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June 16, 2006 |
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PRINCE NAIF IBN ABDUL AZIZ STRESSES THE CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO REGAIN ALL SAUDI DETAINEES IN GUANTANAMO. PRINCE TURKI AL-FAISAL REPLIES TO ALLEGATIONS THAT THE SAUDI EDUCATION SYSTEM IS HOSTILE TO NON-MUSLIMS. PRINCE KHALID IBN SULTAN MEETS WITH THE FRENCH MINISTER OF DEFENCE. THE SAUDI MINISTER OF INFORMATION: THE ARAB REGION NEEDS AN ORGANIZING ENVIRONMENT THAT CONTROLS SATELLITE TELEVISION AND BROADCASTING TRANSMISSION. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has highlighted the outcome of his meetings with King Abdullah II of Jordan and King Hamad Ibn Eisa al-Khalifa of Bahrain during their recent visits to Saudi Arabia. He noted that his talks with the Jordanian and Bahraini Kings would further widen the scope of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the two countries, and would serve mutual interests as well as the interests of the Arab and Muslim nations. The King pointed out that he had reviewed with the two leaders the problems that face the Palestinian people due to the aggressive practices of Israel. The King made his remarks while presiding over the regular session of the Cabinet session. The King briefed the Cabinet on the outcome of his meetings, consultations and contacts with some leaders of the fraternal and friendly countries. In his briefing to SPA, Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ameen Madani said the Cabinet had condemned and deplored the Israeli shelling of the coast of Beit-lahia, North of Gaza strip, leading to the killing and injury of some innocent civilians. The Cabinet expressed surprise over the silence of the international community regarding the state terror that is being practiced by Israel in a manner that undermines the peace process in the Middle East and stands against the basic human values. At the local arena, the minister of culture and information said the Cabinet has underscored the importance of the industrial, educational and construction projects being launched in the various parts of the Kingdom as well as the national unity demonstrated during the Royal visits to these regions and governorates, and said they have embodied the flourishing Saudi economy and the existing coherence between the Saudi leadership and people. The Cabinet viewed that the adherence of the Kingdom to Islam as a belief and a way of life, the wise and responsible leadership, as well as the popular and private initiatives, have become a model for the social and economic development and social harmony and a means for enhancing the national identity, with the grace of Almighty Allah. The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet approved the final account of the National Commission for Wild Life Protection and Development for the fiscal year 1424 - 1425 H. The Council of Ministers ratified the GCC unified law for combating market flooding and taking compensatory and preventive measures for GCC member states which was approved by the GCC summit held in Kuwait on December 21-22, 2003 and passed by Shoura Council on 11/10/1426 H. The law aims at combating harmful practices to international trade through taking necessary measures by the GCC member states against those practices, including flooding and unnecessary increase of imports, taken by non-GCC countries and incurring harmful effects on GCC industry. Upon recommendations of the Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Salah Al-Mutabbaqani was appointed representative of the private health sector in the Health Services Council. On the other hand Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister said that the authorities immediately started the implementation of the royal orders issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to pay for detainees of special rights who should pay debts or blood money and to pardon some prisoners of a public right on the occasion of the king's tour of a number of the kingdom's regions to inspect the situations of citizens. In a statement to Okaz newspaper, Prince Naif said the royal gesture includes those financially incapable prisoners encompassing women. He indicated that this royal gesture affirmed that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the kingdom of humanity seeking for the happiness of a human being whatever his nationality might be. He noted that this position emanates from the Islamic religion. Prince Naif added that a large number of beneficiaries of this royal gesture will be announced in the next days. The Prince noted that there have been continual efforts to regain all Saudi detainees in Guantanamo, adding that the government is working on regaining the bodies of two Saudis died in Guantanamo prison. We have been informed by u.s. authorities of the suicide, however the reasons will be known as we receive information from the authorities, but we requested to regain their bodies to hand them to their families, Prince Naif said. On the other hand the US state department has distanced itself from comments by a top official that the three suicides by prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were "a good PR move". Colleen Graffy told the BBC the deaths were part of a strategy and "a tactic to further the Jihadi cause", but taking their own lives was unnecessary. "I would not say that it was a PR stunt," said spokesman Sean McCormack. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Ms Graffy told the BBC's Newshour programme on Sunday the three men did not value their lives, nor the lives of those around them. Detainees had access to lawyers, received mail and had the ability to write to families, so had other means of making protests, she said, and it was hard to see why the men had not protested about their situation. When asked about the comments, the state department spokesman said the US had serious concerns whenever someone took their own life. Mr McCormack would not comment on whether Ms Graffy had been rebuked for her remarks. Camp commander Rear Adm Harry Harris has also taken a tough line on the suicides, saying it was an "act of asymmetric warfare waged against us". Human rights groups said the deaths showed the inmates were in a state of despair because of the indefinite nature of their detention. Five independent United Nations human rights experts today called on the United States to immediately close the Guantánamo Bay detention centre following three suicides there, citing a report they issued three months ago alleging inhuman conditions amounting to torture and the "profound effect" on detainees' mental health. Meanwhile Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Turki Al-Faisal discussed the close friendship between Saudi Arabia and the United States in remarks to the World Affairs Council of Kentucky in Louisville. Prince Turki noted that Saudi Arabia has undergone tremendous economic, social and political development, and cited programs to improve education, municipal elections and $650 billion in investment opportunities as examples. He also encouraged American companies to take advantage of those investment opportunities in the Kingdom. "We live in a global community, so if we are to benefit ourselves, we are benefiting those in the world with whom we interact," Prince Turki said He stressed the strength of the Saudi-US relationship, and highlighted similarities between the two peoples. "We're plainspoken and straightforward, and we both believe in the importance of faith and family. We want the same things for us and for our children that you do: security, opportunity, good health and education, and a bright future." Following is Prince Turki Al-Faisal address to the World Affairs Council of Kentucky, Louisville. Good afternoon. Thank you for the kind introduction. I truly appreciate the invitation to be here today by Lonnie and Muhammad Ali. The mission of your organization is admirable and one that I support greatly. You have a wonderful staff and many dedicated sponsors. Michael Fox, thank you for attending. And I appreciate all of you being here today. I would also like to thank Mayor Abramson for being here and for his remarks, and Mr. Omar Ayyash, thank you for helping to arrange today's events. Ladies and gentlemen, I expect you have many questions for me, so I will be sure to keep my remarks brief. This is actually my second time here in Louisville. I was here on the first Saturday in May to observe the most exciting two minutes in sports. It was thrilling to watch Barbaro win this year. I was only saddened to hear of the outcome of the Preakness Stakes. I am encouraged though by reports that he is recovering and in good condition following surgery. As I'm sure all of you know, in Saudi Arabia, we are equally enamored with horses. The founder of the modern Saudi state, King Abdul Aziz, owned a famous stable, as do many of his descendants today. The Arabian horse is cherished in the Kingdom, and throughout the world. In fact, to protect this breed, for decades now, Saudi Arabia has been participating in a national program to safeguard the Arabian horse's breeding and unique characteristics. I think we can all agree that it is important to protect what serves us well whether it is horses or relationships. This is a common characteristic among Americans and Saudis. I think today, Saudi Arabia and the US are doing a lot to maintain relations between our governments and our people. Certainly, we've gone through ups and downs. We've gone through difficult periods and easy periods, and I think it will continue to be this way. But this is the nature of any relationship, whether between friends or between countries. Ultimately, we always return to seeing the real reason why we stick it out with one another: Quite simply, we work well together. For more than 60 years we've had a mutually beneficial relationship, and I can say and I think proudly say that it is a relationship not just of oil for security but, more broadly speaking, a relationship of people to people. I for one first came to the United States when I was 14 years old to attend high school. After that I attended college here. I have had a great deal of exposure to the US and the American way of life. And this is not unique to me. Over the years, literally hundreds of thousands of Saudis have travelled to the United States seeking education or healthcare, to conduct business, or simply to visit. The friendships and partnerships that have formed since well before our governments had official relations are lasting, because at the bottom of it Saudis and Americans are very similar to each other. We're plainspoken and straightforward, and we both believe in the importance of faith and family. We want the same things for us and for our children that you do: security, opportunity, good health and education, and a bright future. We know that this can be a challenging proposition for any nation to live up to, so in Saudi Arabia we have been diligently working for years now to modernize and to confront head-on the problems that exist within our society. If you look at the Kingdom today, it is a country that is moving forward at great speed economically and socially, and even politically despite what some might say. We have over $650 billion worth of investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia over the next 15 years, and American business should take advantage of that. In December we officially joined the World Trade Organization. This is providing us with great opportunities to increase foreign investment and to diversify our economy so it will be not so reliant on oil. We have also undertaken a strategic multi-year program to improve the level of education in the Kingdom to be competitive internationally, and this program is emphasizing critical thinking and math and science, which are important to success in the global economy. Our municipal councils have now all officially formed and have begun to meet. Members of these councils were elected to office last spring. This is an important step as the Saudi people learn how the electoral process works, and we will continue to expand citizen participation. These developments, which are only a few of many, are not just for the Saudi people. We live in a global community, so if we are to benefit ourselves, we are benefiting those in the world with whom we interact. And we interact with the US in particular a great deal. We cooperate with each other to redefine our relationship as world events evolve. As ambassador to your great country, I am privileged to contribute to developing this relationship. As I was preparing to leave for my new assignment, I asked King Abdullah how should I deal with President Bush and the American people? He turned to me without batting an eye, and he said : "Just be frank with them." I am reminded of when I presented Secretary of State Rice with a copy of my credentials last September. I told her the story of Winston Churchill being a guest at the White House during the war years when President Roosevelt wanted to honor him by putting him up in the White House instead of Blair House. One night Mr. Roosevelt wheeled into Mr. Churchill's room and found him stark naked. Embarrassed, he tried to wheel back out but Churchill turned to him and he said: "Mr. President, the prime minister of England has nothing to hide from the president of the United States." And I did assure the secretary of State that I was not going to come to her naked on any occasion, but that that is the kind of relationship Saudi Arabia would like to have with the United States. And with that, I will be glad to take any questions you may have. In Paris France's Minister of Defense Michele Alliot-Marie received in Paris Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs. At the outset of the meeting, she welcomed Prince Khalid, wishing him good stay in France. During the meeting, she conveyed her greetings to Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. In turn, Crown Prince Sultan sent his greetings to her. During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks and exchanged view points on a number of issues of mutual concern. The audience was attended by a number of senior officials. Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs arrived in Paris on a visit to France to attend on behalf of Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General the inauguration ceremony of Land Forces Defense Exhibition due to be patronized by France's Defense Minister. At the airport, Prince Khalid was received by Prince Saud Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Nawaf Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz and a number of officials. Prince Khalid was accompanied by a military delegation from various branches of the Armed Forces. In Cairo the Council of Arab Information Ministers started its 39th session. The Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the meeting. Addressing the session, the minister emphasized the importance of modernizing and developing an Arab information movement plan abroad. He noted the speech of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz recently addressed to Arab Gulf Information Union which embodied the major fundamentals of information action that should be characterized by credibility and affiliation to its culture and heritage. The information movement should express the unity of the homeland and the nation facing those who want its suspicion and dissention. Minister Madani called on Arab information ministers and officials to attend Information Minister Conference of Organization of Islamic Conference due to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on September 13-14. He expressed the Kingdom's pleasure over hosting a task force concerned with following up the role of Arab information in combating the phenomenon of terrorism, hoping that cooperation will continue and be strengthened with Arab Interior Ministerial Council in the field of confronting terrorism so that the confrontation includes security and intellectual dimensions. The minister of culture and information also expressed the Kingdom's pleasure over hosting a task force concerning with crystallization of criteria of satellite television and broadcasting transmission and electronic information in the Arab region. The Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani pointed out that the Arab region needs an organizing environment that controls satellite television and broadcasting transmission. In a statement to reporters on the fringes of the meetings of the Council of Arab Information Ministers which started its 39th session here today, he said that there is a material potentiality to start implementation of joint Arab information movement plan abroad, noting that the Kingdom submitted its share for the first year. The Minister of Culture and information stressed that terrorism is a world phenomenon and it does not belong to a certain culture or religion. He noted the efforts of combating terrorism notably the International Counter-terrorism Conference held in the Kingdom which endorsed a number of agreements including the setting up of an International Counter-terrorism Center. Minister Madani emphasized the importance of disclosing the thought behind terrorist movements, adding that a normal man will find that this thought is deviant and has nothing to do with Islamic religion and human values. The Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ibn Amin Madani separately met with Bahrain's Information Minister Dr. Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar Abdullah and Palestine's Information Minister Dr. Yousef Mousa Rizkah on the fringes of the meetings of the Council of Arab Information Ministers which started its 39th session. Minister Madani said that he discussed with the Bahraini minister the increase in joint cooperation in information fields between the two countries. As to his meeting with the Palestinian minister, he described it as an opportunity to be acquainted with the priorities of Palestinian information action. In Rabat Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim Al Al Sheikh and his Moroccan counterpart Mohammed Abu-Zuwabe'a signed a convention on judicial cooperation between the two countries, notably in terms of notification, rogatory commission and application of definitive judgments. The signing ceremony was attended by a number of officials from the two countries. The convention, signed by Minister of Justice Mohammed Bouzoubaa and his Saudi counterpart Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim Al Al Sheikh, includes documents and experience exchange as well as training magistrates and judicial assistance. Speaking on the occasion, the Moroccan Justice Minister said that he is determined to apply the provisions of this convention through a joint commission, which will be in charge of the follow-up, the periodic meetings and a well-defined action plan. For his part, the Saudi minister affirmed that this convention is part of a privileged relation uniting Morocco with Saudi Arabia in different fields. He underlined that Saudi Arabia aspires to benefit from the experience of Morocco in the field, especially in terms of human rights. Meanwhile Morocco's Prime Minister Idris Jetto received at his office in Rabat the Saudi Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim Al Al Sheikh. During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual concern. The two officials expressed their satisfaction over the level of cooperation between the two countries. They also stressed the determination of the head of States of the two Kingdoms to further develop bilateral relations. The two ministers tackled issues related to Arab and Islamic causes, underlining the necessity of cooperation between the two countries in international meetings. |
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