|
|
May 28, 2004 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|||||
CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH: IT IS THE DUTY OF ISLAMIC STATES, IN THE FACE OF THE CONTINUING CRISES IN PALESTINE AND IRAQ, TO SHOW UNITY, VIGILANCE AND FARSIGHTEDNESS. THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR FINDS TWO CARS, EXPLOSIVE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, SOME WEAPONS, AMMUNITION, DOCUMENTS AND MONEY AT A SITE IN BURAIDAH. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz chaired the cabinet's weekly session at Al-Salam palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince expressed his appreciation of Arab leaders for their efforts which yielded positive results at the 16th Arab Summit which was concluded in Tunisia. The Cabinet praised the important decisions of the Summit on dealing with decisive and vital issues of the Arab nation. The Cabinet emphasized the importance of the document of '' Pledge, Accord and Solidarity'' which was adopted by the Summit, pointing out that it will fruitfully serve the issues and actions of the Arab nation. For the first time, the endorsed document does not emanate from the analysis of Arab situations, but provides instead a remedy for a joint Arab action, a basis of seriousness and credibility, and calls for self-accountancy. It takes as a ground the credible implementation of decisions and bypasses the boastful shows from which the joint Arab action had suffered over the past decades, the Cabinet stressed. It pointed out that after a long period without amendments to the charter of the Arab League, the new and modern concepts introduced into the charter will contribute more credibility to the Arab League, noting that the document was unanimously signed by Arab foreign ministers who approved the initiation of reform preparations and therefore needed amendments to the charter to consolidate these new concepts before their endorsement by the Arab leaders at the next summit in Algeria. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fuad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi said that the Cabinet also reviewed contacts, consultations and talks held by the Kingdom with senior foreign officials during the previous days. The talks focused on overall situations, particularly the tragic events in Palestine and Iraq. The Crown Prince stressed that the security and stability of the world are closely connected with reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive solution in the Middle East, affirming that all should shoulder a joint responsibility to exert utmost possible efforts to move forward the peace process towards its desired purposes. In this regard, the Crown Prince noted that the peace process is witnessing a serious setback as a result of Israel's practices which are fully contrary to the rules and principles set by the international legitimacy resolutions, including the ''Road Map'' and the U.S. administration's vision of two states co-existing in secure and stable atmosphere. On the other hand, the Cabinet expressed the Kingdom's sorrow over the situation in Iraq, following the increase of confrontations which had negative impacts on the Iraqi people, leading thereby to insecurity, instability and shortage of the simplest requirements of human life in a number of Iraqi cities. It again called on the United Nations to play a major role to stop the deterioration of the security situation that obstructs any effort to promote Iraq's construction, growth and restoration of sovereignty. The Minister of Culture and Information said the meeting then reviewed a number of local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet decided to sell the state's stock share in the National Company for Cooperative Insurance (NCCI). The General Investment Fund, which runs the state's share worth 50 percent in NCCI, was also authorized to discuss the sale of some 10 - 15 percent of the quotas in NCCI of each of the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) and General Establishment for Retirement. The Cabinet also issued a package of measures regulating the selling operation. The Council of Ministers approved that the Saudi Arab Mining Company (Ma'aden) take the basic steps for privatizing the company within the announced terms of the Saudi privatization strategy. Upon recommendations of the 3rd Saudi Conference on Electronic Commerce, the Cabinet approved the regulations governing the partnership of the private sector in the electronic government process according to sharing the expected revenues bases. The Cabinet stipulated that for the lubrication oils locally marketed by the Arab Company for Trading Petroleum Materials, the companies planning to sell lubrication oil to government bodies be subject to fair competition and should have met the Ministry of Labor's instructions on the Saudization of jobs. The Council of Ministers endorsed the state's final accounts for the fiscal year 1420-1421 H. The meeting authorized the Minister of Agriculture or his deputy to sign a draft agreement on cooperation between the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of the Republic of Yemen. The final version of the agreement will be forwarded for further authentication. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Dr. Mohammed bin Mohammed bin Isa Aseeri as Assistant Undersecretary of Assir Governorate for Security Affairs; Dr. Sameer Ibn Sulaiman Ibn Abdullah Al Omran as Director General of Girls Education Department in the Eastern Region; and Eng. Ismat Ibn Mohammed Zia Isa as Director General of Projects and Maintenance Department at the Ministry of Health. On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received princes, senior officials and a group of citizens who came to greet him. The Crown Prince also received the father of sergeant Farhan Ibn Aiyd Ibn Mubrid Al-Shammri, a member of the National Guard , who was killed in the terrorist act in Yanbu city last month . Crown Prince Abdullah expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the martyr. The Crown Prince also received a delegation from King Saud University Branch in Qassim led by Dr. Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al-Faisal, the University's Director; President of Qassim Literary Club Dr Hassan Ibn Fahd Al-Huaimil; a delegation from Al-Zelfi city led by Governor of Zelfi Zaid Ibn Mohammed Al-Hussain Al-Tamimi, and leader of Al-Mushabab tribe Awadh Al-Qarni. In their speeches, leaders of the delegations strongly condemned the terrorist acts that recently took place in the kingdom by the deviating group and denounced the killing of innocents, the intimidation of the secure people, destabilization of security and the damaging of properties. They stressed their stand by, support for and loyalty to the government to fight the deviant group that perpetrated these acts. In his remarks, the Crown Prince thanked them for their stand against terrorism and support for the government, noting that the delegations and their ancestors are loyal to the religion and their country. The Crown Prince affirmed that the deviant group will be eradicated no matter how long it takes 20 or 30 years. The Crown Prince urged University professors to sincerely advise Saudi sons about their religious and national duties for the service of religion and the Kingdom. The Crown Prince cautioned some speakers of mosques against not telling the fact, noting that they should tell that for the interest of their religion and country. Crown Prince Abdullah pointed out that security men are killed because they protect the religion and the country. He called for supporting anyone who provides information to the armed forces topped by the public security, adding that anyone who is silent will be considered as an accomplice of this deviating group which is inimical to Islam, the country and humanity. The Crown Prince also received the Family of Aba Al-Ula led by Naif Ibn Omar Aba Al-Ula who thanked the Crown Prince for his condolences on the death of Sultan bin Omar Aba Al-Ula The receptions were attended by a number of princes and officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a message from Iran's President Mohammed Khatami. The message was conveyed to the Crown Prince by Iranian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Arab and African Affairs Dr Mohammed Sadr during an audience with the Prince Abdullah. Dr Mohammed conveyed to Crown Prince Abdullah the greetings of the Iranian President . In turn the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the President. The audience was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court, Prince Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court and Iran's ambassador to the Kingdom Asghar Khaji. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Mohammad Sadr stressed the importance of holding high-level consultations with Saudi Arabia on issues of bilateral concern as well as regional developments, particularly Iraq and Palestine. During the meeting with Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Sadr said Iran and Saudi Arabia should extend their cooperation to try to help the Iraqi nation resolve its problems and thereby pave the way for power to be transferred to the people. "Cooperation between the two countries would discourage threats and dangers from being lodged on other countries," he added. "Unfortunately, Iraq has become a hotbed of terrorist activities in the region and the United States is doing nothing to remedy the situation," Sadr further stated. Sadr, who is also a special envoy of President Mohammad Khatami to the region, in the course of the meeting submitted a written message from the president to the Crown Prince. Crown Prince Abdullah expressed his appreciation upon receiving the message, and remarked that it was the duty of Islamic states, in the face of the continuing crises in Palestine and Iraq, to show unity, vigilance and farsightedness. The enemies of Islam seek problems for the Islamic world, but it is for the Islamic states to decide not to allow them to push through with their efforts to prevent the situation from returning to normal, he said. He noted that Tehran and Riyadh have forged a cooperation to pursue bilateral interests, stressing that both have decided to expand this cooperation so as to benefit the interests of regional states in terms of promoting security and stability in the entire region. Meanwhile, talking to IRNA, Sadr described the outcomes of his meeting with Crown Prince Abdullah as "positive," and stressed the two countries' close stances on key regional issues. Asked about Iran's stance on the Bush administration's Greater Middle East Initiative, the deputy foreign minister said Tehran cannot accept an initiative which runs counter to the culture of the regional states. The initiative does not even give priority to settlement of the Palestinian crisis, he regretted, adding that attempts to achieve reforms should be launched within the countries where changes are sought. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Chairman of the Higher Economic Council chaired a Council meeting at Al-Salam Palace. The meeting was attended by member Ministers of the Council and members of the Consultative Commission for Economic Affairs. Following the meeting, the Council's Secretary General, Dr Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijeri, said that the Council discussed items on its agenda and decided to approve the following: Significant steps towards privatisation of the Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Maaden; rules organizing private sector participation in government electronic works; provision for the needs of governmental bodies for lubricant oils by enabling competition among producing companies; the selling of all state-owned shares in the General Investment Fund of the National Cooperative Insurance Company for citizens. The privatization of the National Company for Cooperative Insurance (NCCI) and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) is expected to bring at least SR550 million to national coffers. The Supreme Economic Council (SEC), chaired by Crown Prince Abdullah, decided to sell state shares in NCCI and approved steps to privatize Maaden on Tuesday. The SEC did not, however, give a specific date for the privatization of the two state-owned firms. SEC Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Tuwaijeri said the council's meeting decided to sell state shares worth SR250 million owned by Public Investment Fund in NCCI which has a capital of SR500 million. The General Organization for Social Insurance and Pension Fund are expected to maintain their stake (25 percent each) in the Kingdom's only official insurance company which has five million shares, each with a nominal value of SR100. Suleiman Al-Homaid, chairman of GOSI, welcomed the sell-off and said it would strengthen the private sector's participation in the national economy and boost the country's insurance sector. Maaden, which is fully owned by the government, is expected to sell 40 to 50 percent of its stake in the precious metals sector in which the company has invested SR600 million, Al-Watan Arabic daily said, quoting informed sources. Maaden was established with a capital of SR4 billion in 1997 in order to utilize the Kingdom's rich mineral resources. The company, which is involved in huge projects, is now estimated to be worth several billion dollars. Dr. Abdullah Al-Dabbagh, chairman of Maaden, commended the SEC decision, approving the basic steps to privatize the company. "According to the SEC decision, Maaden will be privatized in phases," he said. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of the Interior, received a delegation from King Saud University Branch in Qassim led by Dr. Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al-Faisal, the University's Director; President of Qassim Literary Club Dr Hassan Ibn Fahd Al-Huaimil; a delegation from Al-Zelfi city led by Governor of Zelfi Zaid Ibn Mohammed Al-Hussain Al-Tamimi, and leader of Al-Mushabab tribe Awadh Al-Qarni. In their speeches, leaders of the delegations strongly condemned the terrorist acts that recently took place in the kingdom by the deviating group and denounced the killing of innocents, the intimidation of the secure people, destabilization of security and the damaging of properties. They stressed their stand by, support for and loyalty to the government to fight the deviant group that perpetrated these acts. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz thanked them for their stand against terrorism and support for the government, noting that the delegations and their ancestors are loyal to the religion and their country. Prince Naif affirmed that the deviant group will be eradicated and emphasized that the perpetrators are against religion, morals and humanity. Meanwhile four militants and a policeman were killed and one militant and two security men were injured in a shootout during a raid on a militant hideout in Khudaira, a southern district of Buraidah. A statement from the Ministry of the Interior said security forces uncovered a group of wanted terror suspects in the Khudaira area. The statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency said arms and ammunition were later found at the location. The militants were hiding in a rest house in the rural southern district of Buraidah that is home to mostly rest houses and farms. Some sources said one of the dead, identified as Bandar Al-Dakheel, could be the terrorist of the same name on a list of most wanted militants issued after the May and November 2003 compound attacks in Riyadh that left more than 50 people dead, many of them foreigners. The sources said others on the list could also be among those killed in yesterday's gunbattle. The gunbattle started at 2 p.m. when police raided the rest house where a group of militants were holed up and exchanged fire with them. Witnesses said the militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the police. An unspecified number of militants managed to escape. The officer was killed when a hand grenade thrown by the militants at a police car exploded, wounding the two others. The police car was completely destroyed, an eyewitness said. The dead policeman was identified as Ayedh Awad Al-Harbi. Khudaira and Al-Salmia, two southern districts of Buraidah, witnessed an unprecedented presence of security and anti-terrorists forces. Police sealed off the area and set up several checkpoints there and in different parts of the Qasim region of which the town is a part. The area has seen a spate of recent clashes between militants and security forces. On April 21, two Qasim police officers came under fire when they stopped a suspect Toyota truck in a street in the town. The two suspects in the truck fled and remain at large. It was not immediately clear whether the Khudaira cell belongs to the same group of terrorists who had earlier killed four security men in Om Sidrah, some 45 km east of Buraidah. On April 13, security forces defused two explosive-laden cars in Al-Shumasiah, 30 km east of Buraidah. In the latest of a series of attacks over the past year, militants killed five foreigners during a shooting rampage at a petrochemical site in the western industrial city of Yanbu. Security forces have killed or arrested eight on a list of 26 top militants since December last year. The following statement was announcement by SPA: Four Saudi wanted persons were killed and one injured and one policeman martyred and two injured in a shootout between the Saudi security forces and an armed deviant group in Buraidah Region, an official of the Ministry of Interior announced. The announcement said "At 2.30 pm on Thursday 20 May 2004, security forces patrol, detecting five of the suspects who belong to the deviant group, noted that they were taking refuge in a rest house in Khudairah, a village of Buraidah Region. Realizing that they have been encompassed by the security forces, the suspects started firing heavily from their machine guns towards the security task force which responded accordingly". As a result, four suspects were killed and two injured while a policeman martyred and two of his colleagues were injured, the announcement said, adding that weapons and ammunition were found. A further announcement is going to be issued later, the source said. Giving further details on a prior statement issued two days ago on surrounding by security forces of five wanted people in one of the rest houses in the neighborhood of Khadhaira in the city of Buraidah, an official source at the Ministry of Interior said the confrontation between the wanted individuals and the security forces resulted in the death of four of the wanted individuals and injury of the fifth. Their names are not disclosed for the interest of the investigation, the source said. Two security men were also killed in the confrontation, the source added. The source explained that in their hiding place, the wanted individuals made tools of murder and destruction by preparing car and pipe bombs. When confronted, they began firing, forcing security men to deal with them as necessary, the source said. Two cars, explosive equipment and supplies, some weapons, ammunition, documents and some money were found at the site of the confrontation, the source said. The source urged people not to gather at the sites of events for their own safety because those who belong to the deviant group, when confronted, behave in a manner that endangers the lives of innocent people. When they are surrounded and become desperate, the deviant group's dangerous acts include firing indiscriminately, stealing cars, exploiting innocent people and seeking the help of their colleagues to escape, the source explained. Meanwhile Funeral prayers were held for security officers Nawaf Ibn Hamad Al-Harbi and Aaed Ibn Awad Al-Harbi who died in a gunbattle with terrorists in Qasim. Qasim Governor Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar, senior police officers and many ordinary citizens took part in the funeral. Earlier, the Interior Ministry confirmed the death of a second security officer who had sustained wounds in the shootout. Giving further details on a prior statement issued earlier on surrounding by security forces of five wanted people in one of the rest houses in the neighborhood of Khadhaira in the city of Buraidah, an official source at the Ministry of Interior said the confrontation between the wanted individuals and the security forces resulted in the death of four of the wanted individuals and injury of the fifth. Their names are not disclosed for the interest of the investigation, the source said. Two security men were also killed in the confrontation, the source added. The source explained that in their hiding place, the wanted individuals made tools of murder and destruction by preparing car and pipe bombs. When confronted, they began firing, forcing security men to deal with them as necessary, the source said. Two cars, explosive equipment and supplies, some weapons, ammunition, documents and some money were found at the site of the confrontation, the source said. The source urged people not to gather at the sites of events for their own safety because those who belong to the deviant group, when confronted, behave in a manner that endangers the lives of innocent people. When they are surrounded and become desperate, the deviant group's dangerous acts include firing indiscriminately, stealing cars, exploiting innocent people and seeking the help of their colleagues to escape, the source explained. On the other hand Prince Faisal Ibn Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Qassim Region, Prince Mohammed Ibn Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs and Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Majid Ibn Abdul Aziz, Vice Governor of Qassim, paid a visit to the families of the two security men who were martyred in confrontation with a group of the wanted suspects of a deviated group in Khudairah in Buraidah city. During the visit, they offered the condolences of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz to the families of martyrs Sergeant Nawaf Ibn Mohammed Ibn Homoud Al-Harbi and Corporal Ayidh Ibn Aoadh Al-Harbi. The princes accompanied by a number of officials also visited the injured of security men at King Fahd Specialist Hospital to inquire after their health, wishing them a quick recovery. In a press statement, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Ibn Abdul Aziz expressed his appreciation of the martyrs for confronting the deviating group, noting that one injured will be discharged from the hospital and the other whose case is not serious will stay to complete treatment. Security authorities in Buriadah found a getaway car inside a courtyard of one of residences in Al-Naseem district that was used in the shootout in the Khudaira area that resulted in the death of four terrorists last Thursday, Okaz reported. The authorities cordoned off the area on Monday afternoon after receiving information about the presence of wanted men by the security authorities in one of the residences in the area after a lease contract was found on the body of one of the dead terrorists. A raid on the residence revealed no one living in the house and no furniture inside it. A helicopter was also used in the search operation The Civil Defense has set up a rapid reaction force to confront terror attacks and natural disasters, its director Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijri said. "We now have a special force whose members are highly-trained and equipped with the most sophisticated equipment to deal with terrorist attacks," he said in a press statement. The Civil Defense chief said the mission of the squad also includes rescue work extinguishing fires, evacuating casualties and dealing with chemical agents. "The majority of the squad members and officers have received advanced training abroad." "It is an emergency force fully competent to handle bombing incidents and natural disasters," he said. Six helicopter bases are being built all over the Kingdom to provide logistical support to the Civil Defense's helicopter fleet. Officers were touring the United States, Europe and Russia to purchase the latest rescue helicopters to beef up the fleet, he said. Civil Defense helicopters provided crucial assistance in last month's siege on a mountainous area northeast of Riyadh where a group of terrorists were holed up. |
|||||
