June 2, 2006

THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES RECEIVES TWO MESSAGES FROM SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAEED AND THE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT AND A PHONE CALL FROM PRESIDENT BUSH. KING ABDULLAH AND THE CROWN PRINCE RECEIVE THE SAUDI RED CRESCENT ANNUAL REPORT. CROWN PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ INAUGURATES THE FORUM OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CALLS ON THE PRIVATE SECTORS' INSTITUTIONS IN ARAB AND ISLAMIC COUNTRIES TO FORM A JOINT SYSTEM OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ STRESSES THAT THE EFFORTS EXERTED TO RETURN THE DETAINEES FROM GUANTANAMO BAY WILL CONTINUE. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received a message from Oman's Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed. The message was handed over to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques by the Minister in Charge of Oman Sultanate's Foreign Affairs Yousef Bin Alawi Abdullah during and audience with the King and the accompanying delegation at the royal court at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh. At the outset of the meeting, the Omani Minister conveyed to the King the greetings of the Omani Sultan. In turn, King Abdullah sent his greetings to the Sultan. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council; a number of princes; ministers and officials. Alawi and his delegation were received on their arrival at the Riyadh airbase by Dr Jabarah Ibn Eid Al Sarsiri, Saudi minister of transport; Abdul Rahman Ibn Nuwaisar, head of the protocols at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, and Said Ibn Ali Al Kalbani, the Sultanate's ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Earlier, in a pre-departure statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), Alawi said the message deals with matters of joint interest, adding that his visit comes within the context of promoting bilateral relations and in the interest of the two countries and the region and serves the interest of the Gulf people. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at the royal court at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh a copy of an annual report of Saudi Red Crescent Society for the year 1426 H. The copy was handed over to the Monarch by Minister of Health And Chairman of the Society's Board of Directors Dr. Hamad IbnAbdullah Al-Manie' during an audience with him, the society's Acting Chief Dr. Salih Al-Tuwaijri and a number of the society's members. King Abdullah expressed his appreciation for humanitarian actions performed by the society, wishing the society all success. On his part, the Minister of Health commended the government of the custodian of the two holy mosques for its great support for the society. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council; a number of princes; ministers and officials. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received a telephone call from US President George W. Bush. They reviewed the bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States and the latest developments at regional and international arenas led by the current situation in the Middle East region. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received a message from President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. The message was handed over to the King by member of central committee of Fatah movement and member of Palestinian Legislative Council Dr. Nabil Shaath during an audience with him and the accompanying delegation at the royal court at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh. At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Shaath conveyed to the King the greetings of the Palestinian President. In turn, King Abdullah sent his greetings to the president. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief Of General Intelligence; a number of princes and officials. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at the royal court at Al-Yamamah palace the Minister of Water and Electricity Eng. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Hussein accompanied by a number of the officials from the ministry, water desalination general corporation, and water and electricity company. In his speech, Minister Al-Hussein noted the ministry's winning of an international honouring shield from World Desalination Organization for accomplishments in conservation field; the winning of the corporation represented by Eng. Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Hussein the first prize from world saline water conversion organization and the winning of water and electricity company a number of merits certificates on the occasion of its successful submission of Al-Shuaiba project. Addressing the audience, the Monarch commended the advanced standard reached by Saudi citizens in various fields and praised the ministry of water and electricity , its sectors and employees for winning certificates, prizes and shields in various fields. The King congratulated all on these achievements. King Abdullah also commended the ministry's efforts in conserving water and urged all on continued and positive efforts to enlighten citizens and expatriates on the significance of maintaining water resources and their conservation , wishing all success for all. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; a number of princes and officials. On the other hand Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General received at the royal court at Al Yamamah palace in Riyadh a copy of an annual report of Saudi Red Crescent Society for the year 1426 H. The copy was handed over to the crown prince by Minister of Health and Chairman of the Society's Board of Directors Dr. Hamad Ibn Abdullah Al-Manie' during an audience with him, the Society's Acting Chief Dr. Salih Al-Tuwaijri and a number of the society's members. The Crown Prince commended the society's important and active role, humanitarian services and distinguished efforts during Hajj seasons, wishing the society all success. On his part, the Minister of Health stressed the keenness of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince for supporting all the society's activities. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General inaugurated the forum of Social Responsibility titled ''Obligation And Commitment'' organized by Riyadh-based Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with Arab Company for Conference Organization. Upon arrival at the venue, the Crown Prince was received by Prince Sattam Ibn Abdul Aziz , Vice Governor of Riyadh region; Prince Sultan Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Secretary General of the Supreme Commission for Tourism; Dr Hashim Ibn Abdullah Yamani, Minister of Commerce and Industry; Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisi, Chairman of Board of Directors of Riyadh-Based Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. Addressing the forum, the Crown Prince urged the audience on adherence to the tolerant religion, calling on paying attention to social responsibility programs stemming from the society's culture and its needs so that national institutions become a source of pride and an honourable model locally and internationally. Crown Prince Sultan expressed his pleasure that the forum's program focuses on the role of the private sector in the field of environment protection, stressing that a firm stand will be taken against any damage that might be inflicted on the environment. He called for seeking any successful experience that serves Saudi society and its institutions. The Crown Prince demanded that their efforts combine with the efforts of the private sectors' institutions in Arab and Islamic countries to form a joint system of social responsibility that performs its humanitarian role in its societies and unites efforts in crises and disasters. In Riyadh Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior chaired a meeting of the high-level committee on Jizan in Riyadh and emphasized the need for the quick implementation of projects to meet the region's present and future development requirements. The 11-member committee was set up by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to oversee Jizan's development at par with other regions of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency said. The meeting studied prospects of establishing a higher authority for the development of Jizan, the agency said, adding that the authority would draft general policies to achieve speedy and balanced development of the region. The committee, which included nine ministers, also discussed plans to remove qat plants being cultivated in the region. It also focused on Jizan's requirements in the areas of roads, water, agriculture, health, education and municipal services. The government will also take steps to establish new industrial cities and cultural centers in the region and adopt measures to prevent flash floods and protect its environment. "The meeting adopted a number of resolutions covering most topics on the agenda," SPA said. The government has already taken a number of steps to promote overall development of the region. King Abdullah approved the establishment of a university in Jizan last year and made allocations in the current budget for the project. Jizan is one of the Kingdom's richest agricultural regions, remarkable for both the quality and variety of its agricultural produce. It is notable for its production of coffee beans, grains (barley, millet and wheat) and fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, mangoes, oranges, papayas, plums and tamarinds). It runs along the Red Sea coast for almost 300 kilometers and includes some 100 islands. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul aziz, the Minister of Interior patronized a graduation ceremony of a number of training courses in various security specialization. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Naif was received by Prince Mohammed Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs and a number of officials. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. The prince handed over prizes and certificates to the graduates. Then Prince Naif inaugurated regular firing fields in training public security city. The Interior Ministry announced that it has released on bail three Saudi Gitmo returnees who arrived in the Kingdom on July 20, 2005 after the court sentenced them to different jail terms. "The three were transferred to court after they acknowledged that they were present in troubled areas without the permission of their parents or rulers. They had also forged documents and exposed the lives of their family members to danger," a ministry official said. The court sentenced two of them to one-year jail term while it decided that the period spent by the third in detention was adequate, the official said. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Prince Naif said Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to repatriate the remaining Saudi detainees in the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan are keen on this issue and we are making intensive efforts with all agencies to ensure their quick return," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the interior minister as saying. Prince Naif was speaking to reporters in Riyadh after attending the graduation ceremony at the Public Security Training Center. He refused to disclose preliminary results of the investigation of the 15 Gitmo detainees who arrived in Riyadh on May 19, saying, "It is a premature question as we need more time to retrieve important information they have." Answering another question, Prince Naif emphasized the significant role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. He said press reports about curbing the organization's powers was a misinterpretation. "They will continue to carry out their duty and the state will provide them with all support," he said. The minister said the recent decision that brought cases such as harassment of women under the Commission for Investigation and General Prosecution was a procedural measure in line with the requirements of the penal code. In accordance with that decision the role of the virtue commission will be restricted to arresting suspects and handing them over to police. He said the measure was taken to reduce the burden on the commission officials. "The investigation commission's officials have gained a high degree of expertise in carrying out investigation as they are also well-versed in Shariah laws. They are equal to their brethren in the virtue commission," he explained. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz denounced the smear campaigns against the Saudi government and said: "Saudi Arabia has been implementing Shariah and its constitution is based on the Qur'an and Sunnah." On the other hand Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz Governor of Riyadh Province launched an SR50 million endowment program to support poor mothers. The project, initiated by Al-Nahda Charitable Women's Society, aims at supporting nearly 2,000 needy women in the city, according to Princess Sarah Al Faisal, the society's chairperson. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General donated SR 10 million [$2.7 million] to the program, while Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz donated SR 3 million [$800,085] SR1 million on behalf of his mother Princess Hussa bint Ahmad Al-Sudairy, SR1 million on his behalf and SR1 million on behalf of his sons, the Saudi Press Agency said. Founded 45 years ago, Al-Nahda Charitable Women's Society aims to promote social development in the Kingdom. Addressing the ceremony, Prince Salman commended Al-Nahda's achievements during the 45 years of its existence. He said the organization had been instrumental in promoting social development. He also praised Saudi businessmen and philanthropists for their support of charitable activities in the country. He highlighted the role played by endowments in supporting development activities in Islamic countries as the revenues earned from such properties were used for building roads, educational institutions, health centers, libraries, homes for the poor and orphanages. "We hope that your support for this project will create a permanent source of income for the society's charitable projects," Prince Salman said. "I request you all to support this endowment program and promote a culture of charitable spending in our society which is known for its generosity," he said. Prince Salman commended the efforts of Princess Sarah and her colleagues at Al-Nahda in implementing charitable projects for the benefit of the poor and needy. Total contributions received during the ceremony amounted to nearly SR40 million. Prince Turki Ibn Abdullah, supervisor of the endowment program, emphasized the need for reviving the Islamic system of endowments to support charitable activities. He commended Al-Nahda's office holders for taking the initiative in implementing an endowment program for poor mothers. Princess Sarah Al-Faisal earlier spoke about her organization's efforts to provide assistance and care to needy families, widows and orphans as well as conducting training programs for women to help them stand on their feet, without depending on others. "Our endowment program is aimed at supporting needy mothers and providing them with security and stability in order to help them shoulder their social responsibility and take care of their families," the princess said. She said the project would support 1,279 poor women and their families, create jobs for 500 women and take care of 50 women with special needs. Also Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh Province patronized the inauguration ceremony of ''Graduate And Employment 10th Day'' organized by Riyadh-based public administration institute. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Salman was received by Mohammed Ibn Ali Al-Fayiz, the Minister of Civil Service and Chairman of the Institute's Board of Directors and a number of officials. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. The Ministry of Social Affairs has launched an initiative to provide grants of up to SR30,000 to help orphaned Saudi children marry when they grow up. Minister of Social Affairs Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas announced the program, which will benefit both men and women, at a function here recently to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the social affairs department's branch in the Riyadh region. Riyadh Governor Prince Salman inaugurated the event at the King Fahd Cultural Center. Al-Akkas said the grants would only be available to those registered with the ministry's branches. The ministry was also working to offer financial grants of SR50,000 for both men and women entrepreneurs wishing to start new businesses. Abdul Rahman Al-Nasser, general manager of the social affairs department in the Riyadh, outlined that the objective of the event was to inform the community about the rehabilitation facilities available to young people and to contribute toward preventing them from going astray and falling into the wrong hands. "We also aim to support the young, especially those living under difficult physical and social circumstances, by rehabilitating them both psychologically and physically and by upgrading their skills which would make them productive members of society," said Al-Nasser.