September 24, 2004

"THE NATIONAL DAY" THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES GRANTS A FINANCIAL AWARD OF TWO MONTHS SALARY TO ALL MILITARY AND SECURITY PERSONNEL. PRINCE ABDULLAH: SOME MUSLIMS HAVE TARNISHED THE REPUTATION AND IMAGE OF THE ISLAMIC FAITH. PRINCE ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL AZIZ CALLS UPON ISLAMIC SCHOLARS TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE AND WORK FOR IMPROVING THE IMAGE OF ISLAM. PRINCE SULTAN THANKS THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES AND THE CROWN PRINCE FOR THE FINANCIAL AWARD GRANTED TO MILITARY PERSONNEL. PRINCE SALMAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ: THOSE WHO DO NOT LOVE THEIR COUNTRY ARE NOT NORMAL PEOPLE. A royal order was issued granting a financial award of two months salaries to all military personnel of all of the state's military and security departments. The royal order said the reward was an expression of appreciation for the military community's efforts and giving. On the other hand addressing the gathering of elite Ulema, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard urged Muslim scholars to spread the literature of dialogue among themselves, and with others. He also urged for Islamic unity of all sects and schools through dialogue. He described terrorists raising Islamic slogans as deviated groups who have nothing to do with the teachings of the religion of Islam. The meeting was attended by Prince Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Saud; Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court; and Dr. Bandar Ibn Salman Ibn Mohammed Al Saud, Advisor at the Crown Prince's Court. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard called upon Islamic scholars to promote dialogue among them to reach a consensus on contemporary issues and work for improving Islam's image and reputation tarnished by terrorists and extremists. Addressing the Muslim World League's constituent council in Makkah, Prince Abdullah said the deviant group had tarnished the image of Islam. Prince Abdullah was referring to Al-Qaeda sympathizers blamed for a series of bombings and shootings in various parts of the Kingdom over the past 16 months. More than 90 people, mostly expatriates, have been killed and over 200 injured in the violence. "It is the duty of every Muslim to uphold the reputation of Islam. Unfortunately, some members of the community have tarnished the image of the Islamic faith," the crown prince told the gathering. Prince Abdullah called upon the scholars to project the true picture of Islam. Truthfulness, sincerity, morality, humaneness and generosity are the hallmarks of Islam, he added. He expressed happiness over the growth of Islam across Europe and America and other parts of the world, despite the irresponsible actions of some Muslim individuals and the smear campaigns of enemies. Prince Abdullah emphasized the need to unify Muslim ranks disregarding the various groups and schools of thought (madahib). Please, (do your efforts) to uphold mutual understanding among all Muslim sects, said the Crown Prince in his speech to the members of the founding council of the MWL. Please, dialogue, dialogue! No matter how long it takes... do not neglect to hold dialogue with your brethren in faith everywhere, and do not neglect to cleanse the reputation of Islam in the world. Dialogue is your duty. Have dialogue with your brethren no matter what. The Crown Prince further said that it is the duty of all Muslims to maintain the good image of Islam, regardless of how deviants work to tarnish that image. Every Muslim should bear the responsibility of maintaining the good image of the Islamic faith, which unfortunately has been tarnished by some who are the very sons of Islam, said the Crown Prince. This is the duty of all of you, the Crown Prince said. He said that the actions of those Muslims who had tarnished the image of Islam could not possibly have been acting out of the principles of Islam. Islam is a religion of loyalty, faithfulness, morals, principles, humanity, and dignity... and Islam is much higher than the deeds of those people... they have destroyed and distorted the image of Islam, and it is your duty to improve it. The meeting came a day after the MWL concluded its 38th conference in Makkah. On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has sent a cable of thanks to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz on the occasion of the issuance of the royal order to grant a financial reward of two-month salaries to all military and security men in Saudi Arabia. In the cable, Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz said the reward had a positive impact on the military people. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has sent a cable of thanks to Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, on the occasion of the issuance of the royal order to grant a financial reward of two-month salaries to all military and security men in Saudi Arabia. In the cable, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, said the reward had a positive impact on the military people. Meanwhile Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, patronized the 10th International Book Exhibition, organized by King Saud University in Riyadh. In a statement following the opening ceremony, Prince Salman told the press that this book fair is an opportunity for Saudi youth to select their favorite publications. Prince Salman said that these events are national events that makes everybody proud of his country, and whoever does not love his country is abnormal. A number of princes and officials also attended the event. Avid readers eager to catch up on latest Arabic language titles started to visit King Saud University Tuesday for its biannual international book fair. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh region launched the opening ceremony at the Sheik Hamad Al-Jazir Hall at 8.00 P.M. last Tuesday. It is an appropriate time for students and scholars, who want to quench their thirst for latest books, said Dr. Sulayman Al-Oqalah, head of the Deanship of Libraries at King Saud University, for the books displayed are so varied that they can satisfy even the needs of the casual reader. A total of 300 local and international publishing houses from 15 Arab and non-Arab countries display their latest books. About 150,000 books are showcased at the fair. The grounds of the fair, located at the university, cover an area of about 6,000 square meters. According to the organizers, the government has facilitated the entry of all reading material and the representatives of the publishing houses into the country. I have no information of books seized at the entry points, Oqalah said when asked if there are books confiscated by the censorship authorities at the Ministry of Culture and Information. All I can confirm is that the Kingdom is one, if not the best, best country in the Arab world where movement of books is not restricted. This year, children's books abound. About 70 percent of the books are ones published in the last five years. No old books, except for the old Arabic texts, are allowed. Oqalah, who is also the head of the organizing committee, said the emphasis is on quality rather than quantity. That is why we, contrary to the past years, confined the participation of the fair only to the big publishing houses and information technology companies with sound track records, he said. In the past years, visitors complained of prices being steep. Oqalah allays these fears. The price of the books are reasonable with a 20 percent discount, he said. We asked, as per our agreement, the publishers to give discounts. And we shall follow up to make sure the publishers abide by. King Saud University, the organizer of the event, undertook its first international book fair in 1986. Since then it continued to hold the biannual event. The fair will run 10 days. Visitors can drop by from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. everyday. There will be Duhur and Asr prayers break before reopening at 4: 30 P.M. Female visitors have two days, Friday, Sept. 24, in the afternoon, and Thursday, Sept. 30 for the entire day. Female staff will be stationed at the fair on the women-only days. Several activities will coincide with the fair: seminars and lectures. The Deputy Minister of Development and Planning, and the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will talk about employment on a lecture titled: University Students and Labor Market. The director of the General Administration for the Protection of Author s Rights and the President of the Saudi Publishers Association will lecture on Author's Rights. Meanwhile the Health Sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia receives great attention from the government in order to raise the level of health services and facilities. The Kingdom's policy on health is simply expressed the provision of free health services for the benefit of all the citizens of Saudi Arabia and King Fahd has shown, throughout his reign, a very real understanding of the importance of adequate health provision for those who need it, both within and outside the Kingdom. Healthcare is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, which provides both general and specialized hospital services. Amongst the Kingdom's specialized hospitals are the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, the military hospitals and some Ministry of Health hospitals, which offer, amongst other advanced medical techniques, open-heart surgery, kidney transplantation and cancer therapy. The general health service is complemented by other agencies which provide health services for their staff (e.g. the military agencies) or segments of the general population (e.g. the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu). There is an active Red Crescent Society in the Kingdom, which provides medical emergency services and plays a key role in providing medical assistance during the period of the annual pilgrimage, the Hajj. In his primary role as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd takes a very direct interest in ensuring that healthcare provision during the Hajj meets the highest standards. The Kingdom's universities are also involved in healthcare, not only by providing primary and specialized healthcare for their own staff and students, but through research, training and the implementation of health education programs. A latest report of the Ministry of Health attributes the great development and progress in this sector to the care and attention being given to it by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General. Highlighting Medical Statistics, the report said the total number of government and private hospitals reached 333 up to the year 1423 H with a capacity of 47,393 beds. Out of this, the number of government hospitals accounted for 193 with a capacity of 28,488 beds. "Currently, there are 15,602 doctors, 37,215 nurses and 22,650 paramedics," the report noted. Of all the benefits that have accrued to the citizens of the Kingdom, none is greater than the provision of free healthcare of the highest standard, a provision extended to all those who visit the Kingdom in pilgrimage. The decision to embark on plan of inclusive healthcare provision was taken by King Faisal who initiated a massive hospital building programs. To meet the requirements for the Kingdom's healthcare, it was necessary to complement the hospital building program with an equally ambitious medical training program. Medical training institutes were established at Abha and in the Holy City of Madinah. Training centers were set up in the King Abdul Aziz University in Jiddah and in the King Faisal University and a 760-bed teaching hospital was located in the King Saud University campus outside Riyadh. The Kingdom's healthcare provision has been so successful that it is cited by the World Health Organization as a model for the developing world. In any national health service, the provision of comprehensive and efficient primary healthcare is of crucial importance. By 1988, there were more than 2,000 primary healthcare centers serving the community at local and regional level. By 1989, that figure had risen above 3,000. By 1995, the figure stood at 3,300. By 1999, the figure stood at 3,506. In 2000/2001, there were 324 hospitals in the Kingdom, and the total provision of 46,622 beds. King Faisal Specialist Hospital gave particular emphasis to the development of comprehensive healthcare for the citizens of the Kingdom. The King Faisal Specialist Hospital, outside Riyadh, which provides a range of specialist medical services, is both a testimony and a memorial to the late King's commitment to healthcare for his people. The King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital was opened in 1982. With accommodation for some 260 in-patients, the Hospital has established an enviable reputation in the region as a leader in the treatment of eye conditions. The hospital maintains a full range of specialist departments including optometry, radiology and ultrasonography which are fully exploited for research as well as treatment of patients. King Fahd Medical Center. This 342-bed hospital provides general hospital services for the industrial city of Yanbu and the surrounding region. It has a burns unit and maintains specialist departments for ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), ophthalmic surgery and renal dialysis. King Abdul Aziz General Hospital: Located in Jiddah and completed in 1988, the King Abdul Aziz General Hospital, provides a 440-bed medical facility. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's progress in Agricultural sector was brought about by the wise policy pursued by the state under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. This policy is crafted on the sound base of encouraging and supporting farmers through the soft and interest-free loans, free allocation of farm lands and purchase of some products from farmers at encouraging prices. Although there is scarcity of water in the Kingdom with its wide deserts, but still Saudi Arabia has been able to accomplish a model agricultural development in order to achieve the strategic goals of development in this vital sector, which aims at achieving a balance between water and food security. Production of food grains declined from 4.86 million to 2.592 million during a period from 1994 to 2003 in favor of an increase in production of vegetables and fruits. The area allocated for the production of vegetables now amount to more than 114 hectares while for the fruits the area totals 198 hectares. About 2, 200 million tons of fresh vegetables and 1,333 million tons of fruits were produced last year. In the sphere of poultry and animals, the Kingdom attained last year a figure of 468,000 tons of chickens, 2, 498 million eggs, 333,000 heads of cow, 16,824 million of sheeps and 824,000 camels. Last year, 11,000 fishing boats with a manpower of 25,000 persons were engaged in the field of fisheries. It has long been recognized that the importance of agriculture to the Kingdom extends beyond that of its contribution to national output alone. At the end of the Third Plan period almost half of the Kingdom's population was living in rural areas and a significant proportion of total Saudi employment was in agriculture. Apart from the strategic significance of increasing domestic food production for a growing population, the planned development of agriculture fulfills other important roles. It generates employment both within the sector and in closely related agro-industries. It contributes to the diversification of the economic base and to import substitution, while raising income levels and improving rural living standards for both settled and nomadic communities alike. This has a positive influence on the population balance and helps to prevent population drift to urban centers. A further important aspect of agricultural development in the Kingdom is its role in maintaining the ecological balance through combating desertification. Agricultural development began in earnest in the Kingdom in the 1970s. The Government implemented an integrated program of agricultural development, involving improvement of the infrastructure, mechanization and training. Intensive dairy and meat farming were so successfully introduced that, within a decade, the Kingdom's farmers were providing sufficient quantities of many basic foods to supply the nation's requirements. Development of fishing has not been neglected. Traditional fishing has grown in recent years and there has been a steady growth in the number of fish farms, predominantly along the Red Sea coast. Aquaculture is seen as a major element in the expansion of the Kingdom's fishing industry. As evidence of the Kingdom's commitment, the Government encouraged and participated in the establishment of a joint-stock company, the Saudi Fish Company, with a capital of SR 100 million. This company has succeeded in establishing its own fishing fleet and provides a variety of fish and shrimps both for home consumption and for export. Most remarkable of all, the Kingdom, which had been an importer of wheat, became self-sufficient in 1984 and thereafter an exporter to such countries as China, European Union countries and Russia. The encouragement of large-scale mechanized agriculture was identified in the Third Plan as a priority for investment in the Kingdom's efforts to induce structural change in the economy. The positive investment response from the private sector to a high level of government support exceeded even the high expectations of the Plan. Substantial private sector funds were channeled into agriculture, attracted by profit opportunities which, particularly in wheat production, were almost guaranteed. Many large-scale farms, utilizing the latest technology, machinery and equipment, were established. The output effect of this level of private investment and government support has been one of the Kingdom's major successes. As a result of its awareness of the importance of research and its responsibility for achieving the best results, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water, as it was then, established a number of centers and stations, which through experimentation and economic and analytical studies, aim to employ the most modern means for the development of agricultural and animal resources. Moreover, Saudi cadres are being trained in these centers and stations in order to raise their efficiency and level of qualifications. The results of all such research are being published and distributed among farmers and other relevant institutions in order to share the ensuing benefits. In view of the importance of training human resources for the preparation of technical cadres highly efficient in different agricultural fields, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water, as it was then, established several training centers in numerous agricultural regions, such as Riyadh, al-Qasim, al-Hofuf and Jizan, to train officials from the Ministry and farmers and their children. Also, Ministry officials and some farmers are being sent for training in international centers and universities which are advanced in specialized fields, so that, on their return, they can apply their knowledge in the Kingdom, after adapting it to the agricultural needs and conditions of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies the highest rank among all the states of the world in the production of potable water from the sea. The General Organization of Sea Water Desalination was formed to supervise all desalination projects in the Kingdom. The volume of production capacity of the desalination stations in 1994 (1414/15 AH) had reached 714,218,000 gallons per day, which enabled the Kingdom, after covering the needs of the cities and villages on its eastern and western coasts for potable water, to introduce desalinated sea water into the heart of the Arabian Peninsula for the first time in its history. The volume of production capacity of the desalination stations in 1999 enabled the Kingdom, after covering the potable water needs of the cities and villages on its eastern and western coasts, to introduce desalinated water into the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. It now feeds Riyadh, the capital, with potable water from the Gulf, 500 kilometers away, and feeds the Holy City of Madinah with potable water from the Red Sea 200 kilometers away. Work is being undertaken to transport desalinated water to the Holy City of Makkah, the summer resort of Taif, and the region of Asir in the south of the Kingdom, which has meant that subterranean water can be allocated to agricultural purposes. Desalination now forms part of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Water & Electricity. The Ministry of Agriculture and Water, as it was then, established several large and self-contained projects to extract subterranean water in order to provide the population of the Kingdom in different areas with good quality water. The largest are the water project in the city of Riyadh and the Jiddah water project feeding the city of Jiddah. If the other self-contained water projects covering different town and villages and bedouin centers are included, the Kingdom can now boast that pure water is available to every home in all corners of Saudi Arabia. In order to exploit rain and flood waters as efficiently as possible, the Ministry has concentrated on building several dams in different areas. Before 1975 (1395 AH), there were 16 dams; the number had increased to 190 by 1999 (1419/20 AH). These dams contribute to the increase of subterranean water reserves and the provision of potable water, as well as helping to protect plantations and some villages against the flooding which previously threatened them as a result of sudden torrential rises in the level of water. Among the major dams in the Kingdom is the dam of Wadi Najran with a storage capacity of 85 million cubic meters, the dam of Wadi Jizan with a storage capacity of 75 million cubic meters, the dam of Wadi Fatima on the outskirts of the Holy City of Makkah with a storage capacity of 20 million cubic meters, and the Wadi Bisha dam, the largest dam in the Kingdom and the second largest concrete dam in the Middle East. Amongst the Ministry's projects are the Recycling of Purified Sewage Projects. These projects aim at recycling purified sewage water for agricultural and industrial use. The first project was established in the city of Riyadh and saves about 200,000 cubic meters of purified water per day, water which is transported through pipes to plantations in the regions of al-Dara'is and Dairab, Arga, Al Ammariya and Al Hayer for agricultural purposes. An additional 20,000 cubic meters of such treated water is used for industrial purposes. Similar projects are planned for the cities of al-Qasim and al-Dammam. Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines Dr. Khalid bin Bakr opened here today the company's first Seminar on Efficiency and Quality, organized by SAUDIA under the theme "contemporary applications and future challenges". Addressing the opening ceremony, Bakr said as a result of qualified and efficient performance of the company personnel, SAUDIA scored its third profit in a row, the maintenance department was awarded international certificates of merit, the company airlifted 1,600,000 passenger in July this year and 1,700,000 in August and will be transporting nearly 15 million passengers by the end of the year, the company's record in its history. In a statement to SPA following the seminar, Dr. Bakr expressed happiness for progress achieved by the Saudi Arabian Airlines. He attributed the progress to support provided by Saudi leaders. He disclosed that a study to reduce the prices of some types of air tickets on local trips is being reviewed by SAUDIA Board of Directors. Another study is on purchasing small-size passenger planes for low-cost domestic flights, he added. Civil aviation has grown in parallel with the Kingdom's ambitious development plans. Its advantage over road and rail in terms of speed for users has made it the transportation mode of choice and its contribution to the Kingdom's successful progress cannot be over-estimated. Of its history, Saudi Arabian Airlines makes the following proud claims: The airline has played a vital role in the development of the country. Well before the Kingdom's road network was built, Saudi Arabian Airlines made possible access to the most remote areas of the country, providing a network of transport and communication that was essential for the development of commerce and industry, education, health care and other urban amenities. Internationally, Saudi Arabian Airlines has also played an important role in the Kingdom's development. Within two years of its founding, Saudi Arabian Airlines began operations outside the Kingdom. Within the space of a little more than a decade, it became the region's largest airline. Today, with over 12 million passengers carried each year and an international network linking 50 cities on four continents, Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the world's major airlines and ranks 15th among the 165 member airlines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The Kingdom has three international airports. In 1981 (1401/02 AH), the late King Khalid opened the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jiddah. This airport, which has special facilities for handling the annual influx of pilgrims performing Hajj, has a land area of 105 square kilometers. The King Khalid International Airport was opened in 1983 (1403/04 AH). Located 35 kilometers north of Riyadh, with a land area of 225 square kilometers, the King Khalid International Airport is a masterpiece of modern architecture, blending traditional Arab design with the requirements of efficiency, and incorporating into the whole the essential Islamic character of the Kingdom. It is decorated with the works of many Saudi artists. It has four terminals and, from its inauguration, had the capacity to handle 7.5 million passengers a year. By 2000, its capacity had doubled. The third international airport, the King Fahd International Airport, is at Dhahran. The King Fahd International Airport has an area of 780 square kilometers, making it the largest airport in the Kingdom. There are two parallel runways, each 4,000 meters long. The airport has the capacity to handle 7 million passengers annually. In addition to the construction of these three international airports, domestic airports are being systematically expanded. There are 22 regional and local airports, linking all parts of the Kingdom.