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July 29, 2005 |
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PRINCE SULTAN SLAMS THE RECENT EXPLOSIONS IN LONDON AND THE BLASTS WHICH HIT THE EGYPTIAN CITY OF SHARM-AL-SHEIKH, NOTES THAT THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA ALSO SUFFERED FROM TERRORISM, AND REITERATES THE DETERMINATION OF THE KINGDOM TO PURSUE THE CRIMINALS AND EXTEND ITS SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN COMBATING TERRORISM. THE BRITISH SECRETARY OF DEFENCE EXPRESSES APPRECIATION FOR THE HEARTFELT FEELINGS SPELT OUT BY THE SAUDI OFFICIALS TO CONDOLE THE BRITISH PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE TERROR ACTS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN LONDON. THE SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DONATES SR 2.6 MILLION TO AL NAMAS HOSPITAL AND WORKS CONTINUE IN PRINCE SULTAN PROJECT FOR HEART DISEASES IN AL-IHSA. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, received a message from Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair. The message was delivered to the Crown Prince during his audience with British Secretary of Defense Dr. John Reid and the accompanying delegation. The British Secretary conveyed to the Crown Prince the greetings of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Crown Prince Charles and the Prime Minister. In turn, the Crown Prince sent his greetings to the British leadership. The audience was attended by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; a number of princes; officials and British Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper Coles. British Secretary of Defense Dr. John Reid and his accompanying delegation arrived in Riyadh. They were received at Riyadh Airbase by Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, and a number of officials. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, held here on Saturday evening a meeting with British Defense Secretary John Reid. Speaking on the occasion, Prince Sultan highlighted the existing friendly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Britain, and said they are 'deep-rooted ties.' He lauded the success attained by the recent visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Prince Sultan slammed the recent explosions in London and the blasts which hit Egyptian City of Sharma-al-sheikh last Friday evening. He noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had also suffered from terrorism in the last five years, and reiterated the determination of the Kingdom to pursue criminals as well as extend its support to international cooperation in combating terrorism. On his part, Reid underscored the importance of his visit to Saudi Arabia, and conveyed the greetings of the British Queen, Prince of Wales and Tony Blair to the Saudi officials. He expressed appreciation for the heartfelt feelings spelt out by the Saudi officials to condole the British people following the terror acts which had earlier taken place in Britain. Reid expressed sympathy with the Egyptian people who had also suffered from terrorism. At their meeting, they reviewed a number of regional and international issues as well as military cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Britain. On the Saudi side the meeting was attended by Prince Khaled bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs, Dr Nizar Madani, the Assistant Foreign Minister, and other senior officials. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General received at his palace the British Secretary of Defense Dr. John Reid and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting they exchanged cordial talks and discussed topics of mutual concern. The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs; Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani, Assistant Foreign Minister and Sherard Cowper Coles, the British Ambassador to the Kingdom. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, said he had exchanged information and reviewed with visiting British Defense Secretary John Reid, the existing bilateral relations, notably military cooperation between the two countries. The remarks of Prince Sultan came here on Saturday evening following a dinner party he held in honor of Reid and the accompanying delegation. He described the Saudi-British ties as 'good relations,' and said Britain is aware of the importance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On his part, Reid said his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia embodies the existing strong relations between the two countries. He noted that it would be possible to learn lessons from the strength demonstrated by Saudi Arabia in resisting terrorism. Reid pointed out that no agreements had been concluded with Saudi Arabia, adding that 'in the past years Britain and Saudi Arabia had exchanged not only technology but also expertise as well as engaged in investments'. "In my capacity as a new defense minister, I feel happy when I meet with a defense minister who has a rich experience as well as wisdom, and I am hopeful to benefit from the experience and wisdom of prince Sultan," Reid added. The dinner party hosted by Prince Sultan in honor of Reid and the accompanying delegation was attended by Prince Miteb Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs as well as other princes and senior officials. On the other hand Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior, received British Secretary of Defense Dr. John Reid and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest. The meeting was attended by Prince Mohammed bin Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, and a number of officials. British Secretary of Defense Dr. John Reid and his accompanying delegation left after an official visit to the Kingdom. They were seen off at Riyadh Airbase by Chief of General Staff General Salih bin Ali Al-Mohayya, a number of officials and British Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper Coles. On another scale the Prince Sultan Center for Heart disease and surgery which is under construction in Al-Ihsa with a donation from Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz to the people of the region represents a great step forward in the medical field and especially in the field of heart surgeries. Prince Sultan, second deputy Prime Minister and minister of defense and aviation, laid the foundation stone for a heart specialist center named after him on Shawal 4, 1423H. The center will provide services to the people of Al-Ihsa and is being built within the premises of King Fahd hospital in Al Hofouf. Since the beginning of the project a high commission was appointed by the works and maintenance department of the Armed Forces to go to the region and a workforce was formed by the Ministry of Health to study the area and the best places to implement the project. The decision was taken to implement the project within the premises of King Fahd Hospital in order to serve the area, take advantage of the services provided by the hospital and to make it easier for the patient to benefit from those services. After its completion the centre will provide the highest level of services to patients and is expected to reach international levels. The Ministry of Health is providing the centre with all qualified medical and technical cadres. Al Riyadh newspaper said the centre will co-ordinate with other international centres in Europe and the USA through satellite links. The centre will include a lecture hall linked to those international centres through satellites and would receive patients from Al-Ahasa and surrounding areas. Sources said the centre will receive all cardiological cases and would open the door for cooperation with King Faisal university and the faculty of medicine. On the other hand the citizens in Al Namas governorate expressed their thanks and gratitude to Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General for his donation to the amount of SR Two Million and 650,000 to Al Namas hospital for the completion of the dental clinic and buying equipments. Meantime Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud has agreed on behalf of partners in the Science and Technology college to donate the buildings and housing facilities of the college to the Faculty of Medicine of Taif University. The area of the building is 17,494 m2 and the land is 250,000m2. This was unveiled by the Minister of Higher Education Dr Khalid Al Anqari. On the other hand Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received the Kingdom's Grand Mufti and Chairman of Senior Ulema Commission and Religious Research Department Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh. He also received a delegation of Riyadh Region-based delegation of nationals from Al-Zulfi Governorate who condemned the terrorist acts perpetrated at the internal and external arenas, stressing their support for the leadership and loyalty to the religion, the King and the Homeland. Meanwhile the Prince Sultan Centre for Kidney diseases and implants has witnessed two cases of kidney transplants. The first case was that of Qassim Al Jahly who had a kidney transplant operation where he received a kidney from his wife after suffering from severe problems for 15 years. The second case is that of Fahd Ibn Mohamed Al Salmi who donated his kidney to his wife who suffered from kidney failure for four years. Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has received at his office, Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs & Cooperation Mohamed Bin-Aissa. During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks and reviewed issues of common interest between the two brotherly countries as well as the latest developments at Arab and Islamic arenas. The meeting was attended by Moroccan ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdul Karim Semmar and Minister plenipotentiary at the office of Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohammad Ayat Oa'ali. Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, received Yemeni ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khalid Isma'il Al-Akwa. They reviewed issues of mutual interest. On the other hand, Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz received Chad's ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Taher Guinassou on the occasion of the end of his term of office in the country. Meantime in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, awarded King Abdulaziz Excellent Grade Medal to Pakistani Commander of the Air Forces General Pilot Kaleem Saadat for his efforts in strengthening relations between the Kingdom and Pakistan. The ceremony was attended by Saudi Commander of the Air Forces General Pilot Abdulrahman bin Fahd Al-Faisal. |
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