including the South American continent benefited from these assistance. "I would like to point out here to the cooperation in this field with South American countries. There had been active participation of companies and contractors from South America in implementing developmental projects in African continents financed by the Saudi Fund For Development (SFD). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also took the initiative to contribute its full share in the fund initiative for reducing the debts of the poor countries that are burdened by debts to the International Monetary Fund. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia freed a number of poor countries from the debts due on them before the launch of the new international initiative in this respect. Mr. President We realize that this conference is concerned by the economic aspects, but we feel that the desired economic development must be based on a stable situation. And this makes me move to mention a number of important political causes in our region which formed an obstacle before the development and the matter will remain (unresolved) as long those issues are not dealt with. These issues are toped by the Palestinian cause which still awaits a just and lasting solution based on establishment of a Palestinian state as it was stated in the Arab peace initiative and the road map. If the peace process is to be moved forward, then Israel must fulfill its obligations according to the signed agreements and treaties and to respect the resolutions of the international legitimacy and land for peace principle. The existence of equal opportunity in the participation in the political process for all Iraqi people is the committed assurance to protect the unity of Iraq, its independence and sovereignty. We hope that formation of the new Iraq government will result in positive steps in the road of the political process towards its desired goal. We also see what deserve the appreciation in the procedures that have been undertaken by the transitional Iraq government. My country also support the outcome of the Istanbul meeting for the Iraq's neighboring countries which stressed on the protection of the sovereignty and unity of Iraq, land and people and the right and freedom of the Iraqi people for the self-determination and its control on its natural resources. Lebanon has witnessed a number of political developments of high importance of which we hope that will result in a bright future that achieves for Lebanon what it looks at in terms of freedom, sovereignty and independence. On its part, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has exerted constant efforts to help the Lebanese people to reach their ambitions and at the same time keep the historical and distinguished relations that link Lebanon with its neighbouring sister Syria. "Mr. President, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has stressed in all events that terrorism is the most dangerous phenomenon that the International community has faced. And, in order to fight this phenomenon which does not have a religion or nation or nationality, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took the initiative to call for an international conference to combat terrorism which was held in Riyadh last February. A number of important recommendations were adopted by the concerned participating bodies, toped by the suggestion of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to set up an international center for combating terrorism. The conference's final recommendations, we hope, would be adopted by the United Nations. Mr. President The culture, heritage and civilization of any society is the main key for understanding the nature of that society. The importance of culture is clear as it is an active element and a bridge for contacts among peoples. There is a need to enhance the academic cooperation among educational foundations through scholarships in all sciences and knowledge, the cooperation in the training and technology field, enhancing programs of culture exchange, and the interaction among the intellectuals with emphasis on the importance of the cultural diversity of our countries and its protection to enhance the understanding among us and to formulate joint interest that benefit our peoples. Finally, I extend my thanks to you Mr. President, the people and government of the Federal Republic of Brazil for your hospitality and distinguished efforts which contributed in the success of this summit. May God peace be upon you," Prince Saud concluded in his statement. |
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