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November 17, 2006 |
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***** The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has received a message from French President Jacques Chirac. The message was delivered to the monarch by diplomatic advisor to French President Mauris Gordo Montani during an audience with him and the accompanying delegation. The advisor conveyed to the king the greetings of the French President. In turn, the king sent his greetings to the president. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Bin Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, advisor to the King; and French Ambassador to the Kingdom Charles Henri D'aragon. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to king of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni on the occasion of his country's national day. The monarch expressed his good wishes to the king and people of Cambodia. A similar cable of congratulations was sent to the king by Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, on the occasion. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz received a telephone call from Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. During the call, they discussed and exchanged viewpoints and consultations on the developments of the current international events of mutual interest. Latest regional developments topped by the situation in the middle east, bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and ways of their enhancement in various fields were also reviewed. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General received the defense advisor to France's government Admiral Jean Marie Van Hovel. The French advisor conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of France's Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie. In turn the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the minister. During the audience, they exchanged cordial talks and reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two friendly countries. The audience was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received a message from Kuwaiti Premier Sheikh Nasser Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The message was delivered to Crown Prince Sultan by Kuwaiti Charge D'affaires In Riyadh Nasser Al-Anazi. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has received a message from French President Jacques Chirac. The message was delivered to him by diplomatic advisor of the French President Maurice Ordo. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, will patronize the 4th Saudi technical conference and exhibition organized by the General Organization for technical education and vocational training. The Director General of the organization Dr Ali Al-Ghafees said the patronization of the Crown Prince is part of the care accorded by the government to education. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, addressed his thanks to the Director General of the General Organization for water desalination for the efforts exerted in the field of water and electricity. This came in a letter addresses to Engineer Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman Al ussein after the Crown Prince received the annual report of the Organization. Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, issued his directives to the General Medical services of the armed forces to start their preparations for the coming Hajj season. The Crown Prince stressed that all services must be provided over 24 hours to the guests of God the Almighty. Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, received the German Ambassador-Designate to the Kingdom Eugenio D'auria. During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues of common interest. Saudi popular campaign for relief of Lebanese people signed a joint cooperation agreement with United Nations High Commission For Refugees to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to finance a program of providing relief aid worth SR 3,750,000 ( $ 1 million) to the people inflicted by the war in Lebanon. The agreement was signed by Dr. Saed Al-Orabi Al-Harethi, advisor to the minister of interior and the campaign's chairman and Ahmed Abdul Wahab Jubaratullah, the commission's regional representative. In a speech following the signing ceremony, Dr. Al-Harethi said that the agreement comes as a continuation of the support provided by the kingdom under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince to the inflicted people in Lebanon. According to the agreement, the campaign will finance various relief programs for these people, he said and added that ,in this framework, the campaign has implemented 12 relief and humanitarian programs whose cost exceeds SR 66 million. In celebration of the 36th National Day, Sultan Qaboos will preside over a military parade to be held on November 18 at the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences in Nizwa. Various formations of the Sultan"s Armed Forces (SAF) will perform the parade, exhibiting a high level of competence and development. Shaikh Sabbaa bin Hamdan al Saadi, Secretary General of the Higher Committee for National Day Celebrations, said that the committee prepared well for the event which is a dear occasion to the hearts of Omanis. The streets in Muscat Governorate are adorned with colourful ornaments, festoons, flags and portraits of His Majesty the Sultan, the architect of the renaissance. The decorations extend from Hillat al Jifeina to Bausher roundabout. In addition to the military parade, the celebrations include fireworks in Muscat and Dhofar governorates and in Wilayat Nizwa. In other wilayats, receptions will be held under the auspices of ministers and walis, he said As part of the fruits of the renaissance march. This year the National Day brings about a new set of development projects which cover various economic, service and tourist sectors. The projects also cover different regions in the Sultanate. Some of the major projects to be opened include the Rostaq-Maskan road which links northern Batinah with the Dhahirah region, the Sohar Refinery complex, the Khasab Port expansion project, Al Saadi said. At least 1600 young British Muslims are under surveillance for plotting terrorist violence against Britain, according to the head of MI5. Eliza Manningham Buller delivered a stark assessment of the threat facing the country from 200 terror networks stretching from the UK to Pakistan, including 30 "Priority 1" plots. In August Home Secretary John Reid claimed to know of 24 "major conspiracies", suggesting the dangers posed by organised terrorists is growing. Delivering the Government's latest assessment of the terror threat, the Director General of the Security Service revealed that her agency's caseload has increased by 80 per cent since January. She said: "That threat is serious is growing and will, I believe, be with us for a generation. It is a sustained campaign, not a series of isolated incidents. It aims to wear down our will to resist. In remarks to academics this week that were released last night, she described how young Muslims are being radicalised and turned into potential suicide bombers. "More and more people are moving from passive sympathy towards active terrorism through being radicalised or indoctrinated by friends, families, in organised training events here and overseas," she said. "Young teenagers are being groomed to be suicide bombers." She said she was alarmed by the "scale and speed" of the radicalisation, which is said to have intensified since last year's July suicide bombings in London. She said: "It is the youth who are being actively targeted, groomed, radicalised and set on a path that frighteningly quickly could end in their involvement in mass murder of their fellow citizens, or their early death in a suicide attack or on a foreign battlefield. "Killing oneself and others in response is an attractive option for some citizens of this country and others around the world." Dame Eliza revealed that despite an intense recruitment drive, just six per cent of MI5's staff are from ethnic minorities, compared to eight per cent for the Metropolitan Police. However, of the 400 new recruits this year, 14 per cent are non-white. Dame Eliza predicted that terrorists would become more sophisticated in their methods. "Today we see the use of home-made improvised explosive devices. Tomorrow's threat may, and I suggest will, include the use of chemical, bacteriological agents, radioactive materials and even nuclear technology." She added: "My officers and the police are working to contend with some 200 groupings or networks, totalling over 1600 identified individuals (and there will be many we don't know) who are actively engaged in plotting or facilitating terrorist acts here and overseas." Out of the 200 or so groups being watched by MI5, a smaller subset are of the highest priority because its feared that they are plotting actual attacks. "We are aware of numerous plots to kill people and to damage our economy. What do I mean by numerous? Five? Ten? "No, nearer 30 that we currently know of," she said. Palestine's Under Secretary of the Ministry of Education Dr. Mohammed Shugair lauded the continuous support extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Palestinian people in all fields, particularly education. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Shugair said numerous Palestinian students were able to continue their university classes, thanks to a financial grant extended to Palestinian universities and colleges through the Saudi committee for the relief of the Palestinian people as the committee has shouldered 75% of the cost of tuition fees on behalf of each needy students. Shugair called on Arab countries to follow Saudi suit in supporting the Palestinian universities and colleges. He said eleven Palestinian universities, 23 colleges and more than 19,000 students benefited from the first payment of the Saudi grant for Palestine's universities, colleges and students. Advisor of the Interior Minister and Head of the Saudi charitable campaign for the relief of victims of earthquakes and tsunami in Sri Lanka Dr Sa'ed Al-Harethi met Sri Lankan Minister of Housing Firyal Ashraf, who was visiting the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Sri Lankan Minister highlighted the support extended by the kingdom to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Sri Lanka. She noted that the Sri Lankan people do appreciate the kingdom's kind gesture towards victims of the natural disasters. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said Palestinians imprisoned by the Israeli occupation authorities suffer exceptionally bad health conditions. They are subjected to regular practices that would absolutely lead to health problems. They are targeted physically and psychologically by being denied needed medical attention, and by practices of oppression, humiliation and physical torture. Teams of detention, interrogation and prison guards belonging to the many Israeli military and security agencies commonly use these strategies. The Israeli strategies of weakening the body, emotional state, and the soul are used intensively and tragically by a state that claims to be a democracy. The legitimizing of physical torture against prisoners by the Israeli political and judiciary system is a unique precedent on the international level. It is a dangerous violation to many international convictions and agreements. The Palestinian Prisoners Society has recorded 950 cases of serious health problems of people who are still imprisoned by the Israeli occupation forces and suffer from a lack of medical care or attention. Through monitoring the physical condition of Palestinian prisoners, it became clear that the level of medical care has deteriorated greatly becoming scarce and superficial. The Forum for the Future a meeting of leaders from the Group of Eight (G8) and from the countries of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMEN) will take place in Jordan on 1 December 2006. The Forum provides a prime opportunity for leaders to discuss and take action on issues of political reforms, including corruption and the UN Convention, and for civil society to make its voice heard. Major-General Ahmed bin Ali Al Ashwal, chief of the general staff in the Yemeni Republic, has received a written message from Lieutenant-General Ahmed bin Harith Al Nabhani, chief of staff of the Sultan's Armed Forces, dealing with relations between the two brotherly countries. The message was handed over by Abdullah bin Hamad Al Badi, the Sultanate's ambassador to the Yemeni Republic, when the Yemeni chief of staff received him in his office yesterday. During the meeting, they discussed matters of joint interest. Sultan Qaboos met at Bait al Baraka Sheikh Sabah al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait. The Sultan and Sheikh Sabah exchanged cordial talks and reviewed the march of excellent brotherly relations between Oman and Kuwait with a view to reinforcing bilateral ties and achieving the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries. They also reviewed developments in the regional and international arenas. The meeting was attended by Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court, and the delegation accompanying the Emir. The Moroccan Minister of Justice Mohamed BouZoubou' held tals with a delegation from the Sultanate of Oman which comprised a large number of Judges under the General Prosecutor Ali Al Hilali who visited Morocco to learn about the Moroccan experience in organizing the elections. Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Nazeef will pay visits to the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait to enhance economic and trade relations between Egypt and those countries. He will meet high ranking officials, investors and businessmen. Nazeef will be accompanied by a high ranking delegation. The visits aim at increasing investments and tourism in Egypt. A Yemeni appeal court confirmed jail sentences from five to 20 years on six tribesmen convicted of kidnapping five Italian tourists in northern Yemen last January. A state security court initially convicted the six men on March 29 of taking the five Italian tourists hostage in Marib province, some 195 km northeast of Sanaa. Ali Saleh Ubad Al-Zaidi, 24, Ubad Saleh Al-Zaidi, 21, Naji Mahdi Al-Zaidi, 20, and Muhammad Saleh Al-Zaidi, 30, received a 20-year jail term each. Muryee Ali Ahmad Al-Ameri, 35, got a 10 years in prison. The court sentenced the sixth convict, Hadi Muhammad Ali Al-Ameri, 24, to five years in prison. When the trial began on Jan. 18, chief prosecutor Saeed Al-Aaqil accused the men of "taking part in forming an armed gang to kidnap foreigners." The six men confessed to the kidnapping but pleaded not guilty on the charge of forming an armed gang. The tribesmen freed the five Italian captives, three women and two men, on Jan. 6 after holding them hostage for five days in a mountainous village in Marib. The kidnappers were demanding the release of eight clan members being held in Sanaa in connection with the killing of a police officer in the city in 2003. Prosecutors have asked the court to use a counter-kidnapping law issued in 1998 inflicting harsh punishments of long jail terms or death sentences for convicted kidnappers. The abduction of the Italians came one day after five German hostages were freed from captivity in the eastern province of Shabwa. Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Hamdan handed a check of $ 500,000 to Qassem Ahmed Al-A'jam, minister of state, cabinet's member and chairman of Yemeni national committee for demining during a meeting. The sum represents the second tranche of the second phase amounting to $ 1.5 million. The kingdom has submitted $ 4 million to the program since 2003. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the ambassador wished the program all success, calling for its acceleration to protect people from dangers of mines which have caused disability, injury and suffering to a large number of Yemenis. Sultan Qaboos received at Bait al Baraka General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. During the meeting, the guest conveyed to His Majesty the Sultan the greetings of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the UAE, along with his best wishes to the Sultan and the Omani people. The Sultan asked the guest to convey his greetings and sincere wishes to Sheikh Khalifa and the brotherly people of the UAE. During the meeting, distinguished brotherly relations between the Sultanate and the UAE and aspects of co-operation between the two countries in all spheres that serve the mutual interest of the two brotherly peoples were discussed. The United States gave 10.5 million dollars of equipment to the Lebanese army. US Assistant Secretary of Defence Peter Rodman signed over the equipment at a ceremony with Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr, the US embassy said. "I emphasized the willingness of the United States to assist Lebanon in building its capacity to protect its borders and establish sovereignty over all its territory," the embassy quoted Rodman as saying. "I also reaffirmed ... the strong commitment of the United States to expanding security cooperation. "Lebanon is embarked on an historic transformation to sovereignty and independence. We are proud to work with the government of Lebanon to ensure that its armed forces are trained and equipped to serve and protect the Lebanese people." The embassy statement said that the aid to Lebanon was "the first through US foreign military financing in more than 25 years." It is the first tranche of 40 million dollars in US military aid that President George W. Bush announced in August as part of 230 million dollar aid package following Israel's devastating offensive. The embassy said that the equipment provided was expected to include "HMMWVs (humvees), military trucks, ammunition, training, and essential parts and repairs for all types of military equipment." On the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett held a reception for Muslim leaders in which she delivered the following speech: Assalamu Alaikum, And although I know that it is a little late, Eid Mubarak. You are all very welcome to this celebration of Eid-al-Fitr. It is good to see so many people from the many different British Muslim communities here this evening. I know that, though this is a celebration, at the forefront of many of your minds will be the appalling incident in Bayt Hanun in the Gaza Strip in which around 20 Palestinians were killed. Many more were injured. Images of the large numbers of children and women amongst the casualties was particularly horrifying. I have repeatedly expressed my deep concern over mounting casualties and civilian suffering in Gaza and raised these concerns with the Government of Israel. It is hard to see how this action can be justified. Such violence only adds to the difficulty of reaching the peaceful solution which Britain is fully committed to working to achieve. For generations people from across the world have come to Britain. For some this country represented a safe haven from war and from persecution. For many more it represented a new, fresh start. These communities brought with them new cultures, new religions and new ideas. For many such communities, the journeys which first brought them here are now ancient history: their members today are British born and bred. But the motivation which inspired those journeys is as strong as ever. It is a desire that we all share: to build a better life for ourselves, and much more than that a better life for our children and for the generations to come. In Britain, these communities including the Muslim communities have found a society in which they have been welcomed and feel at home: free not only to practise their religion openly and proudly, but free also to speak their minds, to carve out livelihoods for themselves, to get involved in every aspect of the life and the running of the country. And, in turn, Britain has been blessed with a fresh well-spring of talent and of energy. That is certainly true of the British Muslim community. British Muslims have made and continue to make an immense contribution to every aspect of British life: you help drive the economy, you invigorate public and political life, you have enriched British culture from music and dance to film and food. This coming Sunday will be Remembrance Day. The sacrifice that Muslims made in those two world wars is too often overlooked. Over 1.4 million Indian soldiers served in the first war about a quarter of them Muslim. In 1940 the British government donated £100 000 to build the first purpose built mosque in London to honour the memory of those who were killed. In the Second World War even more Indian soldiers, two and a half million, joined up. And again many were Muslim four Victoria Crosses were won by soldiers who came from what is now Pakistan. It is a powerful reminder that people from every section of our society have fought and died for the freedom and rights that we all enjoy in this country. Of course, there will always be debate over aspects of our shared society. That is one of the tenets of democracy. And it is not one we should shy away from. It is fair and understandable for all of us, from whatever community we come from, to think about and discuss how we best achieve a British nation both proud of its diversity and confident in its sense of itself. But however passionate this debate becomes we should never lose sight of a wider truth: we are the same in far more ways than we will ever be different. We all share a simple sense of decency and fairness. And we all share the same desire to make the most of our lives: to find good jobs, to give our children a good education, to look after the elderly and the sick in our communities. There are extremists who want to split us apart not just those who claim to act in the name of Islam but also the racists who respond with bigotry and bile. But they are on the margins. And it is this unity of purpose and of aspirations that gives me the confidence that together we will overcome whatever challenges lie ahead. I look forward to working with all of you in the weeks and months to come as we face those challenges. For Muslims, Ramadan is, I am told, a time of self-sacrifice and contemplation. It is also a time in which the bonds of family and community are celebrated. British Muslims are and always will be a hugely valued and admired part of our common British community. This country would be poorer in every sense without the men and women in this room and the many, many more whom they represent. So thank you. And may I wish you once again: Eid Mubarak. |