Cabinet Session

Cabinet Session Riyadh, 15 Safar 1428H (5 March 2007)

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz chaired the Cabinet's session at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

At the outset of the session, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques briefed the Cabinet on the meetings he held with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egypt's President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad during their visits to the kingdom over the previous days.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques affirmed that the Kingdom's policy towards the world emanates from deep-rooted convictions and embodies the following principles:

- Action for enhancing the Arab unity;

-Augmentation of Arab identity of all Arabs irrespective of race, religion and ideology; for affiliation to one Arab homeland is the only bond among all Arabs;

- Strengthening cohesion of the Muslim nation, understanding among ideologies, rapprochement among cultures and Muslim world societies;

-Extending bridges of understanding and cooperation with all peace -loving countries, all powers and trends calling for coexistence of all civilizations and common human civilization heritage; and

- Shouldering the issues of the homeland and nation, and contributing to the stability and prosperity of the world through these convictions.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Mr. Iyad Bin Amin Madani said the Cabinet in this regard welcomed the convention of the forthcoming Arab summit in Riyadh, expressing hope that Palestine will be represented at the summit with a Palestinian firm unity government and will participate in actions based on resolutions of Arab summits.

The Summit, the Cabinet emphasized, must reach effective decisions:

- To support unity of brethren in Palestine, lift the siege imposed on them, compel Israel to respect international decisions and legitimacy;

- To help the Lebanese strengthen their legitimate and political institutions and spread love among the people;

-To support Iraq in affirming its national unity, independence, and promote equality among its citizens; and

-To take the Arab homeland and people to a new stage by directing their efforts to development, reform and economic integration

On domestic affairs, the Cabinet commended the Kingdom's achievements in the fields of health, including children's health and their vaccination against fatal diseases. The kingdom is certified as a poliomyelitis-free country.

The Minister of Culture and Information said the Cabinet then reviewed the items on its agenda and issued the following decisions:

Upon recommendations of the ministerial committee for administrative organization based on a study for the organizational situation for promoting, and financing of exports, the Cabinet decided to set up a governmental commission to be in charge of promoting Saudi non-oil exports under the name " Commission for the Promotion of Saudi Exports".

According to this decision, the board of directors of the commission will be chaired by the Minister of Commerce and Industry with members representing a number of governmental sectors and four Saudi exporters to be chosen from different regions by the chairman of the board of directors.

The panel will be assigned to take part in setting the state's policies in the field of non-oil exports promotion, improve the export environment, provide administrative, technical and consultative assistance and incentives for exporters, help qualify Saudi employees and spread exportation culture necessary for the international marketing and exportation, assist local consultative companies jointly working with foreign companies and link investment with exportation.

According to the new move, the Saudi Development Fund remains in charge of financing and guaranteeing exports.

The Cabinet approved a draft agreement for security cooperation between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the peoples republic of china which was initially signed in Riyadh on 22nd of April 2006.

According to the agreement, each side has the right to reject cooperation or assistance totally or partially if, for instance, the party deems extending assistance harmful to its sovereignty, security or general system.

The Minister of Justice or his deputy was authorized to discuss with the South African side a draft agreement for cooperation in the judicial field between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the republic of South Africa, sign it and forward the final version for further authentication.

Upon recommendations of the permanent committee of the Supreme Economic Council, the Cabinet approved setting up the national industrial cluster development program.

The program, which lasts for five years and is financed annually by the state under the supervision of the ministry of commerce and industry, aims at creating a new industrial infrastructure in the kingdom to diversify the national economy. It seeks to transfer dependence on natural resources (such as oil) to a wealth of its processed by-products, and to introduce such final products to the world market. The program also provides more opportunities for national qualified skills.

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a stock company under the name of "al-saqr (eagle) company for cooperative insurance".

The Cabinet approved a draft agreement, initially signed in Riyadh on 19 March 2006, between the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Austria for avoidance of double taxation regarding taxes on income and capital and the prevention of tax evasion.

The Cabinet approved the formation of the board of directors of the irrigation and sewage discharge commission for three years, effective 27/2/1428 H. under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture and membership of Dr. Salah Bin Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz Al'abd; Eng. Ahmed Bin Abdul Rahman Al Bassam; Eng. Salih Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Barak; Eng. Mahdi Bin Yassin Al Ramadan; and the director general of the irrigation and sewage discharge commission.

The Cabinet approved the appointment of Mohammed Bin Omer Bin Mohammed Al Safhan as agricultural consultant at the ministry of agriculture, and Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Bin Ghunaim Al Ghunaim as director general of the minister's office at he ministry of social affairs.