Ain-Al-Yaqeen - January 19, 2007

		January 19, 2007

THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES REVIEWS WITH THE IRISH PRIME MINISTER BILATERAL RELATIONS AND REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.
THE CROWN PRINCE RECEIVES THE KINGDOM'S GRAND MUFTI.
PRINCE NAIF CONVEYS THE KING AND CROWN PRINCE'S APPRECIATION TO OFFICIALS CONCERNED WITH HAJJ.
PRINCE KHALID AL-FAISAL ANNOUNCES THE NAMES OF THE WINNERS OF KING FAISAL INTERNATIONAL AWARDS.
PRINCE TURKI AL-FAISAL CONFIRMS THE FAILURE OF TERRORISTS TO MAKE A SEPARATION BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND THE US.
THE ARAB SUMMIT WILL BE HELD IN RIYADH ON MARCH 28 AND NO SAUDI MEDIATION BETWEEN THE US AND IRAN.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his farm in Rawdat Khuraim, north east of Riyadh, Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed the overall developments at the regional and international arenas in addition to aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in all fields.

The audience was attended by Prince Mishaal Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, minister of municipal and rural affairs; Prince Abdul-Ilah Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, chief of general intelligence; Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Saud, assistant chief of general intelligence; Prince Dr. Mansour Bin Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs; Prince General Mit'eb Bin Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, assistant deputy commander of the national guard for military affairs; Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Ambassador of the kingdom to the United Kingdom and Ireland; princes, Dr. Ghazi Bin Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi, minister of labor; Dr. Jubarah Al Suraysri, minister of transport and Ireland's prime minister's official accompanying delegation.

During his visit the prime minister delivered a speech on the political situation in the Middle East at the King Faisal Foundation in Riyadh.

He paid tribute to King Abdullah's Middle East peace initiative submitted by The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during Beirut Arab summit conference in 2002. "His contribution to Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and on the international level has been immense. He praised the peace initiative. He added that the Arab-adopted resolution has formed a platform that could never be ignored and described the Middle East as still constituting the great threat to world peace and security. So it is very important for us to keep our relations at the highest level," he said, adding that the opening of a Saudi embassy in Dublin would be of vital importance.

Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern cast light on the economic situation in his country, calling it an open economy the unprecedented economic policies as having ushered it into new domains of investment over the last two decades.

Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern asserted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important trade partner for Ireland and there are increasing opportunities for cooperation between Saudi- Irish institutions and organizations.

In a press conference, Ahern said "trade chances between the Kingdom and Ireland have increased due to the openness of the Saudi economy, Saudi Arabia's accession to the World Trade Organization, establishment of a number of trade areas, granting opportunities to foreign companies to own a large proportion of Saudi investments up to 100%, and the liberalization of the telecom market".

Regarding the situation in the Middle East, Ahern reiterated his country's support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, drawing attention to his government's efforts to highlight its point of view on this matter in the United Nations and the European Union.

With regard to the situation in Lebanon, Ahern pointed out that Ireland has always called for the implementation of UN resolutions pertinent to the conflict between Lebanon and Israel.

The Prime Minister praised the role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince in the stability of world oil prices.

Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern met with Saudi businessmen. During the meeting, economic and trade relations between the two countries as well as ways to develop them were discussed.

Addressing the gathering, Ahern said that the current visit of the Irish trade delegation to the Kingdom aims at developing trade relations between the two friendly countries as well as creating new investment opportunities in the Kingdom for Irish companies.

He also pointed out that the Irish trade delegation is the largest delegation ever to leave Ireland. "The delegation includes representatives of the sectors of industry, oil services, industrial products, food and educational services in addition to the Irish Chambers of Industry.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Transport Dr. Jubarah Al-Suraysri; and senior officials.

With bilateral trade hovering around $360 million annually, the Kingdom and Ireland have decided to revitalize the joint economic commission and forge strategic alliances in the context of the multibillion dollar economic cities to be set up in different parts of the Kingdom.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said during his two-day visit to the Kingdom that issues relating to the opening of a Saudi embassy in Dublin and lifting the ban on the export of Irish beef to this country were also discussed.

The Irish premier, who headed the 114-member delegation, including 20 from Northern Ireland, held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense and Aviation, on a number of bilateral concerns. Ahern was accompanied by Enterprise and Trade Minister Micheal Martin, Education and Science Minister Mary Hanafin and Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan.

The thrust of their discussions was how to promote inter-governmental contacts and also propel economic relations into overdrive with the Kingdom's decision to build five economic cities at a cost of SR162.7 billion aside from a foreign investment component of SR155 billion.

In Riyadh Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received the Kingdom's General Mufti, Chairman of the Senior Ulamas Commission and Religious Research and Ifta Department Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al Sheikh.

The audience was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs.

Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received senior officials of the ministry, sheikhs and a group of citizens who came to greet him on Eid Al-Adha.

The audience was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs; and Crown Prince's Special Secretary, Mohammed bin Salem Al-Marri.

On his part Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of the Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Commission conveyed the thanks of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General to all those concerned with Hajj arrangements for the success of this years' Hajj. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Crown Prince thanked all participants in the Hajj season for the success of Hajj and prayed Allah Almighty to guide everyone to serve the pilgrims and provide comfort and security for them in order to perform their rituals in a smooth and an easy way.

On the other hand Governor of Assir region Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also the Director General of King Faisal Charity Foundation, announced last night at a special ceremony in Riyadh, the winners of King Faisal International prizes for the year 2006 in categories of Service to Islam, Islamic studies, Arabic Language and Literature and Science (Chemistry).

The Prize for Service to Islam has been awarded to Tatarstan President Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimev in recognition of his distinguished services to Islam, including his steadfast efforts to revive Islamic culture in the Republic of Tatarstan, promote Islamic teachings and values among its population, and rebuild Islamic mosques destroyed during previous eras.

Today, more than 1000 mosques have been rebuilt, including 40 in the capital city of Kazan, whereas only four mosques had remained during the communist rule of that country.

President Shsimiev's reign has also witnessed the inauguration of the Ghol Sharif mosque, a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, as well as the printing of the Holy Qur'an and major Islamic books, inception of numerous Islamic schools and societies and establishment of the Russian Islamic University which teaches in Russian, Tatarian and Arabic languages.

The president is also acknowledged for pursuing a wise policy that helped consolidate rapport and peaceful coexistence among members of the population, and culminated in a discernible economic and cultural development of that country.

The Prize for Islamic Studies (Topic: Muslims' Contribution to Pure or Applied Sciences) was awarded to Professor Rushdi Hifni Rashed (Egypt/France), who is an Emeritus Research Director (Distinguished Class) of the C.N.R.S. (France) and Honorary Professor, Tokyo University (Japan). He was declared the winner in this category in recognition of his insightful studies, authentication, commentaries and translations of Muslims' contributions to pure science, in particular their achievements in the fields of mathematics and optics.

Professor Rashed has authored around 60 books and more than 100 scholarly articles in addition to his translation of some important relevant texts from ancient languages.

His methodology and the originality and depth of his works have earned him respect both in the Arab world and internationally. He is particularly recognized for his illustrious, six-volume book on the history of Arab contributions to science, and his four-volume book on analytical mathematics between the third and fifth Hijra centuries.

The Prize for Arabic Language and Literature (Ancient Arabic Rhetoric) has been awarded jointly to: Professor Muhammad A. Al-Omari (Morocco), Professor of rhetoric, King Muhammad V University, Rabat and Professor Mustafa A. Nasif (Egypt), Professor of rhetoric, Ain Shams University, Cairo.

Professor Al-Omari is awarded the Prize in recognition of his distinguished studies in Arabic rhetoric and the concepts of text and functions of Arabic rhetoric and oratory, both presently and in the past. Through his grasp of modern rhetoric and stylistics research, coupled with his deep insight of Arabic language heritage, Professor Al-Omari has set an example of precise methodology and presentation of research in Arabic rhetoric.

Professor Nasif is recognized for his comprehensive, diversified and highly original research into Arabic rhetoric as it relates to the origins from which modern Arabic rhetoric derives. His studies reflect new concepts and an excellent awareness of the progress of modern Arabic.

The prize for Science (Topic: Chemistry) is won by Professor James Fraser Stoddart (UK), Professor of NanoSystems Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.

Professor Stoddart is a pioneer in the development of a new field in chemistry dealing with nanoscience. He is awarded the Prize for his work in molecular recognition and self-assembly. His introduction of quick and efficient templatedirected synthetic routes to mechanically interlocked molecular compounds is of seminal importance. It has changed dramatically the way chemists think about molecular systems and how they can be used in the fabrication of molecular switches and machines such as molecular elevators and shuttles.

Stoddart's work was cleverly, elegantly and meticulously done, and carries tremendous creativity, originality and innovation.

The Prize for Medicine (Topic: Prostate Cancer) has been awarded jointly to Professor Fernand Labrie (Canada), Head of the Department of Molecular Endocrinology, Central Hospital of Laval University at Quebec and Professor Patrick Craig Walsh (USA), the University Distinguished Service Professor of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in recognition of their respective contributions to therapeutic and surgical management of prostate cancer.

Professor Labrie is recognized for developing LHRH agonists and combined androgen blockage in the treatment of Prostatic Cancer - these innovative procedures have replaced Orchiectomy (surgical removal of the testes) and oestrogen therapy, and changed the quality of life of prostate cancer patients. He has also evaluated early detection procedures for prostate cancer which helped increase the patients' chances for survival.

Professor Walsh is renowned worldwide for developing nerve sparing radical surgery for prostate cancer, thereby contributing substantially to improved survival and eliminating the possibility of impotence and incontinence. He has also made important contributions towards better understanding of some genetic aspects of prostate cancer and hypertrophy.

Each of the five prize categories consists of a certificate, hand-written in Arabic calligraphy, summarizing the laureate's work; a commemorative 24 carat, 200 gram gold medal, uniquely cast for each prize; and a cash award of SR750,000.

The topics for the 2008/1428 H King Faisal International Prizes under following categories are:

-- Islamic Studies: "RULES GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DURING PEACE AND WAR IN ISLAM."

-- Arabic Language and Literature: "TERMINOLOGY ISSUES OF THE ARABIC LANGUAGE."

-- Medicine: "TRAUMA MANAGEMENT"

-- Science (BIOLOGY).

A press release of the King Faisal Charity Foundation said the deadline for all nominations is April 1, 2007.

In Washington Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Turki Al-Faisal discussed Saudi Arabia's view of Middle East issues in remarks at the Washington Center.

He noted that Saudi Arabia continues to work with partners such as the United States to resolve conflicts such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the crisis in Iraq. In both of these cases, Prince Turki stressed that a solution must come from within.

"We need to listen to the people," he said. "They are the ones who will stand up for peace or be the victims of the next act of violence based on how the world's problems play out in their back yards."

Prince Turki noted that the crises in the region are sensitive and require understanding and patience. Media that focus on one side of an issue and purely political commentaries do not promote understanding, he said.

"The world that demands stability in the Middle East cannot at the same time provoke hostilities, whether it is inadvertent or not. The world needs to be aware of the issues that are sensitive, because an irritated wound will not heal," he remarked

Prince Turki also outlined Saudi Arabia's efforts to fight terrorism and promote tolerance and moderation in the Kingdom.

He concluded by expressing optimism. "Although we have difficult challenges ahead of us, I am optimistic. We know the problems we face today will not be solved overnight, but if we work to keep the solutions in place, they will eventually be reconciled. And if we pay attention to the basic needs of the people, we will avoid adding to tomorrow's conflicts as well," he said.

Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Turki Al-Faisal discussed Saudi-US relations at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

In his remarks, Prince Turki stressed the strength of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States. "Relations between our two countries are stronger than they have ever been," he said.

He noted that relations are based on six pillars: the war on terrorism, oil, trade, Middle East stability, military cooperation and the longstanding personal relationships between the two peoples.

Prince Turki also pointed out several areas in which the two countries can strengthen their bond for the future. One is establishing stronger links between the two governments through vehicles such as the successful Saudi-US Strategic Dialogue, which institutionalizes cooperation between the countries.

A second area is more people-to-people contact. To that end, Saudi Arabia has sponsored a number of scholarship programs for thousands of Saudi students to study abroad. Third, there should be a focus on developing better relations with US Congress; more US lawmakers and delegates should visit the Kingdom and witness for themselves the progress that is underway there.

Finally, the relationship between the two countries would benefit from a changed discourse based on constructive dialogue, not political rhetoric.

Prince Turki also noted that the two countries must work together in order to find solutions to the challenges the world faces today: the war on terrorism, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, energy security, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

He concluded, "Our relationship today has matured. It was tested by the tragic events of 9/11 and emerged stronger than before. Officials in both countries have recognized the need to put in place effective frameworks to further solidify our relationship. This effort, I'm pleased to report, is proceeding very well. And I am confident that the future of our relationship will be, God willing, a bright one. But first we need to act."

Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Turki Al-Faisal discussed the state of Saudi-US relations in an appearance at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics in Salt Lake City.

Prince Turki noted that Saudi Arabia and the United States have a long history of close cooperation. For example, the two countries worked together to contain the Soviet Union, during the 1950s and 1960s when radicalism threatened the Arab World, and during the first Gulf War, when Saudi Arabia hosted a coalition of forces.

And although the Kingdom disagreed with the invasion of Iraq in 2003, it has tried to mitigate the suffering of the Iraqi people through a comprehensive aid package and humanitarian relief, he remarked.

Looking ahead, Saudi Arabia and the United States are continuing to cooperate on a range of critical issues: the war on terrorism, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel, and energy security, Prince Turki said. Such cooperation is necessary to resolve these complex issues.

"I am confident that Saudi Arabia and the United States will be able to affect positive change in the Middle East and throughout the global community," he said. "But it will take time, and it will take patience. And, God willing, we will see peace in the world one day."

Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Defense and Aviation Minister for Military Affairs, received the commander of the command of the American central naval forces.

They reviewed issues of mutual interest at the meeting attended by US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Oberwetter.

Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs, received visiting Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomaki. They reviewed issues of mutual interest.

In Riyadh commenting on reports by the media on a request by the Iranian government to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to mediate between Iran and the United States of America, an official source said the news is totally incorrect.

In Cairo Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the Arab League has announced that the kingdom will host the next Arab summit on March 28 and 29.

Ahmed al-Qatan made the announcement Tuesday after a meeting with Arab League Chief Amr Mussa, adding that foreign ministers would hold a preparatory meeting on March 26 in the Saudi capital.

Saudi Arabia is to send out invitations for the summit to the leaders of the Arab world, the ambassador said.

On the other hand Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Saudi Arabia next month at the head of a high-level delegation for talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, senior Cabinet members and top business leaders.

Putin's visit is significant as it will be the first by a Russian president to the Kingdom after the two countries established diplomatic relations 80 years ago, Al-Riyadh Arabic daily reported quoting political analysts.

Russia attaches great importance to the visit as it wants to strengthen its relations with Saudi Arabia.

Informed sources said Putin would hold extensive talks with King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan in Riyadh, focusing on major regional and international issues, most importantly the Middle East peace as well as ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation. The two countries are expected to sign a series of agreements during the presidential visit, especially in the oil and gas sector.