May 12, 2006

CROWN PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ HONOURS THE GREEK AND THE INDONESIAN PRESIDENTS AND DISCUSSES WITH THEM THE DEVELOPMENTS ON THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARENAS. PRINCE SULTAN: SAUDI ARABIA IS ON THE RIGHT PATH. WE'LL SOON WITNESS THE GRADUATION OF NEW BATCHES OF SAUDIS TRAINED ON ASSEMBLING AIRCRAFT AND SPECIALIZED IN THE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY. THE CROWN PRINCE HONOURS THE SAUDI EQUESTRIAN TEAMS. A MESSAGE TO PRINCE SULTAN FROM THE KUWAITI PRIME MINISTER. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General and Chairman of Ministerial Committee of Economic Offset Program patronized the celebration of Al-Salam Aircraft Company for graduating a number of national cadres trained and qualified by the company. Upon arrival at the venue, the Crown Prince was received by Prince Faisal Ibn Farhan Ibn Abdullah Al Saud, the Company Board's Acting Chairman and other officials. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. In his speech, Prince Faisal Ibn Farhan Ibn Abdul Aziz said that the company has met the Kingdom's needs in the field of civil and military aircraft maintenance with regard to modification, modernization and development. He noted the company's modernization of 124 military aircraft and maintenance of 134 commercial aircraft. Addressing the ceremony, the Crown Prince pointed out that the Economic Offset Program has resulted in the establishment of 27 companies between the Saudi private sector and foreign companies for the service of our national economy, adding that other projects will be executed very soon. The Crown Prince noted that the Program has contributed to creating a number of strategic and advanced industries in the field of aviation, space, electronics, engineering systems and information along with the provision of new job opportunities for Saudi youth. Crown Prince Sultan indicated that in the near past, we sent Saudi aircraft abroad for maintenance, but today Saudi youth have maintained them. We are proud that aircraft from brotherly and friendly countries are sent for maintenance in the Kingdom, he said and added that we will celebrate soon graduating new batches of Saudi youth in the field of aircraft assembling and industry in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz. Crown Prince Sultan has announced that the Kingdom's Saudization drive was going ahead in the right direction. He commended the Labor Ministry, technical institutes and private companies for their efforts in providing training and employment to thousands of young Saudis. Prince Sultan was talking to reporters after attending a graduation ceremony at Al-Salam Aircraft Company in Riyadh. "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah gives top priority to training young Saudis to take up jobs in various sectors," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the Crown Prince as saying. Prince Sultan said the Kingdom's prestigious Economic Offset Program resulted in the establishment of 27 companies with the cooperation of Saudi private sector and foreign firms. A number of new projects will be carried out shortly under this program to strengthen the economy, he added. "The offset program was instrumental in setting up a number of strategic and advanced industries in aviation, space science, electronics and engineering systems," Prince Sultan said, adding that they created a large number of jobs for Saudis. "We are proud to see that some foreign countries send their aircraft to the Kingdom for maintenance," he said. "We'll soon witness graduation of new batches of Saudis trained on assembling aircraft and specialized in aircraft industry," he pointed out. As many as 167 Saudi trainees graduated from the company, which is specialized in repair, maintenance and overhaul of commercial, military and civilian aircraft. The graduates had attended training programs held by the company such as technical program for the maintenance of aircraft bodies, mechanical program for the maintenance of F-15 planes, training program for engineering graduates and training program for administrative assistants. Prince Sultan visited an exhibition staged on the occasion and inspected some aircraft parts manufactured at the company. He also inspected facilities for upgrading planes to increase their durability. The company has so far upgraded 55 aircraft. Prince Faisal Ibn Farhan, acting chairman of Al-Salam Aircraft Company, said the company was making headways to achieve the goals set by the government. He said he saw a bright future for the Kingdom's aviation industry. "Our company is now meeting the Kingdom's needs in aircraft maintenance for civilian and military planes in terms of making modification and modernization. "We have been successful in modernizing 124 military aircraft including Tornado and F-15 fighters," he explained. Of a total of 134 commercial planes maintained by the company, 52 were from abroad. "This reflects the company's competitiveness and its role in boosting national economy," he added. Al-Salam provides technical support for Saudi Air Force projects. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, held a luncheon party at his palace in Riyadh in honor of visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the accompanying delegation. The function was attended by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior; Prince Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud; Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh Region; Prince Sattam Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region; Prince Khalid Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed; Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, other princes, ministers and senior civil and military officials. On the Indonesian side, the function was attended by the President's accompanying delegation and Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom Salim Saqaf Al Jeffry. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, hosted a luncheon in honour of visiting Greek President Karolos Papoulias and the accompanying delegation. The luncheon was attended by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation, as well as other princes and senior officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General has rejected an Iranian offer to provide the Kingdom and other Gulf states with nuclear technology. "We don't need nuclear assistance from any country," Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic daily quoted the Crown Prince as saying. Speaking to reporters after attending the year-end ceremony at Kingdom Schools in Riyadh on Tuesday, Sultan urged both Iran and the Western powers, who are locked in a standoff over Tehran's nuclear program, to cool down and cooperate with one another for the betterment of humanity. Saudi Arabia seeks a diplomatic solution to the standoff. In a previous statement, the crown prince said Saudi Arabia was against nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation. However, he said Riyadh would not take a position against Iran on the issue while Israel possessed nuclear weapons. Asked about reports that a deal had been reached with the Boeing Company to purchase new planes for Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sultan said that there was a plan to replace the airline's old planes. The Kingdom will not, however, revoke the deal with Airbus. Sultan said the government was following up the case of Abdul Rahman Al-Atwi, a Saudi, being detained in an Israeli prison. His comments came amid reports that Al-Atwi has been sentenced to three months in jail by a military court. Prince Sultan hailed the tremendous progress achieved by Kingdom Schools. "I thank Al Waleed Ibn Talal for this great work," he said at the ceremony where students who achieved grades of excellence were honored. In his welcome address, Prince Al Waleed, chairman of Kingdom Holding, said the school was honoured by the Crown Prince's presence. "Three years ago Kingdom Schools were honoured with your patronage. ... At that time you said 'If you love your children, take them to Kingdom Schools'." Prince Al Waleed underscored the government's efforts to strengthen the country's security and stability. "Our Islamic faith rejects terrorism and violence and brings together all people for peace," he said. He referred to the Saudi leadership's efforts to expand popular participation in the decision-making process by conducting elections to municipal councils. "The Kingdom has also given women their rights to take decisions," he pointed out. "There will not be any dispute over women's rights to knowledge and work," he stressed. Prince Al Waleed also referred to a statement by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah that he strongly believes in Saudi women's rights. "Islam has given women all rights and we'll never dilute them," Al Waleed said. He noted the Kingdom's efforts to establish strong relations with Asian countries, such as China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore, apart from Western countries in order to promote bilateral cooperation. "The visits of the heads of state of industrialized countries to Riyadh and their meetings with Saudi leadership affirms the peaceful coexistence of civilizations," he pointed out. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received a group of citizens who came to greet him. The reception was attended by Prince Khaled Ibn Sultan, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs, Prince Misha'al Ibn Abdullah Ibn Musa'ed, the Supervisor of Studies at the Crown Prince's office and Chief the Crown Prince's Court Ibraheem Al-Hudaithi. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at the royal court at Al-Yamamah palace princes; senior officials of the royal court, the Crown Prince's court, the Cabinet presidency's court; senior commanders and officers of the royal guard and a group of citizens who came to greet him. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at the royal court at Al-Yamamah palace Algeria's Ambassador designate to the Kingdom Dr. Lahbib Adami. During the audience, the Ambassador conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika. In turn the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the President. They also exchanged cordial talks and reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two brotherly countries. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at the royal court at Al-Yamamah palace Saudi ambassadors designate Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Bin Eifan (South Korea), Isam Ibrahim Beit Al-Mal (Ethiopia) and Fahd Bin Ali Al-Dousari (Guinea). The Crown Prince sent his greetings to the leaders of the three countries, urging the ambassadors on enhancing relations between the kingdom and these countries. The audience was attended by a number of officials. On the other hand Makkah's residents have addressed their thanks and gratitude to Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General and President of Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation for offering 180 furnished housing units to families in Makkah Al Mukkaramah. Citizen Safi Al Daawi who lives in the area lauded Prince Sultan and said all the citizens are grateful for this gracious gift. All houses are built on 123m2 or 306m2 with a cost of Sr 36, 387,000 and will be delivered during the next few months. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at his palace in Riyadh Saudi national equestrian teams. During the meeting, Crown Prince Sultan paid tribute to the achievements of the Saudi knights, lauding their qualifying for the world equestrian cup in Malaysia and the world equestrian championship in Germany this year. The audience was attended by Prince Sultan Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, President of Youth Welfare and his deputy Prince Nawaf Ibn Faisal Bin Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and members of the board of directors of the Saudi equestrian federation. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, has received a message from Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The message was delivered to Crown Prince Sultan by the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Jaber Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah during a meeting. They reviewed issues of mutual interest.