April 8, 2005

PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ PATRONIZES THE HONORING CEREMONY FOR RETIRED SERVICEMEN. THE SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TO RETIRED OFFICERS: YOU EXCELLED IN YOUR SERVICES AND THE FUTURE IS WIDE OPENED. PRINCE SULTAN DONATES SR10 MILLION TO THE RETIREES FUND. THE SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OPENS THE NEW ROYAL HALL AT KING KHALID MILITARY AIRPORT. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General patronized an honoring ceremony for the retired servicemen of the armed forces. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Sultan was received by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs and General Salih Ibn Ali Al-Muhayya, Chief of General Staff. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. General Salih Ibn Ali Al-Muhayya, Chief of General Staff offered Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz his condolences for the death of Prince Musaed Ibn Ahmad Al-Sudeiri, and thanked Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz for patronizing the event, praising the services offered by the government under the leadership 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. The speech of the retired officers was then delivered on their behalf by General Abdul aziz Ibn Mohammed Henedi who welcomed Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz and praised his services to the Armed Forces with all its branches. General Abdul aziz Ibn Mohammed Henedi pointed out to the efforts exerted by the government in education, training and encouragement, stressing that the retired were honoured to serve their religion, king and country. General Abdul aziz Ibn Mohammed Henedi praised the efforts of the country in combating terrorism and the success achieved by the International Conference on Combating Terrorism. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General then delivered an extemporaneous speech in which he praised the retired officers saying he is not calling them retired but combatants. The Second Deputy Prime Minister said you excelled in your services and the future is wide opened for you. Prince Sultan noted the services offered by the officers to their religion, King and government adding that retiring does not mean loosing your identity but concentrating on other areas of services in the community and in other humanitarian fields. In his speech Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz stressed the importance of exerting efforts for the improvement of the charitable fund for the retired, and announced the donation of SR 10 million to Retirees Fund, which he called Charitable Fund for Charitable Deed. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz then honoured the retired officers and presented them with certificates of merits and shields. Prince Sultan also graced a luncheon held on this occasion. The ceremony was attended by Staff General Sultan Ibn Adei Al Mutairy, the Secretary General of military service General Nasser al Arfaj and the Director General of the General Organization for Military Industry General Mohammed Al-Fahd Al-Faisal and a number of military officials. On another scale Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General arrived last Tuesday at King Khalid military airport in Hafr Al-Baten in the northern region. The Second Deputy Prime Minister was received by Prince Mohammed Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of the region and a number of princes. He was also received by the commander of the northern region Satff Major General Aboud Ibn Nafie Al Harbi, high ranking officers and the governor of Hafr Al Baten Mutlak Abou Ethnen as well as a number of officials. Upon arrival the Second Deputy Prime Minister opened the new royal hall at King Khalid military airport in Hafr Al-Baten. Prince Sultan was received by the director of the project Major Gneral Saal Al Rumaih. He was welcomed by officers at the base then Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz unveiled the memorial plaque and cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the project. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General had left Riyadh and was seen off by Prince Fahd Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Assistant Minister of Defence and Aviation for Civil Aviation Affairs, Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defence and Aviation for military affairs and Prince Turki Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information and a number of princes. Prince Sultan was also seen off by General Salih Ibn Ali Al-Muhayya, Chief of General Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff General Sultan Ibn Adei Al Mutairy, the Secretary General of the Military Council, the Director General of the General Organization for Military Industries, commanders of the different branches of the army and a number of high ranking officers. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General held a dinner in honour of the people of Hafr Al Baten at the royal hall in King Khalid military city in the northern region. The party was attended by Bandar Ibn Mohammed, Prince Mohammed Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and a number of princes. A number of high ranking officers and officials attended the function amongst whom the commander of the northern region Satff Major General Aboud Ibn Nafie Al Harbi, high ranking officers and the governor of Hafr Al Baten Mutlak Abou Ethnen. On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, performed at Imam Turki Ibn Abdullah Mosque funeral prayers for Prince Musaed Ibn Ahmad Al-Sudeiri, the Uncle of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, who passed away last Monday. A number of princes and senior officials also performed funeral prayers for the deceased. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz , the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation, Inspector General and the Head of the Saudi Side at the Saudi-Yemeni Coordination Council, sent a message to Yemeni Prime Minister Abdul Qader Bajamal. The message was delivered by Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Qahtani during a meeting with Bajamal in Sana'a. On the other hand Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General had received at his office in the Ministry General John Abizaid Commander of the Central American Defence. During the meeting they discussed issued of mutual interest.