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May 21, 2004 |
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***** The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has issued his directives to donate peaces of land measuring 900m2 each to 763 citizens under the care of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The Minister of Social Affairs Dr Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Namla thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for hid generous donation. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on the occasion of his winning of a presidential election and constitutional swearing-in for a second presidency term. In his own name and on behalf of Saudi government and people, the King wished the President continual good health and happiness and the friendly people of Russia steady progress and prosperity. Similar cables were also sent to the Russian President by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, and Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to President Nicanor Duarte Frutos of Paraguay on the occasion of his country's independence day. In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd wished the president continuous health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity, lauding the existing good relations between the two countries and peoples in all fields. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to Norway's King Harold V on the occasion of his country's national day. In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd wished the Norwegian king continuous health and happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity, lauding the existing good relations between the two countries and peoples. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a telephone call from President Hamid Krazai of Afghanistan. Krazai condemned and deplored the blast incidents which had recently taken place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Krazai reviewed with Crown Prince Abdullah bilateral relations and a number of regional and international issues. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a message from Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The message was delivered to the Crown Prince during an audience with Masako Moora, the Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation. The Envoy conveyed to the Crown Prince greetings of Japan's Emperor Akihito, Heir Apparent Naruhito and the Prime Minister. In turn, the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the Japanese leadership. The audience was attended by Japanese ambassador to the Kingdom Yasuo Saito. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of the Interior, received Amr Abdullah Al Dabagh, chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). Prince Naif expressed to Dabbagh his appreciation of the work achieved by SAGIA and stressed the importance of working towards the achievement of its goals in the field of investment in the Kingdom. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of the Interior, issued his directives to all governmental department to use governmental cars only for official missions. The decision was taken after security authorities noticed that governmental cars were used in non-official missions. ID cards do not differentiate between a prince and an ordinary citizen, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz said during the launch of the new electronic identity card at the Civil Affairs Department. Prince Salman told reporters after the launch that the card's security features made forgery difficult but urged all citizens to keep their ID safe. He reiterated a government warning not to deposit ID cards as guarantee for goods or services such as hire-purchase agreements. The governor said Riyadh's Civil Affairs Department was ready to handle the logistics of issuing ID cards to all Saudis in the region, which latest figures show have crossed five million. The new IDs will eventually become available all over the Kingdom. The launch of the service was delayed earlier this year "because of a technical hitch," according to the Ministry of the Interior. "The new ID is designed to provide more services to citizens than the previous one and contains a lot of information," the governor said. As the prince was shown around the production facility, Nasser Ibn Hamad Al-Hanaya, the assistant deputy minister for civil affairs, claimed the Kingdom "was one of the first countries to issue ID cards" 20 years ago. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of King Abdul Aziz Darat, received the sons of Sheikh Zaid Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Fayadh, who visited the Prince to donate their father's library to the Darat. Prince Salman thanked them for the valuable donations of books that will be displayed at the Darat. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal received Masako Moora, an envoy of Japanese Prime Minister. They discussed issues of mutual interest at the meeting, which was also attended by Japanese ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Yasuo Saito. Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland, has visited the University of Newcastle where he met with Saudi students who are studying in the university. The visit was organized by the Saudi Student Association in Newcastle. Prince Turki talked about the economic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Prince Turki also hailed the activities of the Saudi Student Association in Newcastle urging its members to do their best to excel in their fields. Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland, met here today with the teachers and students of the College of Higher Studies at British University of Exeter. Prince Turki briefed them on the political, social and economic developments in the Kingdom. This meeting was among the meetings which the ambassador holds to explain the Kingdom's policies and stances to teachers and foreign students of some of Britain's prestigious universities. Prince Sultan Ibn Salman the Secretary General of the Higher Tourism Authority said that HTA has 120 events listed for the summer. These events will cover different cultural, historical, adventure and tourism areas for youth. He said in a press conference, after touring projects in Al Houfouf that the program held in co-ordination with the General Presidency of Youth Welfare will be announced very soon. Prince Sultan stressed that the final strategy for tourism for the Eastern region has been finalized and Prince Mohammed Ibn Fahd is reviewing it, adding that this strategy will cover the whole regions. Muslim scholars in Indonesia have condemned the terrorist acts which recently occurred in the city of Riyadh. In cables received by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa (Call) and Guidance, the scholars representing Islamic institutions in Indonesia expressed support for the kingdom in fighting these acts. The scholars who sent the cables were Abdul Wahid Olwi, Farooq Zain Bajabir, Masdoon Branoto and Dr. Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah Basalamah. Personnel of Ibn Sina Hospital affiliated to the Endowment Foundation at the Indonesian Muslim University and workers of the religious attaché office of the Saudi embassy in Jakarta also sent similar cables. Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said received a message from the Philippines President Gloria Aroyo, concerning bilateral relations. The special envoy of the Philippines president delivered the message to Badr Ibn Hamad Ibn Mahmoud Al Bussaid, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sultan Qaboos reshuffled the Omani government, the Oman News Agency reported. Under a royal decree, Khamis Ibn Mubarak Ibn Issa Al-Alawi was named housing, electricity and water minister, while his former portfolio as municipalities, environment and water resources minister was filled by Abdullah Ibn Salem Ibn Amer Al-Rawas, a new face in the Cabinet. Sheikh Suhail Ibn Mostahil Shammas, formerly housing, electricity and water minister, was named a member of the State Council, the sultanate's upper house of Parliament. On March 8, Oman named Rawya bint Saud Al-Bussaidi as the new higher education minister, the country's first woman minister with portfolio, in a minor Cabinet reshuffle. The Sultanate of Oman and Belarus signed an agreement towards promoting joint investments in both countries. Ahmed Ibn Abdul Nabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, signed the agreement on behalf of the Sultanate's government while the Belarus side was signed by its minister of economy. Macki said the pact is aimed at promoting joint investments in both countries in the public as well as private sectors. "This pact will benefit both nations and lead to the establishment of several commercial, industrial and tourism projects," he said. The Belarus minister expressed his government's keenness on widening bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The ceremony was attended by Mohammed bin Said Al Lawati, the Sultanate's non-resident ambassador to Belarus. Macki later held talks with the first deputy foreign minister of Belarus on various issues of common concern. The British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sherard Cowper-Coles expressed in a statement his condemnation of the treatment of Iraqi prisoners stressing that it was against International law and British military law. He stressed that there is no other alternative than giving the authority to Iraqis on June 30, and noted that allied forces would withdraw but not immediately after that date, in order to avoid chaos in Iraq. He said the British forces are in Iraq to help its people achieve their goals and realize freedom and security. The Ambassador stressed that the British government believes that reform should be imposed on the Middle East but should come from within the area. President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree which provides for appointing Lt.Gen.Hasan Torkmani as the Deputy Commander in chief of the Country's Army and Armed Forces and the Defence Minister. Lt. Gen. Torkmani was born in Aleppo in 1935. He joined the army in 1954 and graduated from the military academy. He is specialized in field artillery. He followed a number of military courses. He became a brigadier in 1978 and a Lt. Gen. in 1988. He was appointed as chief of staff in 2002 and on 11.05.2004 he was appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the army and was appointed as a Minister of Defence on 12.05.2004.þ Documents approving the agreement on protection and promotion of investment signed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Belgian-Luxembourg economic union were exchanged. On the Saudi side, the event was attended by Saudi ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Nasir Ala'ssaf while on the Belgian-Luxembourg economic union side, it was attended by Belgian Foreign Ministry official Van Due Fader. Kuwait has strongly denied, what came in an Iraqi newspaper, accusing some Kuwaiti officers of taking part in the abuse operations in Iraqi prisons. The Kuwaiti Minister of Information Mohammed Abul Hassan strongly denied the allegations and said these are completely false allegations as Kuwait is a strong believer in Human Rights and rejects violence. The Minister stressed the importance of keeping good relations with Iraq and the necessity to provide help especially from neighbouring countries during the transition process. Pope John Paul II received in audience President Emile Lahoud of Lebanon. Recalling "the happy memories" of his trip to Lebanon in 1997, the Pope said he prays that "God will help all Lebanese to consolidate their nation's unity, in harmony and respect for all those who comprise it I also ask God to sustain the efforts by all men of good will in favor of peace, especially in the Middle East region, so very tired by unacceptable violence." The Lebanese President Emil Lahoud has asserted Lebanon's commitment to the choice of just and comprehensive peace on the ground of land for peace, Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Arab lands and the right of the Palestinians to return back to their homes. He added that Lebanon thanks to its unwavering stances, is playing its remarkable role in its Arab surrounding and to enjoy the appreciation of the Arab states, a matter which enhances its position and role in the future. Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy commended Kuwait's leading role in consolidating Gulf Cooperation Council countries' media work. Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the occasion of the 11th meeting for GCC news agencies' officials and directors, Dr. Al-Farsy stressed the importance of media gatherings in achieving better coordination. He also added that GCC efforts must be consolidated to further improve GCC [communication to and through] the media to develop clear plans for keeping up with media developments around the world. Dr. Al-Farsy also commended KUNA's role as a developed media institution, as well as the role of the KUNA center for development of media skills and training in preparing employees with specialist skills, adding that KUNA has achieved a leading status among news agencies as a result of its keenness to enhance media abilities and skills. He added that KUNA's development emanates from a true desire to achieve its goals and is based on logical and objective principles. Dr. Al-Farsy called for the working out of a GCC media strategy to unify GCC media messages on regional and international issues, as well as to coordinate roles in the light of political and media principles in each country. He said that the Islamic world is able to stand against foreign challenges, no matter how difficult they are, and can overcome negative media campaigns. He called upon GCC media institutions to play a greater role in fighting terrorist operations. Dr. Al-Farsy also said that the media should take an implacable stand against these incidents as they are alien to the GCC, Arab and Islamic cultures, adding that these terrorist operations not only target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also aim at destabilizing the world. The minister also said that GCC coordination in the media sector is slow and still very limited, adding that it does not yet meet the GCC's aspirations. Dr. Al-Farsy stressed the importance of media cooperation to achieve unity in accordance with plans of the GCC. Saudi Arabia expects economic growth close to last year's 6.4 percent, Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf said. Al-Assaf told Reuters that a wave of terrorist bombings and shootings had failed to dent the Kingdom's robust economic expansion and said the government would use any budget surplus to reduce debt. Asked if these attacks had provoked capital outflows from the Kingdom, he replied: "Absolutely not. It has been the other way round, we have an increase in liquidity." Al-Assaf added: "I expect positive growth this year... I'm optimistic it will be very close if not better than last year." He pointed to a sizzling stock market which has already risen 35 percent this year, on top of a 76 percent rise in 2003. "Turnover since the start of the year was SR500 billion close to the SR600 billion for the whole of last year," he said. Saudi Arabia's financial sector, including the insurance industry, banking and the stock market would be the "driving force" of the economy for the remainder of the year, with new insurance licenses expected to be issued in coming months. The abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers is a scandal offensive to God himself, the Vatican said, in its first public comment. "Violence against people offends God himself, who made humans in his own image," the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, said in a pre-recorded television interview. "In the abuses and ill treatment of prisoners is consummated the radical negation of man's dignity and his fundamental values." He said. Archbishop Lajolo condemned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, as "episodes of brutality, contrary to the most elementary human rights and radically contrary to Christian morals". Lajolo's predecessor as Vatican foreign minister, French cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, condemned the abuse and alleged torture of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers. "These images have a terrible effect on Arab populations and throughout the world," Tauran said in an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa. "When one ridicules human dignity like that, one puts up barriers," added Tauran, who until recently was the top foreign policy official at the Holy See. "When one conducts war, one must respect the law." In the UK, Birmingham Archbishop Vincent Nichols accused the media of increasing the public degredation of the victims of the prison abuse in the way it has gone about publishing the photographs. "I wonder, does the search for justice continue to be the real motivation for the relentless publication of these photographs? Might it not be also to do with the selling of newspapers and the seeking of political advantage?" Yemeni Interior minister Rashad al-Alimi praised the level of security cooperation relations between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Al-Alimi described in a statement to 26 September weekly, the security cooperation with the kingdom as "brilliant and distinguished" and serves common security and stability. He said that Yemeni and Saudi joint teams paid field visits to different border areas to raise reports to interior ministers of both countries in order to make final agreement on the form of coordination to prevent smuggling and infiltration through the borders in light of a minute signed by the two interior ministers during the latest visit of president Ali Abdullah Saleh to Riyadh. Al-Alimi said that the cooperation relations with GCC countries is good. He unveiled that that the coordination between Oman and Yemen "is going on to encourage trade exchange movement between the two countries" and Yemeni agricultural products began entering the markets of Oman that, he said, would be the entrance to markets in other Gulf states. Interior Minister Rashad Al-Aleemi denied the reports that American pressures are behind adjourning trial of the suspected bombers of the USS Cole. The trial was adjourned to arrange for the families of some victims to witness the hearing, the minister told the 26 September weekly newspaper. Yemen intends to ask the United States to extradite two key Yemeni suspects in the bombing of the US Warship in Aden port in 2000, he said, adding that the two suspects had been handed over to the US by Pakistan and the UAE. The UN nuclear chief called for a major overhaul of global measures to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, warning that "extremist terrorists" and several insecure countries still want to get their hands on nuclear material. Mohamed El Baradei complained that the international community isn't thinking "outside the box" about trying to create a globally secure system where people can live peacefully without relying on nuclear weapons. In the post-Cold War world, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, he said many countries feel that security can only come through nuclear weapons, and "we have realised there is a new group of people, the so-called extremist terrorists who would like to get their hands on some of this (nuclear) material." As far as countries that believe they will be more secure with nuclear weapons, El Baradei argued "if a group of terrorists developed their own weapons right now, no matter how much horrific weaponry you have in your arsenal, it will not protect you." "So we need a better system of security that does not rely on horrific weapons, which won't protect you or anyone else," he said. The Shoura Council held a session presided over by its Chairman Dr Saleh Bin Abdullah Ibn Humaid. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, the Council's Secretary General Dr. Homoud Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Badr said that the Council discussed an amendment to the draft regulation on contractors' classification in light of expanding foreign investment in the Kingdom. Also the Shoura Council held here today a session presided over by its Chairman Dr Saleh Ibn Abdullah Ibn Humaid. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, the Council's Secretary General Dr. Homoud Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Badr said that the Council discussed amendments to some articles of the labor regulation. He added that the council will continue discussion of amendment of the rest of the 241-article regulation in future sessions. Dr. Al-Badr stated that the council also approved amendments by the International Tourism Organization making the organization a United Nation-affiliated agency. Dr. Al-Badr said furthermore, the council approved a draft agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Commission of the European Communities on the establishment, privileges and immunities of the delegation of the Commission of the European Communities in Riyadh. Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Rawhi Fatooh condemned the brutal Israeli aggression against Rafah City and the criminal demolishing of houses in its refugee camps. Fattooh strongly denounced the horrible inhumane destruction by Israeli forces which turned the place into a down to earth disaster in al-Zaytoon neighbourhood of Gaza City. "Demolishing thousands of houses during the last three years in the Occupied Palestinian Territories OPT mostly in Rafah City is part of the ethnic cleansing policy and the state-run terror waged by Israel which is compared to the massacres of1948" he said. He reiterated that the policy of killing, destruction, assassination and siege would not terrorize the Palestinian people nor would it force the them to make concessions regarding their right of return, right of self-determination, and the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Fattooh called on the International Community, mostly the Quartet, to exert pressure on the Israeli government to abide by UN resolutions including provision of international protection to the Palestinian people. An official source at the Interior Ministry has categorically denied a report circulated by some information media about exchange of fire near a residential compound and arrest of four persons wanted by the security authorities. The report said that the fire was exchanged near a residential compound in Riyadh and four suspects were arrested. 'The report is absolutely incorrect, said the official source adding that one of the guards at the residential compound had shot fire assuming that a suspicious development had taken place, but later it became clear that there was nothing at all. The official source urged the information media to be more authentic and objective. U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice told Russian President Vladimir Putin the United States wanted Russia's cooperation in working out a U.N resolution on Iraq. "She made it clear that we want to work closely with the Russians on the text of the Security Council resolution which we will soon be drafting and sharing with our Russian friends," a U.S. embassy spokesman said. The arrangements for the June 30 handover were the subject of intense discussions on Friday in both New York and Washington involving foreign ministers of leading industrialised states and diplomats at the United Nations. Russia made it plain on the eve of the talks with Rice that it was willing to work with Washington on a U.N. Security Council resolution to underpin the handover, but said it wanted a clear outline of post-occupation arrangements. With officials disclosing only the barest of details, Tass said Rice turned over to the Kremlin leader a message from U.S. President George W. Bush. A Kremlin statement said talks focused on bilateral cooperation and on "key international issues, including the situation in Iraq and in the Middle East". Contrary to common practice, Russian television showed no pictures of the Kremlin meeting. Sayyid Badr Ibn Hamad Ibn Hamoud, Foreign Ministry undersecretary, left Hanoi winding up a four-day official visit to Vietnam during which he met Vietnamese officials. In a pre-departure statement, he said he was delighted with this visit which is the first for an Omani official since bilateral diplomatic relations were established in June 1992. He cited relations between Vietnam and Arab countries as promising in the light of the new trends adopted by Vietnam during the recent years and its economic openness and the updating of its systems and financial and economic laws to keep abreast with globalisation, attract foreign investments and develop trade relations with the other countries of the world. He hailed the outcome of his consultations with the Vietnamese officials, notably his talks with the Vietnamese foreign minister. He referred to possible areas of bilateral cooperation in energy and labour fields and stressed the need to increase trade exchange between the two countries. He said the signing of a trade agreement between the Sultanate and Vietnam would help boost trade exchange between the two sides. He urged the Omani private sector to utilise investment opportunities available, saying that Omani businessmen who joined his delegation met their counterparts and officials of Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Commerce Ministry. The editor of the London Daily Mirror newspaper, Piers Morgan, resigned last Friday, bowing to pressure for him to go after the paper published pictures allegedly showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British troops. The paper issued a statement apologising "unreservedly", saying it had been the victim of a "calculated and malicious hoax" following evidence presented in parliament the previous day that they were not genuine, but had been shot in Britain. The Mirror board said it would be "inappropriate" for Morgan to continue. Representatives of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, whose soldiers were allegedly involved, earlier insisted at a press conference that the Mirror had to apologise for running the pictures and endangering British troops. In the press conference, the regiment's representatives showed aspects of uniform and equipment which it said proved the photographs were fake. On 13-14 May, Loyola de Palacio, European Commission Vice-President in charge of energy and transport, visited Lebanon to meet with high level Government counterparts to discuss the development of the oil, gas, electricity and transport sectors. The Vice-President met with Prime Minister Hariri with whom she had a discussion on recent regional developments. She also proposed to Mr. Hariri to set up a technical sub-committee in charge of energy and transport in view of the upcoming preparation of an Action Plan in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. She stressed the importance of energy as vector for promoting peace and stability in the region. The Vice-President met with Mr. Ayoub Hmayed, Minister of Energy and Water and underlined the urgent need to accelerate structural reform of the energy sector, in particular with respect to the regulation of the electricity system and the nomination of a regulator. In the context of the discussion on the issue of Lebanon's electricity tariffs, which are amongst the highest in the world, the necessity of introducing natural gas into Lebanon was discussed, bearing in mind the abundant sources in the region (in Syria, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and Israel). There was also a recognition of the importance, for the secure and stable supply of energy, of the regional interconnections of the electricity and gas networks, as identified at the last Ministerial meeting of the Energy Euro-Mediterranean forum in Rome on 1-2 December 2003. Loyola de Palacio also stressed the importance of the transit of gas resources through Lebanon and Syria to Turkey, as well as to Cyprus and the rest of the European Union, citing notably the "Nabucco" project (Turkey-Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria) and the Turkey-Greece gas interconnection project. Air transport was also on the agenda. Ms De Palacio has had the opportunity to verify the interest of the Lebanese Government in launching, as soon as possible, negotiations in view of an "open skies" agreement with the European Union. |