July 14, 2006

THE SAUDI COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INTEREST NECESSITATES THAT THE PALESTINIAN DECISION REMAINS UNITED AND IN THE HANDS OF THE PALESTINIANS AND REQUIRES THAT THE PALESTINIANS STICK TO AN APPROACH THAT LEADS TO REGAINING THE LEGITIMATE NATIONAL RIGHTS OF THEIR PEOPLE AND TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY INCLUDING THE LIBERATION OF AL-QUDS. THE CABINET IS BRIEFED ON PRESIDENT MUBARAK'S VISIT TO THE KINGDOM AND ON THE OUTCOME OF THE 9TH CONFERENCE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF IRAQ'S NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz chaired the Cabinet's session held at Al Salam palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the meeting, the king briefed the ministers on the contacts and consultations held over the last few days with some world leaders and their envoys on bilateral issues and developments of the situations in the region, highlighting the visit President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak of Egypt paid to the Kingdom last Monday. Following the meeting, Iyad Ibn Amine Madani, the Minister of Culture and Information, told the Saudi Press Agency that the Council of Ministers reviewed the developments of the situation at the Palestinian arena, confirming that the critical situation in the region requires that all parties be aware that the security, stability and future of the region are shared by all and that the short-sighted political manoeuvres which serve personal interests would benefit none. The Council of Ministers also confirmed that the Palestinian National interest necessitates that the Palestinian decision remains united and in the hands of Palestinians and requires that the Palestinians stick to an approach that leads to regaining the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people and to the enforcement of the international legitimacy including the liberation of Al-Quds, and to depriving the Israeli policy of any chance to impose absolute control and status quo policy with unilateral solutions. The meeting was then briefed on the outcome of the 9th conference of the foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbouring countries which was held in Tehran, Iran, last Saturday, lauding the support of the conference for the Iraqi government call to all Iraqi factions and sects to rewrite the country's constitution, paving the way for enhancing the national reconciliation, bringing about security, ending current violence cycle and providing accession of all factions and sects to the peaceful political process in Iraq. Madani said the Council then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet approved the system for importing and dealing with chemical items. According to the system, no chemical item would be imported without prior permission from the concerned authority which states several precautions for the clearance of the imported chemical items. This regulation goes into effect after 180 days of the date of its publication in the official gazette. The Minister of Higher Education or his deputy was authorized to discuss with the Australian side drafting a memorandum of scientific and educational cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of education, Sciences and Training of Australia, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication. The Minister of Finance or his deputy was authorized to discuss with the French side adding an article dealing with data exchange for combating tax evasion to an agreement on tax dualism on income and inheritance taxation. On the other hand The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to Mr. Felipe Calderon on the occasion of winning presidential election in Mexico. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished Mr. Calderon continual good health and happiness and the friendly people of Mexico steady progress and prosperity. A similar cable of congratulations was sent to Mr. Calderon on this occasion by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General.