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March 31, 2006 |
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***** The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to president of Bangladesh Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed on the occasion of his country's national day. In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah wished the president continuous good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has ordered the appointment of Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Hudeithi as the chief of the Crown Prince's court at the rank of minister. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General performed funeral prayers for deceased Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Ahmed Ibn Mohammed Al-Sudeiri at Imam Turki Ibn Abdullah mosque. The prayers were also performed by Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the minister of interior: Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the governor of Riyadh region: Prince Sattam Ibn Abdul Aziz, vice governor of Riyadh region: Prince Ahmed Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Interior Minister: princes: ulema: sheikhs: ministers: senior officials and a group of citizens. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense And Aviation And Inspector General received former US Ambassador to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and head of middle east policy council Chas Freeman. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, received at his office Finland's Ambassador Marti Esoard. During the audience, issues of common interest were discussed. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior received at his office Iran's Ambassador to the kingdom, Hussein Sadeqi. During the meeting, they discussed a number of topics of mutual interest between the two brotherly countries. On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the governor of Riyadh region patronized an inauguration ceremony of national computer 18th conference organized by Saudi Computer Association titled ''information technology and sustainable development. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Salman was received by Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Ibn Mohammed Al-Anqari and a number of officials. The prince was accompanied by Prince Khalid Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz and Prince Naif Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz. The king's speech was delivered on his behalf by Prince Salman. It noted that the selection of the slogan this year came in line with the state's trends concerning sustainable development and raising its rates. Information Technology, communications, other sciences and knowledge have great and concrete effects on sustainable development, it said and added that they are future sciences in which we should emerge for the progress of our country among other nations. The speech indicated that the government of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz seeks all time to provide education for the Saudi people. This conference is the best evidence of the interest in modern sciences and their applications, the speech noted and added that information technology is one of the pillars of the national economy aiming to change it into a digital economy. It called on all public and private sectors to follow up the latest developments in information technology and to effectively invest it in the service of the homeland and citizens. On this occasion, a memorial gift was presented to the King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and it was received by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz. Then Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz inaugurated an exhibition held on the fringes of the conference. The ceremony was attended by Prince Khalid Ibn Saud Ibn Miqren Al Saud: Prince Dr. Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ayaf Al Miqren, mayor of Riyadh region: Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng Mohammed Jameel Ibn Ahmed Mulla and a number of officials. The London-based Saudi British friendship society held a reception party in honor of Prince Mohammed Ibn Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The reception was attended by a number of senior personalities, including British ex-ambassadors to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, businessmen, media representatives and friends of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Britain. Speaking before the audience, Prince Mohammed lauded the relations between the two countries, noting the developments and achievements witnessed by Saudi Arabia over the last few years. He cited the municipal elections, expansion of tithe Shoura Council and accession to the WTO. He said Petro-Rabigh will be the largest economic city in the Middle East. The Ambassador said terrorism is the enemy of all societies, religions and beliefs, noting that Saudi Arabia has made great strides in its fight against terrorists. He called the west to change the classical picture of Muslims in the western culture. He urged for better understanding between Islamic culture and others. The 2nd Saudi-British conference will start next April in Riyadh. The Saudi side will be chaired by Prince Saud Al-Faisal while the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will the UK side. The conference will be include a speech delivered by Prince Mohammed Ibn Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland and a speech by the British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The conference will cover economic partnership, cooperation human resources, higher education and vocational training. The Hamas Movement delegation headed by its top leader Khaled Mishaal held a series of meetings with Kuwaiti officials and had a meeting with the Palestinian community in the country for a review of Palestinian developments. Mohammed Nazzal, Hamas political bureau member, said that the delegation met with the Amir of Kuwait in the presence of Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed, foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah and director of the Amir's office Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shatti. Nazzal added that the visiting team members then conferred with parliament speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi in the presence of MPs Mohammed Al-Basiri, Dr. Fahd Al-Khana and Dr. Walid Tabtab'i. The delegates also met with Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah in the presence of foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah, state minister for cabinet affairs Mohammed Sharar, energy minister Sheikh Ahmed Al-Sabah and head of the civil service apparatus Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Sabah. Nazzal, speaking to the PIC over the telephone, said that the delegates tabled the Movement's political plan for the upcoming stage and explained Hamas' efforts in trying to form a national, coalition government. Nazzal further reported that the delegates met with around 70 Palestinian figures of the Palestinian community living in Kuwait and met with leaders of the Islamic constitutional movement in Kuwait. Sayyid Badr Ibn Saud Ibn Hareb Al Busaidi, minister responsible for defence affairs, has received a written message from the minister of defence in the Republic of South Korea, dealing with bilateral relations between the two countries. The message was handed over by the South Korean ambassador to the Sultanate when Sayyid Badr received him at Muaskar Bait Al Falaj. During the meeting, relations between the two countries were reviewed. The minister responsible for defence affairs also separately received Noor A'deen Ben Omar, Moroccan ambassador to the Sultanate; and Dato Sirri Stian, Brunei Darussalam ambassador to the Sultanate. During the meeting, good relations and matters of common concern between the Sultanate, Morocco and Brunei Darussalam respectively were reviewed. Jerusalem's Mufti Sheikh Ikrama Sabri called on the Palestinians to defend al-Aqsa mosque and pray in it. This was expressed following the announcement made by extremist Jewish groups determination to break into the mosque courtyard and to pray in it last Monday. Sabri held the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for any violation in al-Aqsa mosque. For his part, supreme court judge in Palestine Sheikh Teiser al-Tamimi warned against the consequences that might be inflicted. An official source in the Islamic resistance movement Hamas said that talking about breaking in confirm the perpetuated intention to target al-Aqsa mosque and divide it and permit the Jews to pray in it. In an official statement, he called on the Palestinians to gather today in the courtyards of the mosque in order to challenge the attempts to break into it. He also urged Arab and Islamic peoples to carry out its duty to defending it. The statement also called on the Arab leaders who will be meeting today in Khartoum summit to shoulder responsibility towards al-Aqsa mosque and to move quickly for protecting it. Three years into the Iraq war, the Time magazine posed the question was it worth it? to a wide array of experts and thinkers. While polls showed that 68% of Americans were in favour of the invasion three years ago, that figure fell as what looked like a quick victory stalled. In a Gallup poll last week, 60% of those surveyed said no, and many people approached by TIME refused to answer. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov denounced Western reports that Russia had passed secret U.S. invasion plans to the then Iraqi authorities at the start of the 2003 Iraq war, branding the allegations "total nonsense." "What those media have been saying is sheer nonsense. We have never passed on any information on that score to anyone," Ivanov told a press conference in Moscow. The minister also implied that the releasers of the report had ulterior motives in making the accusation, saying "the war in Iraq has been on for three years. Everything there is far from calm and bright for them. Somebody must have felt the urge to put one's problems on others." The U.S. Department of Defense claimed in a report that Russia's ambassador to Iraq had informed then Iraqi authorities of the details of the forthcoming military operation by the United States in March 2003. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected this accusation, and said the Pentagon report suggested that it "has hidden political motives", and this move might be connected with the situation in Iraq. Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service also voiced disapproval of the Pentagon's charge. Syrian First Vice President Faruq al-Shara and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki regarded "the nuclear arms of the Quds occupier regime (Israel) and the fact that it does not join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a real threat in the Middle East", state television said. The two officials discussed Iraq, calling on foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbours for a meeting to look for ways to help the establishment of security and stability in the country. Al-Shara, who arrived in Tehran, delivered a message from the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said Sultan of Oman has sent a cable of congratulations to Professor Iajuddin Ahmed of Bangladesh on the occasion of his country"s independence anniversary. The Sultan expressed his sincere sentiments and best wishes to the president, wishing him good health and happiness and the people of Bangladesh further progress and prosperity. Shaikh Abdullah Ibn Ali al Qatabi, Chairman of the Omani Majlis Ash'shura, has received a message from the Speaker of the French National Assembly inviting him to visit France. He also received another message from President of the French Congress inviting him to participate in a seminar on France and its position in the Arabian Gulf to be held in Paris in April. The messages were delivered by the French ambassador to the Sultanate when Al Qatabi received him. They also discussed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them. Dr Ali Ibn Mohammed Ibn Moosa, minister of health of the Sultanate of Oman, received in his office the deputy health minister of China and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, cordial talks were exchanged and both discussed ways of boosting relation in the field of health and common concerns. The meeting was attended by Mohammed Ibn Hassan Ibn Ali, undersecretary for planning affairs at the Ministry of Health; Dr Ali Ibn Ja'afar Ibn Mohammed, adviser of health affairs at the Ministry of Health; the Chinese ambassador to the Sultanate; the member of the Chinese delegation and officials at the Ministry of Health. The Chinese deputy health minister left Oman with his accompanying delegation winding up his several days' visit to the Sultanate. During his visit, a session of official-level talks was held between the Omani and the Chinese sides after which the two sides emphasised the importance of enhancing existing health cooperation between the two sides which dates back to 1981 through the protocol signed between them emanating from the cooperation agreement signed between the governments of the two countries. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she was sure U.S. and Iranian representatives would meet to discuss security in Iraq, but she gave no time for the sessions. "Those meetings will take place, I'm certain, at the appropriate time," Rice said. The United States previously had said contact with the Iranians could occur if Washington found it useful, but questioned the timing and motive of Iran in seeking talks. The Bush administration says discussions would be limited to the situation in Iraq, where Washington has long accused Iran of making trouble. The U.S. ambassador in Baghdad has had authority to talk to his Iranian counterpart since last year, but Tehran only recently said it wants to meet. The Joint Lebanese-Syrian committee has met to solve borders dispute. The meeting was held in Damascus. Judge Omar Yassin said the meeting was held to discuss problems of farmers on both sides of the borders and find ways of solving them. President Ali Abdullah Saleh along with vice-President Abdu Rabou Mansour Hadi met with the delegation of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas headed by the Political Bureau head Khalid Meshaal who is currently visiting Yemen. In the meeting, they discussed the latest developments on the Palestinian arena after the Hamas success in the late legislative elections. They also discussed the forming of new government, in addition to other topics related to the Palestinian cause to be included in the agenda of the coming Arab summit in Khartoum. President Saleh confirmed Yemen would continue supporting the Palestinian cause and Palestinians rights to have independent state and its capital al-Quds. He underlined the necessity of respecting the Palestinian people's will and choice, pointing out to the importance of offering moral and material support for the new Palestinian authority. President Saleh urged the new Palestinian government formed by Hamas to back up the peace process according to the Arab-Beirut 2002 Summit's recommendations that got the Arab assent. Meshaal expressed his thanks for the Yemeni people and its political leadership for brave attitude in supporting the Palestinian people. A recent deal between Iran and Venezuela provides for the exploitation of Venezuela's strategic minerals, prompting opposition figures to warn that President Hugo Chavez's government could be planning to provide Tehran with uranium for its nuclear program. The deal was part of a package of agreements, most of which were announced during a visit last month to Caracas and Cuba by Iranian parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel. The two countries also established a joint $200 million development fund and signed bilateral deals to build homes and factories, and exploit petroleum. In the first of three foreign policy speeches British Prime Minister Tony Blair said there was now a worldwide "battle about modernity", some of which "can only be conducted and won within Islam itself". Mr Blair characterised opponents of the war - which he admitted was "the majority view of a large part of western opinion, certainly in Europe", as being guilty of a "a doctrine of benign inactivity". He told an audience at the Reuters HQ in Canary Wharf: "According to this opinion, the policy of America since 9/11 has been a gross overreaction; George Bush is as much if not more of a threat to world peace as Osama Ibn Laden; and what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else in the Middle East, is an entirely understandable consequence of US/UK imperialism or worse, of just plain stupidity. He insisted he would continue to pursue an "active not reactive" foreign policy, and that it was not "neoconservative" to be "ardently in favour of spreading democracy around the world". Mr Blair spent a large section of the speech analysing the history of Islam, which he said began as "inclusive", "practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance," and "extolling science and knowledge". But he said that by the early 20th century the Muslim world was "uncertain, insecure and on the defensive". He also disclosed that, in countering domestic terrorism, British ministers have been advised against using the term "Islamist extremist" but that it was necessary to give offence in order to "face up to the strain of extremism". But he insisted extremism must be challenged rather than having an "attitude which panders to it and therefore instead of choking it, feeds its growth..." The PM said: "This is not a clash between civilisations. It is a clash about civilisation. It is the age-old battle between progress and reaction..."Today's speech, he said, was about how victory in Iraq and Afghanistan was "vital" for defeating global terrorism, whilst the second one would be about achieving a "broad global alliance", and the third and final one, in the US, would be about reforming multilateral international institutionsMr Blair admitted there had been mistakes in Iraq - such as the rapid dissolution of the army - but insisted: "Opponents will say Iraq was never a threat; there were no WMD; the drug trade in Afghanistan continues"I will point out Iraq was indeed a threat as two regional wars, 14 UN resolutions and the final report of the Iraq Survey Group show." Egypt hosted a regional conference to halt money-laundering and terrorist financing. The two-day meeting, was organized by the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] financial action task force. Officials said this was the first plenary meeting by the regional commission. Gulf Cooperation Council and other Middle East states attended the conference in Cairo. Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa told reporters that Syrian authorities "had never pretended" that the occupied Shebaa Farms belonged to Syria, following a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. Lebanon has repeatedly asked Syria to provide the UN with written evidence to Lebanon's sovereignty over the Farms presently occupied by Israel. Sharaa also denied his country was trying to impede the Lebanese dialogue, which he described as "a Lebanese matter," and reiterated that Syria had already implemented the relevant clauses of UN Security Council Resolution 1559. Asked whether there would be meetings on the sidelines of the Arab Summit between Syria and Lebanon, Sharaa said: "It would depend on who will head Lebanon's delegation since the Syrian president only meets with a president." In his meeting with the Egyptian president, Sharaa handed Mubarak a letter from Syrian President Bashar Assad "regarding the latest developments in the region." The meeting was "completely not linked to Siniora's talks with the Egyptian president," the official Syrian news agency reported. UNRWA lists 4.3 million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the Middle East, including 1.6 million in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where it operates 27 refugee camps. Not all of the refugees live in the camps, which long ago evolved from tent cities into dilapidated, densely packed urban neighbourhoods. The statistics published recently said the number of refugees living in Lebanon is 404 thousands in 12 camps and UNRWA's run schools are 67 with 39,290 students, while in Jordan the number of refugees is One million and 827 thousands. The number of refugees in Syria is 432 thousands who live in 10 camps. |