November 10, 2006

THE SAUDI CABINET IS BRIEFED ON THE RESULTS OF THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES VISIT TO NAJRAN, ASSIR AND JAZAN. KING ABDULLAH: GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM ARE PRACTICE, ACTION AND ACCOMPLISHMENT AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR NEGLIGENCE. THE CABINET STRESSES THE URGENT NEED FOR CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO PUT AN END TO ISRAELI AGGRESSIONS AND TO ACTIVATE THE PEACE PROCESS. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz chaired the cabinet's session in Jazan. At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the cabinet on the contacts he held with a number of leaders on bilateral relations and regional and international issues. These all emphasize the pivotal role the kingdom plays in the region's security, stability and development and in the service of national and Islamic causes. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the minister of culture and information Iyad Bin Amin Madani said the monarch noted that his tour of Najran, Assir and Jazan comes as a completion of inspecting all regions, meeting directly with officials and citizens and attending to the great projects being implemented by the state in every region. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques affirmed that all governmental officials and bodies should pay attention to all the kingdom's regions since the homeland is whole and indivisible, and citizens are all equal in rights and duties. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques added that growth, development and reform are practice, action and accomplishment, indicating that there is no room for negligence in carrying out responsibility in a country that Almighty Allah has endowed with a religion that calls for action, faithfulness and performance of duty; and with plentiful potentials and resources; a country again blessed by the love and loyalty of its citizens. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also greatly appreciated the citizens' sincere and spontaneous feelings that embody the meanings of cohesion and faithfulness which is deeply rooted in the family of this country. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also appreciated the high standard achieved by all sectors of the armed forces in preparation, equipment and their continued vigilance to defend the country and its gains. The king also expressed his appreciation of the efforts being exerted by various public and private sectors and bodies to promote development plans and programs. The minister of culture and information pointed out that the cabinet emphasized that governmental bodies have been running according to the vision, way and directives of the king. As for foreign affairs, the cabinet pursued with great concern the consequences of events in the occupied Palestinian territories, Israeli practices against the Palestinian people, and complete absence of the world community from the developments at the Palestinian arena. The cabinet stressed the urgent need for calling for an international conference to be attended by all parties to put an end to Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and to activate the peace process in accordance with the Arab peace plan and resolutions of the international legitimacy. Upon directives of King Abdullah, the cabinet reviewed developmental projects being implemented by the state's bodies in various regions. in this framework, the cabinet reviewed a periodical report forwarded by minister of economy and planning on projects approved in the regions of Assir, Jazan and Najran currently under execution or under approval in the fields of roads, water, drainage system and water desalination. All these projects totaling 224 are financed by surplus of budget for fiscal years 1424-1425H/ 1425-1426H. It is noteworthy that the projects' cost amounts to thousands of millions of Saudi riyals. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has received at his residence in Jazan the chairman and members of the municipal council of Jazan region. The delegation was co-led by Eng. Mohammed Abdullah Omer Al-Attas, Chairman of the council and Eng. Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Al-Toob, Mayor of Jazan region. During the audience, they thanked the monarch for visiting the region and opening and laying the foundation stones of a number of vital developmental projects, more than the region's municipal council or ordinary citizens were expecting. Establishing a giant economic city in Jazan which will create at least 500,000 new jobs directly or indirectly and setting a new university, international airport, and advanced sea port, gave the visit a stunning glitter and shine, the delegation leaders were quoted as saying. Similar remarks were given to the Saudi Press Agency by the region's governor Prince Mohammed Bin Nasser Bin Abdul Aziz who forwarded thanks in his own name and on behalf of the region's people to the monarch for making an historical inspection visit to Jazan region within a tour which also took him to Najran and Assir regions. Prince Mohammed Bin Nasser Bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Jazan region, said today that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a number of developmental, services, economic and tourism projects worth more than SR 7 billion during an inspection tour of Jazan region. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency on this occasion, Prince Mohammed Bin Nasser clarifies that the king will grace a reception party to be hosted by the people of the region and patronize the inaugural ceremony of developmental and service projects in the region. He thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz for their visit to the region and get acquainted with the needs of citizens.