February 9, 2007

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES INITIATIVE. KING ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ RECEIVES ABBAS, MISHAAL AND HANEYAH. THE KING IN HIS REPLY TO THE A MESSAGE FROM PALESTINIAN RESIDENTS IN THE KINGDOM: 'I HAVE CAREFULLY AND REPEATEDLY READ YOUR MESSAGE, AND I DO FEEL SAD AND SORRY FOR THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN PALESTINE'. THE CROWN PRINCE RECEIVES THE ASSISTANT TO THE US PRESIDENT. PRINCE NAIF RECEIVES LETTERS OF THANKS FROM THE HEADS OF PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITIES. UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF PRINCE SALMAN RIYADH HIGH COMMISSION REVIEWS THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WORK OF WADI HANIFA AND DIRIYA PROJECTS. Palestinians residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have expressed appreciation for the initiative of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to reconcile the Palestinian leaders. The remarks of the Palestinians were made in a message conveyed to The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques by Jamal Abdel-Latif Al-Shobki, the Palestinian Ambassador to the kingdom. The Palestinians noted that the initiative provides a clear evidence for the great attention given by the monarch to the Palestinian cause and people. They hoped that the efforts of the king would be culminated in success. The Palestinians , who met at the Palestinian embassy in Riyadh, hoped that the meeting of the Palestinian leaders in the vicinity of the holy mosque of Makkah would lead to the end of bloodshed, and pave the way for the formation of a national unity government. On his part, King Abdullah said in his reply 'I have carefully and repeatedly read your message, and I do feel sad and sorry for the deteriorating situation in Palestine'. King Abdullah said when he made his call to the Palestinian leaders to meet in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque, he was hopeful that they would positively respond to his call. 'As the Palestinian leaders have positively responded to the call of their brother Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and the call of the Saudi people, and have agreed to resort to dialogue and to sense and reason leaving behind the style of violence and killing, the kingdom feels that it has done its duty, and now it is the turn of the Palestinian leaders to shoulder their historical responsibility through a fair and free dialogue, without the intervention of any party, to reach the desired results and goals', he added. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his palace in Jeddah President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority and accompanying delegation who arrived at an invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Palestinian leaders for an urgent meeting at the Kaaba premises to discuss differences among them impartially and without interference from any party. At the outset of the audience, King Abdullah welcomed President Abbas and accompanying delegation in the kingdom, wishing them success in the forthcoming meeting with other Palestinian colleagues in Makkah. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques confirmed that what happens in the Palestinian territories serves only the enemies of the Arab and Islamic nation and that if, it persists, the Palestinian people will be deprived from the fruits of their heroic struggle over the years aiming at achieving their national rights. He hoped that the meeting reaches what appeases Almighty Allah, and achieves the aspirations of the Palestinian people and whoever supports them. On his part, President Abbas thanked the King for inviting the Palestinian leaders to meet in Makkah to discuss differences among them to reach urgent solutions for what happens at the Palestinian arena. He lauded the firm positions of the kingdom towards the Palestinian issue and its permanent support for the restoration of the Palestinian legitimate rights and establishment of the Palestinian independent state with Al Quds as its capital. He said the invitation of the king comes as part of a series of continuing initiatives to find fair and permanent solutions to the Palestinian issue. The audience was attended by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Foreign Affairs; Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council; Prince Mansour Bin Nasser Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minster of State, Member of the Cabinet and Chief of Court of the Cabinet's Presidency, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance; and Iyad Bin Ameen Madani, Minister of Culture and Information; President Abbas was accompanied by an official delegation. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received the Head of the Political Bureau Of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Khalid Mishaal and Palestinian Premier Ismael Haneyah and the accompanying delegation who arrived in the kingdom in response to an invitation by the King to the Palestinian leaders to hold an urgent meeting in Makkah to discuss their differences in total neutrality and with no interference from any party. During the audience, the King welcomed the two Palestinian leaders in the Kingdom and said concord among Palestinian leaders can be realized easily if the parties' intentions are sincere and truth prevailed. He added, "Palestine is a cause that is at the heart of all Arabs and Muslims. The whole nation is awaiting the Palestinian brethren to find the way to their unity." The King hoped the meeting of the leaders of the Palestinian people in Makkah would realize the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people and all Islamic and Arab peoples. The King pointed out that continuation of disagreement among the Palestinians would deplete resources and destroy all Palestinian struggle achievements. In turn, the two Palestinian leaders expressed thanks to the King for the invitation and hailed Saudi support for the Palestinian cause. The audience was attended by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, other princes and ministers. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received a call from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih. They reviewed a number of regional and international developments, notably the situation in the middle east region as well as bilateral relations. Former Us President Jimmy Carter has expressed deep appreciation for the call made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to reconcile the Palestinian leaders. The remarks of carter came in a message sent to the Monarch. He hoped that the meeting of the Palestinian leaders would pave the way for the establishment of two states in the region based on peace and human rights. The situation in the occupied regions is critical and harmful, and will give justification for Israel to avoid any serious peace talks and subsequently will firm its control on the west bank, said Carter. On his part, the Monarch expressed appreciation for jimmy carter and appraised his support and understanding to the Palestinian cause as well as the attention given by him to the Palestinian affairs since his assumption of power in the US. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov commended the initiative by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to reconcile the two Palestinian movements of Fatah and Hamas through the awaited meeting between them in Makkah. Upon receiving Secretary General Of The Arab League Amr Mousa in Moscow, Lavrov hoped that the meeting would end Palestinian infighting. On the other hand Adel Bin Ahmed Al Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador-designate to the United States of America, had the honour to greet the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, and bade them farewell prior to departure to assume his new post in Washington. During the audience, which took place at the Monarch's palace in Jeddah, the King sent his greetings to the American President George W. Bush, advising Al Jubeir to remain faithful to Allah Almighty, and wishing him every success for further enhancing relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America and becoming a good omen of his religion, country and people. On his part, Ambassador Al Jubeir expressed pride and gratitude for the royal confidence bestowed upon him by the Monarch, appealing to Allah Almighty to keep the king and his Crown Prince safe from any harm and help him to accomplish his job successfully as prescribed by the wise leadership. The audience was attended by Prince Mit'eb Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; other princes, ministers and a number of officials. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has received a message from US President George W. Bush. The message was delivered to the King by Assistant To The U.S. President for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism Frances Fragos Townsend during an audience with him together with her accompanying delegation at the King's palace in Jeddah. During the meeting, the U.S. official conveyed to the King the greetings of President Bush. In turn, the Monarch sent his greetings to the President. The audience was attended by Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Chief of General Intelligence; Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the National Security Council; Prince Mohammed Bin Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs; Prince Mansour Bin Nasser Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minster of State, Member of the Cabinet and Chief of Court of the Cabinet's Presidency; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance; Iyad Bin Ameen Madani, Minister of Culture and Information; Adel Bin Ahmed Al Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador-Designate to the United States of America; and U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom James Oberwetter. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received Frances Fragos Townsend, Assistant to the US President for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism, and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, the US official conveyed greetings of US President George W Bush to the Crown Prince who in turn sent his greetings to him. During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks and discussed issues of common interest. On another development Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior and General Supervisor of Saudi Commission for Assisting Palestinian People, received letters of thanks and appreciation from three Palestinian universities, lauding the leadership of Saudi Arabia for its unlimited support for the Palestinian people in many fields particularly the educational one. The letters from the universities of Al-Khalil, Gaza's Azhar and Palestine Polytechnic, highlighted the commission's assistance that included 36 projects in social and medical fields costing about SR762 million as well as educational assistance amounting to SR130.1 million. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the governor of Riyadh region, chaired the first meeting of the higher commission for the development of Riyadh city in 1428 AH. The participants of the meeting reviewed the progress of work at the project of development of Wadi-Hanifa and other related topics. Meanwhile efforts are under way to establish two new domestic airports in the Riyadh region. The High Commission for the Development of Riyadh (HCDR) is looking for suitable sites on which to establish the airports which will be located on the north and southeast parts of the city. One airport will be established in Sudair, northwest of Riyadh, in order to meet the requirements of people living in Al-Ghat, Zulfi, Majmaa and neighboring villages. The second airport will be in Aflaj to serve the people of Houta and Hareek, informed sources said. The new airports will reduce pressure on Riyadh's King Khaled International Airport. "The move to establish two more airports in the region comes at a time of reports that air traffic to Riyadh will increase by three percent annually since it is the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council," one source said. At present there are three civilian airports in the Riyadh region. The Dawadmi airport, named for Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman, is 250 km west of Riyadh and was opened three years ago. Riyadh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Middle East. In less than 50 years its area has expanded more than 100 times. During this period, its population increased from 20,000 to nearly five million. According to a new book, Riyadh's population growth rate is one of the highest in the world. Another study by HCDR revealed that the growth in Riyadh's population has been due to increased birth rates and also by a continuing wave of migration into the city by Saudis from different parts of the Kingdom. The study showed that Riyadh's population has increased by 120 percent during the last few years. The population of the city is projected to exceed 11.1 million by 2020. The new airports will also boost domestic tourism as Al-Ghat is home to a number of historic landmarks, which could be developed for tourism purposes. There is a palace built by Nasser Ibn Saad Al-Sudairy more than 85 years ago when he was governor of the city. It is considered of great architectural interest. The Riyadh Development Authority has set out a plan to develop the palace. Other tourist attractions in the area are Aushaza Mosque, which is 400 years old, and the National Park. The new airport projects augur well for the licensing of two private domestic airlines. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) licensed National Air Services (NAS) and Sama in December last year to operate domestic flights in the Kingdom. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh region, received the head and members of the Charitable Society for Saudi Families Abroad. Prince Salman was briefed on the achievements of the Society for the Saudi families abroad. He lauded the efforts exerted by the Society, advising all charitable institutions in Riyadh region to forge cooperation with it and offer necessary assistance to the Saudi families abroad. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh region, received an Australian delegation led by member of the council of the Arab Australian relations Dr Funa Heil. They reviewed aspects of cooperation between the Kingdom and Australia in the various spheres. The meeting was attended by Prince Naif Bin Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the governor of Riyadh region, received the British Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper-Coles on the occasion of the end of his term of office in the country. Prince Salman expressed appreciation for the great efforts exerted by Cowper-Coles to further enhance Saudi-British relations. The meeting was attended by Prince Naif Bin Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh region received the head of the Maltese parliamentary delegation Azobardi Jason and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest. Prince Saud Al Faisal, the Foreign Minister, met with Frances Fragos Towsend, Assistant to the US President for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism, and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest between the two countries. French President Jacques Chirac received leading Saudi Security Chief, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz. They reviewed issues of mutual interest and the developments on both the regional and international levels. The GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Al-Atiyyah has condemned the digging operations carried out by Israel in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque. These provocative practices exposes the Israeli aggressive policies, he said noting that the Israeli practices run counter to the resolutions of the international legitimacy. He urged the international community, notably the international organizations, to shoulder their responsibility in this respect and to put pressure on Israel until it stops its criminal aggression. On the other hand, Al-Atiyyah hoped that Makkah meeting which comes at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz will be culminated in success. It is hoped that the Palestinian leaders will reach an agreement and a form a national unity government', he added. In Washington it has been announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas February 19 for what U.S. officials say will be an informal discussion of what a final-status Middle East peace agreement would entail. No venue for the meeting has been announced. Secretary Rice cleared the way for the three-way meeting with a Middle East visit last month, and U.S. officials hope it can be the first in a series of such discussions aimed at generating momentum for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert announced the date for the talks in a speech to American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed the plans, but said the modalities including a venue for the meeting are still being worked out. Rice hopes that the exchange of views on the final status issues, including the borders of a Palestinian state, refugees and Jerusalem, will give new momentum to the peace process and provide the Palestinians, in particular, with a "political horizon," a better idea of what they stand to gain in a negotiated solution of the conflict. It will be the first discussion of the most sensitive issues at stake in the process since former President Bill Clinton's drive for a peace accord in the final months of his term in office, which ended in 2001. Briefing reporters, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said there could be additional three-way meetings. But he would not say if Rice was striving for a final agreement by the end of the Bush administration, saying she is taking it step-by-step: "She wants to lay a foundation where the Israelis and Palestinians can come together and resolve all the differences between them, from the most sensitive to those daily issues of irritation to both sides, whether those are checkpoints or other types of issues," he said. "That is her goal, and exactly how that process will look by the time she leaves office as Secretary of State, I can't say." The spokesman expressed U.S. appreciation for the effort of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah this week to end the bitter split in Palestinian ranks between Mr. Abbas' Fatah organization and Islamic movement Hamas. He said the United States absolutely encourages all responsible parties in the region to try to end intra-Palestinian violence. On the other hand President Pervez Musharraf and his Turkish counterpart Ahmed Necdet Sezer expressed concern over the developing crisis in the Middle East and stressed the need for an effort to bring harmony and peace in the region and in the Muslim world. They expressed these views in their press statements after their meeting in Ankara. President Pervez Musharraf said during the talks, that they exchanged views on regional issues and bilateral matters. Pervez Musharraf said he briefed the Turkish President on efforts to start a new initiative of a core group of Muslim countries to be able to contribute towards resolution of Palestinian dispute and also towards bringing harmony in the Muslim world. He said there was total consensus of views on these subjects between them and they hope to pursue the cause of peace jointly between Pakistan and Turkey and within the enlarged core group in the future to contribute for peace in the region, and in the Muslim world. The Turkish President said the two countries shared similar views on regional issues and discussed the contributions that the two countries can make towards resolution of problems in the Middle East. President Ahmed Necdet Sezer said Turkey believes that recent increase in sectarian tension and conflict in the Middle East will be harmful and peaceful solutions should be sought for the existing problems with a comprehensive approach. The Arab League condemned the ongoing Israeli demolition of part of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League for Palestinian Affairs Ambassador Mohammed Sobeih said that the league was anxiously monitoring the Israeli aggression on Muslim and Christian sanctuaries in the holy city of Jerusalem. Calling on Israeli authorities to stop this blatant aggression on the holiest Muslim site in Jerusalem, the league accused Israel of shrugging off all international legitimacy resolutions by encroaching upon Muslim sanctuaries designedly and egregiously. The league also called on all international organizations concerned, chiefly the UN, UNESCO and the Quartet, to pressurize Israel to stop its brutal aggression on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Israeli authorities claim they are trying to repair an ancient mound near Jerusalem's holiest site, raising tensions between Palestinians and Israelis, under the pretext of restoring a walkway leading to the al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders say it threatens Islamic archaeological remains. In 1996, work to open a tunnel alongside the compound sparked clashes in which 80 people were killed. And in 2000, the Palestinian uprising began at the mosque following a controversial tour of the site by Israel's then opposition leader Ariel Sharon. From his side British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the Middle East peace process was about to receive a major jump start resulting in significant progress toward a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. The AP quoted Blair as saying in an interview with BBC Radio that "over the next few weeks I think there will be some real movement" on the international community's "obligation...to put forward a peace process that can work and try and take that forward." Blair reiterated his position that "there is no more important issue for us to resolve than Israel/Palestine."