October 6, 2006

IN A SPEECH ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADVENT OF THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN, KING ABDULLAH AND THE CROWN PRINCE: THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA ALWAYS SENSES ITS ROLE, DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO DEFEND ISLAM, SERVE MUSLIMS' INTERESTS AND EMBODY THEIR DIALOGUE WITH OTHER WORLD CULTURES, SOCIETIES AND RELIGIONS WITH THE AIM OF BUILDING A COHERENT AND SUPPORTIVE MUSLIM WORLD AND WITH A DESIRE TO STRENGTHEN CONCEPTS OF PEACE, JUSTICE AND PROSPERITY FOR THE ENTIRE HUMANITY. THE CROWN PRINCE VISITS THE PROPHET'S MOSQUES. THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES AND THE CROWN PRINCE RECEIVE MORE CABLE OF CONGRATULATIONS ON THE OCCASION OF THE NATIONAL DAY. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General addressed the kingdom's citizens and the Muslim nation congratulating them on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan and wishing them many happy returns. In a speech read on radio and television by minister of state, Cabinet's member for Shoura council's affairs and acting minister of culture and information Dr. Saud Bin Saeed Al-Muthami, the King and the Crown Prince said that Ramadan is the month of blessings and mercy and that good deeds are doubly rewarded in Ramadan. They said, ''the Holy Month of Ramadan comes at a time when the Muslim nation faces great external challenges. From time to time, it is afflicted with dark tumult and suffers from some of its people who have not deeply looked at the tolerance and ease of this religion. Islam is a religion of affection, mercy, tolerance, dialogue and effective participation in human civilization advancement. Having the honor of serving the two holy mosques, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia always senses its role, duty and responsibility to defend Islam, serve Muslims' interests and embody their dialogue with other world cultures, societies and religions with the aim of building a coherent and supportive Muslim world and with a desire to strengthen concepts of peace, justice and prosperity for the entire humanity. This holy month renews in our minds commitment to such ideals, values and aims''. Saudi Arabia will promote dialogue with other religions and work for enhancing the welfare and prosperity of the humanity, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan said in their message on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan. The Saudi leaders described Islam as a religion of love, benevolence and tolerance. "Islam was sent to the entire people as a mercy and as a road to goodness and success," said the message. The message highlighted the significance of the fasting month of Ramadan when rewards for righteous deeds would be doubled. "The holy month begins at a time when the Islamic Ummah is facing foreign challenges. Internally we face the problem of some of our children not discerning the tolerance and simplicity of their religion," the king said in an apparent reference to Al-Qaeda sympathizers in the Kingdom. He said Ramadan, when the first verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), reminds Muslims of their commitment to the great values of peace, justice and compassion. "The Prophet used to give glad tidings to his companions on the advent of Ramadan that the doors of Paradise will be kept open and the doors of Hell will remain shut during the holy month," the message said. Meanwhile, King Abdullah and Prince Sultan received messages of greetings from world leaders on the advent of Ramadan and more cables of congratulations on the occasion of the Saudi national day. King Abdullah also received calls from King Hamad of Bahrain, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and exchanged Ramadan greetings. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has thanked the minister of culture and information and chairman of 7th session of information ministers of Organization of Islamic Conference Iyad Bin Madani and Organization's Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsan Oglu for their cable addressed to the Monarch following the end of the conference's 7th session held in Jeddah on September 13-14. In a reply cable, the Monarch said we thank you, all ministers of information and delegations participating in the session for the noble feelings expressed in their cable, stressing that the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to them is merely our duty towards dear brothers. The king prayed to Almighty Allah for the good, success and glory of our nation, Islam and Muslims. Also Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General has sent to Minister Madani and Secretary General Oglu a cable of thanks in reply to their cable. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo on the occasion of his country's national day. The Monarch wished the President permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. A similar cable of congratulations was also sent to the Nigerian President by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to Cyprus' President Tassos Papadopoulos on the occasion of his country's independence day. The Monarch wished the president permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity. A similar cable of congratulations was also sent to the Cypriot President by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to China's President Hu Jintao on the occasion of his country's national day. The Monarch wished the president permanent good health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity, commending relations existing between the two countries and their friendly peoples and their progress in all fields. A similar cable of congratulations was also sent to the Chinese president by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. On the other hand Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, arrived in Al Madinah Al Munawarah coming from Jeddah. At Prince Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz International Airport, he was received by Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed Ibn Abdul Aziz, governor of Al Madinah Al Munawarah, senior civil and military officials and a group of citizens. Crown Prince Sultan was accompanied by a number of princes. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, visited the Prophet's mosque. Crown Prince Sultan was accompanied by Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the governor of Madinah region, and a number of senior officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, graced the Iftar (breaking the fast) party held by Prince Abdul Aziz bin majid Ibn Abdul Aziz, governor of Madinah region, in honour of the Crown Prince. The party was held at the palace of Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majid. The party was attended by a number of princes, officials and citizens. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, donated SR 5 million to Taibah University's Endowment. This was announced during Crown Prince Sultan's audience with Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Madinah region and Chairman of the University's Endowment Administration, and other members of the administration. Moreover, Crown Prince Sultan donated SR 1 million to the Endowment on annual basis after its establishment. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz chaired the Cabinet s weekly session at Al-Salam palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the session, the Monarch briefed the Cabinet on contacts and consultations held over the previous days which dealt with bilateral relations and issues of the region and the world. In a statement to the Saudi press agency (SPA) following the session, The Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Bin Amin Madani said that the Cabinet was briefed on a number of reports on the latest developments in the region. The Cabinet stressed in this regard that the urgent necessity of the current movement should advance the peace process in the middle east to effective steps to end economic and financial blockade imposed on the Palestinian people, to put and end to continual Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, to crystallize an international concrete orientation to protect the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. The Cabinet emphasized that Israel should be committed to international resolutions, and complete its withdrawal from all Lebanese territories without exception to enable the United Nations peace keeping forces perform their tasks and to create the necessary climate so that Lebanon can achieve national unity, reconstruct what Israeli war has destroyed and recover its health and vitality. As for Iraq, the Cabinet affirmed that the events and their consequences in Iraq will lead to weakening its united entity, inciting the spirit of dissension among citizens, and infringing on Islam's values, ideals and methods in a way uglier than defaming and harming it from abroad. The responsibility in confronting all these matters should be shouldered by Iraq's citizens, officials, leaders, intellectuals and Muslim scholars. On the domestic affairs, the Minister of Culture and Information said that the Monarch directed that all governmental bodies particularly those providing services should double their efforts in the holy month of Ramadan during which the kingdom receives tens of thousands of Umrah performers and visitors from all over the world. The Monarch urged that provision of services and facilities should be at their best to be commensurate with the great material and administrative capabilities provided by the state for each body. The King directed that the vacation of Eid Al-Fitr for the state's employees should start at the end of Wednesday, Ramadan 18th according to Umm Al-Qura calendar so that they can worship, perform prayers and gain more rewards from Allah on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The governor of investment general authority or his deputy was authorized to sign a draft agreement between the government of the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Bangladesh on encouraging and mutually protecting investment, and forward the final version for further authentication. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Ibrahim Bin Ali Bin Ibrahim Al Baghdadi as Assistant Deputy Chief of the auditing bureau for financial auditing, and Dr. Abdul-A'ali Bin Ibrahim Bin Abdul-A'ali Al-Abul-A'ali as Director General for companies at the ministry of commerce and industry.