May 12, 2006

THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ COMMENDS THE SHOURA COUNCIL'S EFFORTS. KING ABDULLAH: THE CRITICAL CONDITIONS IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD NECESSITATE A CONTINUAL AND UNITED ACTION OF THE GULF COUNTRIES. THE SAUDI COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RENEWS ITS CALL ON THE PALESTINIANS FOR SELF-CONTROL AND PROMOTION OF NATIONAL UNITY. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz chaired the Cabinet's weekly session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the contents of the 8th consultative meeting of the leaders of Arab Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) countries held in Riyadh last Saturday. The Monarch stressed that the critical conditions in the region and the world necessitate a continual and united action of the Gulf countries according to a clear vision and studied plans which enhance Gulf accomplishments; strengthen the region's security, stability and prosperity; support joint Arab action and establish friendship and equal relations with all countries. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques expressed his appreciation of the positive atmospheres that prevailed in the meeting, the leaders' sincere desire for the enhancement of joint Arab and Gulf action and their keenness on brotherly relations binding GCC member states. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani said that the Cabinet was also briefed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on the contents of talks, consultations and contacts held over the previous days with a number of leaders of countries and their envoys. In this regard, the King commended the visit paid by the Philippines' president to the Kingdom and the relations of friendship and cooperation binding the two countries. With regard to the Arab affairs, the Cabinet renewed its call on the Palestinians for self-control and promotion of national unity as the only way for achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the setting up of an independent state on the Palestinian land. On the domestic affairs, the Cabinet was informed of a detailed report of the Minister of Finance and Minister of Communication and Information Technology on the governmental electronic dealing program for which the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has approved allocations of SR 3 billion over the coming five years as of the current fiscal year 1426/1427H. The sum will be used to implement the projects of the program's infrastructure and governmental electronic services to provide at least 150 governmental electronic services encompassing more than 1000 sub-services presented by 40 governmental bodies. This year will witness the provision of six governmental services with the participation of the concerned bodies. The program aims to enable governmental bodies to implement electronic dealings in their works and in services extended to citizens and the private sector for the increase of their proficiency, efficiency, productivity for the public sector, improvement of the provision standard of governmental services and contribution to creating the climate for attracting investment into the Kingdom. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques directed that all officials in governmental bodies should be dedicated to the implementation of the program and to collective work to successfully achieve the future vision of governmental electronic dealings in the Kingdom so that all people, anywhere and anytime, can enjoy distinguished governmental services via a number of safe electronic outlets. The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: On recommendations of the Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, who is also Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Administrative Organization, the Saudi Arabian Standard Organization (SASO) will be associated with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Its Board of Directors will be reformed as follows: 1- Minister of Commerce and Industry as Chairman 2- SASO's director general as deputy Chairman Membership of SASO's board of directors will be made up from representatives of each of the Meteorology and Environment Protection Department, an affiliate of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation and Inspectorate General; the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Traffic Directorate, an affiliate of the Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Water and Electricity; Department of Customs, an affiliate of the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Health; General Commission for Food and Medicine; and three businessmen to be appointed by the Minister of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The current representatives of businessmen will continue their membership in the board of directors of SASO, pending the appointment of their replacements. The Cabinet approved the draft general agreement for cooperation between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Cuba which was initialled in New York on September 24, 2004. According to the agreement, which was passed by the Shoura Council one year ago, the two parties encourage economic, commercial and investment cooperation between their two countries and peoples, including organizations of legal status. The two sides also guarantee the freedom of money transfer between the two countries and never take any measure that would incur depriving the investor from possessing or transferring all or part of his capital or profits. Based on resolutions of the 25th Gulf Cooperation Council summit held in Bahrain, the Cabinet decided to put into force the Kuwait document for the Unified Law for Sponsoring the Money of Minors in the GCC countries, considering it a guide law for four years. The law will be studied by the Ministry of Justice which, in its turn, will report to the GCC Secretariat General on the extent of Law's viability. On recommendations of the Minister of Health, the Cabinet agreed to add a representative of the General Commission for Food and Medicine to the membership of the Health Services Council as per Article 16 of the Health System. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Ahmed Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ahmed Al-Sudairi as Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Abanami as Director General for Follow-up at the Ministry of Education. On the other hand the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz commended the Shoura council's efforts and decisions taken by the council concerning regulatory issues, agreements between the kingdom and some countries and international bodies and other subjects. The praise came in a reply cable sent by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to the Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Salih Ibn Humaid after the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques read a report on the Council's activities.