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December 3, 2004 |
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THE CROWN PRINCE PRAISES THE SAUDI ECONOMY AND THE SUCCESS ACHIEVED IN ALL FIELDS. THE SAUDI COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CALLS UPON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STOP THE BLOODSHED, PUT AN END TO THE ISRAELI AGGRESSION AND STRESSES THAT PROVIDING THE APPROPRIATE SECURITY AND POLITICAL CLIMATE WILL BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF IRAQIS IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz has lauded the success of Umrah season during this year's Ramadan. In response to a report he received from Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior, on this matter, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz lauded the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Interior to make the Umrah season a success. Similar thanking letters were sent from Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the 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, to Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, chaired the cabinet session. At the beginning of the session, Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz talked about a number of local issues concerning the current situation of the homeland and citizens and their prosperous future as well as all that is pertaining to their wellbeing, security and safety. The Cabinet commended the contents of the statement delivered by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz during an audience with princes, ministers, senior officials of the cabinet court, senior officials of the royal court, a group of citizens and commanders of the royal guard. The statement concerned Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz's assertion that the security of the homeland and citizens doesn't get affected by the shameful acts carried out by the deviant group which aims at defaming the reputation of Islam and this generous country, and the Crown Prince's emphasis on the strong unity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its stand against and defeat of terrorist acts by the will of God and the sincere commitment of the people to their faith and homeland. In his statement to Saudi Press Agency, Dr. Fuad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi, the Minister of Culture and Information, said the Crown Prince underlined the strong position of the Saudi economy and its continued achievement of positive results with the continuation of expansion of the private sector activity and the continuation of the improvement and development of the local investment environment. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz noted the "A" rating won by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to the rating issued this week by the international rating agency Fitch and the previous identical rating issued by the international rating agency S&P, and considered this as augmentation of the growth of the national economy and an indication of the balanced evaluation of the realized achievements. The Crown Prince added that the economic policies will be dealt with a responsibility that meets the needs of development. On another local front, the cabinet welcomed what is taking place in the polling stations in the region of Riyadh; this pertains to the enthusiasm with which citizens are registrating for voting to elect their candidates and their precincts' representatives in the municipal councils. This step will help develop services provided by municipalities to citizens and communities. The Crown Prince also lauded the good efforts exerted by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, represented by the General Census Authority, for having compiled the initial results of the general census of population and homes. The results have shown that the total population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the day of the census amounted to 22,673,583 people. On the Arab front, the Minister of Culture and Information said the cabinet reviewed the continued events at the Iraqi and Palestinian arenas which claimed innocent victims of women, children and elderly, and called for taking an international position to stop bloodshed and for working to restore security, stability and peace. On the Iraqi issue, the cabinet noted the Sharm Al-Sheikh conference concerning the present situation in Iraq and its future. The cabinet stressed that providing appropriate security and political climate boosts the confidence of Iraqis in the political system and encourages them to participate in the general elections. Resorting to force to subdue elements apposed to the current political regime in Iraq will only lead to increased dissension and deepen differences among Iraqi groups, the Cabinet said. On the Palestinian front, the cabinet underlined Israeli forces' daily flagrant aggression against the Palestinian people, calling on the international community to put an end to this aggression and to support the resumption of the peace process between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to reach a comprehensive peace and security in the region. The cabinet also wished the Palestinian leadership success to work for the best interest of the Palestinian people. Dr Abdul Salam Al-Farsi said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions: The Cabinet approved that the ownership of movable assets and immovable properties could be transferred to the Saudi Commission for Industrial Cities and Technological Areas from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry while government facilities in industrial cities remain owned by the government if the services provided at these facilities are carried out by any governmental body. The Cooperative Health Insurance Council was re-formed for three years as follows: The Minister of Health as Chairman. The council's members are: 1. Dr. Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdullah Al Mo'ammar, representative of the Ministry of Interior; Dr. Mansour Ibn Nassir Al Hawasi, representative of the Ministry of Health; Sami Ibn Abdullah Al Mubarak, representative of the Ministry of labor; Ali Ibn Mohammed Al Ghaith, representative of the Ministry of Finance; Mansour Ibn Sulaiman Al Sulaiman, representative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Rabee'a and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at King Saud University, representatives of the Health Sector; Nassir Ibn Sultan Al Subaie'e, representative of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Musa Ibn Abdul Kareem Al Ribaian, representative of Cooperative Insurance Companies; and Dr. Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al-Isa, representative of the private Health Sector. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Saad Ibn Abdul Rahman Ibn Fahd Al Homoodi as Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs for Technical Affairs; and Khalid Ibn Abdul Kareem Ibn Ahmed Al Suwailem as Consultant for lands Affairs at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. On the other hand Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, toured the Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz Center for Conferences. He was briefed on contents of the projects. Meanwhile in London Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Naimi said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is considered the major economic force in the region as its economy was rated as the world's 25th. In a key address at the Oil, Economic Change, and Business Sector in the Middle East conference, organized by the Royal Institute for International Affairs in London, Al-Naimi said the Saudi economy represents fifth of the domestic product of the entire Middle East, including Turkey. Accordingly, the Kingdom has won investors confidence over the last five years, he said, adding that the Saudi economy is making great strides in the gross domestic product amounting to seven percent this year and a dramatic increase in the stocks market, three times double the prices and size of transactions of the last two years. The Saudi stocks market now tolled to the 11th rank internationally in terms of the value of circulated bonds, Al-Naimi said, adding that non-oil Saudi exports soured by 25% compared with last year. He attributed the current invigoration of the Saudi economy to two important factors: Firstly: increase of oil prices and increase of Saudi oil production this year and last year. Secondly: the Economic reforms launched by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard five years ago. He said these reforms were implemented in a climate of efficiency and transparency together with reduction of government restrictions and provision of increasing opportunities for foreign investment. The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources gave a summery of some projects carried out in the field of oil and minerals in the Kingdom, citing the privatization of natural gas feed-stock for 24 new projects in which a total 30 billion U.S. dollars was invested. They are projected to yield 20 million metric tons of petrochemicals annually, 3600 megawatts of power, 250 million gallons of desalinated water daily, and 2.6. million tons of iron, he said, noting that these projects are expected to operate from 2006 -2010. He said the Kingdom's production of petrochemicals is also expected to amount to about 70 million metric tons in 2010. On gas foreign investments, Al-Naimi said the government has restructured the sector of investment to encourage the flow of foreign capital into the Kingdom. Within this plan, the authorities issued gas supplies and pricing system, the minister said, adding that also a special system for taxes for investors in the natural gas sector was issued. He described the tax system as offering investors profitable revenues and the Kingdom a fair income. Accordingly, four concessions were granted to international companies which have already started their excavation operations, he said. The Minister expressed belief that opening the door before international investments in the field of exploration for natural gas would lead to increasing expansions in the petrochemicals industry in the Kingdom. He noted that natural gas total capacity has soared in the recent years to 7.5 billion cubic feet per day. By 2025, the Kingdom will have to produce from 12 to 14 billion c/f of gas daily to meet the domestic need, Al-Naimi said. Pointing out to the recent gas discoveries in Al-Qateef and Abu-Saafa with a production capacity of 800,000 barrels per day, the minister said the Kingdom's production capacity of gas increased to 11 million b/d. Recently, we have forged a plan to increase the maximum production capacity of the Kingdom gradually to 12.5 million b/d. He declared that this plan reflects our expectation that demand for Saudi oil will continue over the coming years and at the same time reflects our desire to maintain a surplus production capacity of at least 1.5 million barrels per day to meet crisis times like what happened last year. In the long term, the Kingdom is also planning to increase its production capacity to 15 million barrels per day according to the demand of the world consumption. The minister unveiled a plan to transform Rabigh refinery into a comprehensive complex for oil refining and chemical industry and said Saudi Arabia welcomes investment in oil refining. The minister said Saudi mining sector will grow 8-10 percent annually. The minister said that early next year will witness the opening of bids for construction of a rail road linking the farthest point in the north of Saudi Arabia with the region of the Gulf passing by the city of Riyadh with a total length of 1500 kilometers and with a total cost of 1.5 billion dollars. The minister expected that at the end of this decade, Saudi Arabia will be one of the pioneering countries in the production of fertilizers and aluminum. The minister talked about achievements of Saudi Aramco and progress in the field of investment and development of gas in the kingdom. The minister stressed the importance of diversification of the Saudi economy which is characterized by expansion and dynamism. The Oil, Economic Change and the Business Sector in the Middle East seminar was held at Chatham House, London on the 29th November 2004 - 30th November 2004. It was sponsored by the UK Trade and Investment and Shell and supported by BBC Monitoring, the Middle East Economic Survey, Caspian Investor, Iraq Reconstruction Report, The Middle East Association, the Middle East Monitor and the Centre for Global Energy Studies. Key speakers included Engineer Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Ali Alabbar, Director General, Department of Economic Development, Dubai and Chairman, Emaar Properties, Abdul Latif Y. Al-Hamad, Director General/Chairman of the Board of Directors, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. In spite of their great oil wealth, the Middle East's oil exporting countries are under ever-increasing demographic and budgetary pressure to generate economic growth and improve their long-term prospects. As part of this shift, the national oil companies are being called upon to drive development and are modernizing the ways in which they operate. Faced with this, international oil companies and service companies operating in the region must react and renegotiate their dealings with the national oil companies and governments. Participants at this event had a unique opportunity to examine and discuss: The reforms, plans and expectations of Middle Eastern governments and national oil companies, the strategies of international oil companies managing their relationships and securing business dealings in the Middle East, the geopolitical perspective of how modernization will affect the Middle East's role on the international scene, how reforms of the national infrastructures, including the legal systems, will affect the region's business environment. In Jordan the Second International Conference on "the Protection of Islamic Sanctities in Palestine" started in the Jordanian capital. Delegations from several Arab and Muslim countries participated in the conference. Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Tuwaijri, the Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) said that the opening session will discuss reports on the Islamic Sanctities in Palestine in the light of Jewish threats and aggressive acts. He affirmed the importance of enhancing the role of international, regional and national organizations in this field. The conference on Islam and Muslims in the 21st century, attended by delegations of a number of Muslim and Arab countries, began its deliberations in Jordan. The participants of the 3-day conference reviewed challenges and problems facing the Muslim nation in the contemporary time as well as means for correcting wrong concepts and ideas about Arabs and Muslims in the western world. The Islamic conference with the participation of representatives of 22 Arab and Muslim countries, began its deliberations. The Saudi delegation to the conference is led by Sheikh Salih Al Alsheikh, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance. The participants of the 3-day conference reviewed means for refuting biased campaigns launched against Islam and Muslim, and projecting Islam as the religion of tolerance and fraternity. The Director General of Islamic, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Dr. Abdul Aziz Ibn Othman Al-Tuwaijeri stressed that the painful situations of Arab and Islamic nations necessitate that all political leaders and scientific, cultural and intellectual elite people correct the track of the nations and their situations and assess the experience witnessed by the Muslim world in the 20th century. Addressing the conference entitled ''Islam and Muslims in 21st Century'' inaugurated here today, he called for renewal of structures in all fields on stronger bases to found a civilization renaissance suitable for these nations. Dr. Al-Tuwaijeri also called for an end to the foreign occupation of Iraq. Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance Sheikh Salih bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh delivered a speech at the opening of the Islamic International Conference calling for moderation. In the speech, the minister underscored the need for sermons delivered by Muslim scholars to be moderate according to the teachings of the Holy Quran. He also urged those calling for Islam to follow the course of moderation and avoid extremism. A senior Saudi Official affirmed that the style of carrying out the Islamic call is always flexible and liable for change and development. In an address at an international Islamic conference for Islamic call and guidance, held in Amman, Under Secretary of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance for Mosques and Islamic Call Affairs Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Ammar said the Islamic call should aim at deepening belief in Allah - the Almighty, his angles, messengers, the hereafter, and ordains of Allah in line with the Holy Quran and Sunnah (the Prophet's teachings). Al-Ammar noted that Islam is the religion of tolerance and positive dialogue, and its teachings run counter to extremism and fanaticism. 'Islam is the religion of moderation', he noted. Al-Ammar underscored the importance of benefiting from the modern media in clarifying the contents and principles of Islam. |
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