October 7, 2005

IN BRIEF ***** Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has sent a cable of congratulations to President Emadou Tomani Tory of the Republic of Mali on the occasion of his country's national day. In his own name and on behalf of the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the President continuous health and happiness and the people of Mali steady progress and prosperity. King Abdullah also lauded the good relations binding the two countries and peoples. ********** The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has issued a royal decree to appoint Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Rahamn Al Abdullah as chairman of the investigations and general prosecution organization. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has also issued his directives to promote 916 officers of different ranks at the various military sectors. ********** Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting. During the meeting, issues of common interest were discussed. The meeting was attended by a number of princes and senior officials. ********** Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has approved a number of decisions taken by the High Education Council, Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Al Anqari told Saudi Press Agency. The minister explained that among the decision approved by the king was the council's decision to establish a number of colleges in some areas of the kingdom. ********** The Council of Ministers approved the new labor law that allows women to work in all fields that suit their nature and raises the rate of Saudization of jobs in companies to 75 percent. The new labor law, which has been endorsed by the Shoura Council, insisted that the number of Saudis working in a company should be at least 75 percent. The law, however, allows the labor minister to reduce this rate temporarily if there is a shortage of qualified hands required by companies. The law emphasizes payment of end of service benefits (ESBs) to employees and gave details of how ESBs are calculated, Madani said. Commission and bonus will be added to the basic salary while calculating ESBs. "Women will be entitled to have maternity leave of four weeks before and six weeks after childbirth," the Minister of Culture and Information said explaining the new law's salient features. "An employer providing jobs to 50 women or more must arrange for babysitters to take care of their children aged below six," the new law said. The law instructs the Labor Ministry to establish employment offices, which will provide free service to jobseekers and employers. These offices will register the names of Saudis of working age. Employers have been instructed to inform the offices about job vacancies, types of jobs and conditions and salaries. Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi said the new law, which replaces the one issued 37 years ago, took into account national and international developments and changes and realized the interests of all parties on the job market. He said his ministry drafted the new law in coordination with other government agencies and the private sector. It has also taken into consideration Arab and international labor agreements. The law, which has 245 articles and 16 chapters, protects the rights of workers and ensures a balanced relationship between employers and employees. It also goes along with the international agreements signed by the Kingdom and principles of the World Trade Organization. Gosaibi said the new law covered certain categories of workers for the first time including mine workers. It contained special rules for house servants and those in the same category. "The law emphasizes employment of Saudis and urges employers to provide them with suitable working atmosphere," he said. The law calls for strict measures against free and surplus workers, who do not work for any particular company or individual. It protects the rights of both employers and employees at the time of ending work contract. It has put the probation period at 90 days which could be extended for a similar period for certain job categories. This gives a worker a second chance to prove his skills, Gosaibi said. It raised the percentage of handicapped workers to be employed in a company from two to four percent of the total work force, Gosaibi said, adding this applies to companies having 25 workers (instead of 50 in the previous law). The new law has put retirement age for men at 60 and women at 55 unless both sides agreed to an extension. It also allows early retirement for the first time. The law increased the entitled leave of a worker from 15 to 21 days annually, which will be raised to 30 days if he worked continuously with the same employer for five years. It also allows a worker, who has joined an educational institution to have leave with full pay to write exams. It allows workers to have leave without pay with the approval of the employer. Referring to benefits received by women, Gosaibi said a woman employee would get 15 days leave with full pay in case of her husband's death. Women will also get full ESBs, except in certain cases mentioned in the law. According to the new law, fines imposed for any violations would go to the Manpower Development Fund for training Saudis, Gosaibi said, adding that the amounts of fine have been increased to serve as a deterrent. The supreme commission for settling labor disputes will have several benches to speed up settlement of labor disputes. The Cabinet also approved measures to regulate licensing of real estate shares. In accordance with the new law, real estate firms must get the approval of the Commerce and Industry Ministry to float their shares for public subscription. The land for which shares are invited must be owned by the company with a valid deed and the company or individual offering the shares should have at least 20 percent stake in the property. ********** Turki Ibn Khaled Al-Sudairi, who previously worked as a state minister and Cabinet member for eight years, has been appointed chairman of the Human Rights Commission, an independent rights watchdog recently set up by the government. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah made the appointment by royal decree, the Saudi Press Agency said, adding that Sudairi would have the rank of a minister. The Cabinet approved the new human rights commission, which will be under the supervision of the prime minister (the king) on Sept. 12, 2005. The body is directed to "protect human rights and create awareness about them ... in keeping with the provisions of Islamic law," SPA said. The commission's board will include at least 18 full-time members and six part-time members, SPA added. The king will name the board members for a four-year renewable term. ********** Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz held a meeting with President Omar Hasan Al-Basheer of Sudan. During the meeting, several issues relating to the current events and developments were discussed especially the Palestinian cause and the situation in Iraq. Also, they discussed ways of bilateral cooperation. The meeting was attended by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector general, a number of princes and Sudanese officials. ********** Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz chaired the weekly session of the Council of Ministers. At the beginning of the session, the King talked about the implications of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the national day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During the national day, the kingdom recalls the epic of unity carried out by the late King Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud and his men. This unity is the basis for the kingdom's strength, stability and blesses topped by the bless of Islam, defending it and serving its holy places, the King said. The King explained that since its foundation, the Kingdom followed a clear course of adhering to Islam and to a commitment to the advancement of citizens and homeland development. In its foreign policy, the Kingdom followed a balanced policy based on Islamic teachings, non-interference in others' affairs, boosting stability of world economy and support for just causes of the Arab world and Islamic nation, a policy by means of which the Kingdom has earned the respect and admiration of the international community, the king added. The King said that on this dear national occasion, opportunity is renewed for the followers of the deviant group to reconsider and immediately surrender themselves to the security authorities and return to the right path. In his statement to Saudi Press Agency, the Minister of Culture and Information Mr. Iyad Ibn Ameen Madani said the council discussed Saudi participation in the senior meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in its 60th session. The King expressed appreciation for the efforts of Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, who led the Saudi delegation to that summit and on behalf of the King delivered a comprehensive speech that included Saudi rejection and denunciation of terrorism, support for sustainable development and efforts of development in developing countries and enhancement of security and peace in the world. The King pointed to the Saudi proposal of a draft resolution by the General Assembly calling for the formation of a task force to study recommendations by the International Anti-Terrorism Conference which was held in Riyadh in February, including the establishment of an international center for fighting terrorism. The king urged all member states of the world body, especially the major countries, to objectively work to develop regulations and institutions of the United Nations that reflect the reality of the world at the current stage. The minister added that the King then briefed the council on the talks he held with the Turkish Prime Minister and other visitors of the Kingdom last week. The minister stated that the council then listened to a report on developments in the occupied Palestinian lands and events in Iraq and deplored the bombings that took place in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. ********** Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz signed an agreement on behalf of Saudi Arabia pledging over SR 56 million [U.S. $15.2 million] to the Palestinian people for a number of educational programs under the supervision of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The programs include covering the tuition fees of university and society college students and scholarships for 30 students outside Palestine. Saudi Arabia has provided all kinds of support for the Palestinian people through more than 36 relief programs and humanitarian projects at a total cost of over SR 728 million [U.S. $194 million]. The projects include food and health programs, such as building hospitals, purchasing medicine and medical equipment, combating disease and treating the injured in Saudi hospitals, as well as the distribution of food baskets, blankets and clothes. In addition, Saudi-sponsored housing programs include repairing 2,545 houses and building 600 residential units in the West Bank and Gaza. ********** Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his office at the Royal Court at Al Salam palace in Jeddah a number of ambassadors of sisterly and friendly countries accredited to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah received the papers of credence of each of the ambassador of Austria, Gabon, Norway, Bangladesh, Guinea, Iran, Australia, Greece, Malta, Finland, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Spain, Kingdom of Malaysia, Kingdom of Nepal, Sultanate of Brunei, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Chad. The monarch welcomed the ambassadors, wishing them good stay in the Kingdom. He assured them that they will be accorded hospitality and cooperation by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and people to help them achieve their missions, wishing them every success. During the meetings, each ambassador conveyed the greetings of his country's leadership to the monarch who, in turn, sent his greetings to them. On their behalf, the ambassadors expressed thanks to the king for the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to them since their arrival. The audiences were attended by Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General; Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister; and senior protocol officials. ********** Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at his office in Jeddah the Ambassador of Algeria to the Kingdom Abdul Kareem Ghareeb who bade him farewell upon the end of his assignment in the Kingdom. During the meeting, Ghareeb conveyed the greetings of his country's leadership to the monarch who, in turn, sent his greetings to them. The audience was attended by Prince Dr. Faisal Ibn Mishaal Ibn Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz. ********** Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, received at his office in Jeddah the Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom Armando Singueni who bade him farewell upon the end of his assignment in the Kingdom. During the meetings, they exchanged cordial talks and discussed a number of issues of mutual concern. ********** Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz Governor of Riyadh region inaugurated the second charitable housing project in Badeea, comprising 124 housing units. He commended the spirit displayed by Saudis in philanthropic activities. "We have so far received donations worth SR250 million for the charitable housing project," the governor told the opening ceremony, adding that the second housing project was implemented at a total cost of SR32 million. He also spoke about an SR100 million endowment scheme that would generate revenues for the operation and management of charitable projects. "All these projects should have an endowment to ensure their continuity," he stated. A 10,000-square meter plot of land on King Fahd Road in Riyadh has been bought for the endowment project. Prince Salman expressed his happiness over the generous support by affluent Saudis toward their less fortunate compatriots. "As I have said before, every Saudi will be ready to pay his or her Zakah and Sadaqat once they learn that their money benefits the deserving," the governor told the gathering, which included a large number of businessmen and philanthropists. Prince Salman earlier toured the housing units after unveiling the commemorative plaque. He also opened a social activities center at the complex. More housing projects will be opened under the scheme in the coming years. ********** In Paris at the opening of his private plastic arts exhibition at the Arab Institute in Paris, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Assir Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Arab Though Foundation, briefed a press conference here last night on the establishment of the ATF and his current cultural visit to France. Speaking to the gathering which assembled at the Arab Press Club to hear him, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal disclosed that Abha, the capital of his governorate of Assir, hosts Arab World's first plastic arts village. He briefed his listeners on his early interest in cultural activities in general, and plastic arts and poetry in particular. A poet and plastic artist since he was student, Prince Khalid was assigned as Head of the Youth Welfare during the era of late King Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz. Prince Khalid cast light on the cultural activity of King Faisal Charity Foundation. He disclosed that the foundation is planning to establish Al-Faisal University in Riyadh. He said the Arab Thought Foundation, Prince Khalid's own initiative several years ago, is a combination between intellectuals and businessmen who support cultural activity or between thought and money as he put it. He said the foundation is a platform for free thought and constructive criticism. It doesn't belong to any government of political party or nationality, he added. The foundation's former annual conferences were held in Cairo, Beirut, Marrakech and the coming one will be held in Dubai, he reported. In response to a question, he said he held private plastic arts exhibitions in London, Washington, Beirut, Germany and Portugal. ********** The Saudi Minister of Justice Dr Abdullah Ibn Mohamed Al Al-Sheikh said the Saudi Arbitration system has been modified in a way to serve the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the World Trade Organization. The Minister announce the establishment of a National Center for Commercial Arbitration. ********** Under the auspices of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak the Kuwaiti people celebrated the life and stands of the late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. In a symposium commemorating King Fahd more than twenty participants spoke of his stands by the Kuwaiti people and government especially during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. ********** Fifteen ambulance cars were handed to Sri Lanka's Prime Minister as part of Saudi aid to countries affected by the tsunami that hit south Asian countries recently. The total value of these cars reached half a million US dollars. ********** France announced that it will discuss demands which will be presented by the Lebanese government for cooperation. The spokesperson of the French Foreign Ministry said France will provide help to the Lebanese government but did specify what kind of support will be offered. ********** A suicide bomber attacked Iraqis applying for jobs as policemen, killing nine and wounding 21. The suicide attack occurred in Baqouba, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Baghdad, where the Iraqis were submitting applications to join Iraq's Quick Reaction Police Force, said the police commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns about his security. The blast, set off by explosives hidden under the insurgent's clothing, occurred inside a police building where the applications were being filled out and accepted, the Associated Press quoted the commander as saying. Adhid Mita'ab, an official in Baqouba General Hospital, where the casualties were rushed, said nine Iraqis were killed and 21 wounded. The commander confirmed those figures. That raised to at least 61 the number of people killed in the past three days in Iraq, less than a month before a national referendum on Iraq's draft constitution. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited Baghdad to review the alliance's training mission for the Iraqi military. The unannounced visit was de Hoop Scheffer's second trip to Iraq. He was accompanied by the alliance's supreme commander for operations, U.S. Gen. James L. Jones. NATO has for more than a year been training a small group of senior Iraqi military officers and is planning to expand that mission to include a staff academy to train the higher ranks of the Iraq's armed forces. In Washington, U.S. defense officials said that Abu Azzam, a leading deputy to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq, was killed this weekend. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the information. The U.S. network CBS News, quoting Pentagon officials, reported that American forces killed Azzam in a house raid in Baghdad. ********** The GCC Foreign Ministers held in New York a meeting with their counterparts in the countries of the European Union on the fringes of the 60th session of the UN's General Assembly. The meeting was co-chaired by Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. They reviewed issues of mutual interest including GCC-European relations. The Foreign Ministers of member states of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held separate meetings with their Pakistani and Chinese counterparts Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and Li Zhaoxing respectively, on the fringes of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly. The GCC Foreign Ministers were led at the meetings by Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa. During the meetings, they discussed with the Pakistani and Chinese Foreign Ministers, a number of issues of mutual interest. Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Riyadh-based Gulf Cooperation Council met in New York last night with their counterparts in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the fringes of the 60th General Assembly of the United Nations. The GCC side was chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, who is chairman of the current GCC ministerial council. Abdul Rahman Ibn Hamad Al Atiyyah, Secretary General of the GCC, also took part in the meeting which was chaired on the side of ASEAN by Philippines Foreign Minister Dr. Alberto Romilo. The two sides discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between the two regional blocs and discussed the situation in Iraq and Middle East, terrorism and reforms of the United Nations. ********** The European Commission the EU's main executive arm presented new proposals to reinforce the protection of personal data and and allow more effective police and judicial cooperation between the bloc's 25 member states. Stricter rules on confidentiality and security of data processing, judicial remedies, liability and sanctions are key aspects of the proposals, the Commission said. Existing EU data protection rules do not apply to material exchanged between member state police in criminal cases. "It is obvious that organised crime and terrorism are internationally operating and that they can only be effectively tackled by strong police and judicial cooperation between EU Member States, and, increasingly, between the EU and third countries," said justice and security commissioner Franco Frattini. "Such cooperation necessarily implies the exchange of personal data, indeed such exchange often proves vital in criminal investigations. However as this exchange of data has an impact on the personal data of many citizens it is necessary to ensure that these data are processed thoroughly and carefully," he continued. "Fundamental principles regarding data quality and the legitimacy of data processing have to be respected," he stressed. Under the proposals, data will only be given to non-EU countries if they have adequate data protection. The proposed safeguards are move to reassure people over a separate proposal the Commission made in September to store details of all mobile and fixed telephone calls for one year, and all Internet data for six months to combat terrorism and other serious crime. The safeguards are being proposed in a "framework decision" that will need member state approval. ********** President Mubarak discussed with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad the latest developments on the Arab arena, especially in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. Egypt expressed its categorical rejection of attempts to isolate Syria or to level any charges against it regarding the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, before completing the independent international investigation. Egypt also urged Syria to cooperate in good faith with the International Investigation Committee. The two leaders held tête-à-tête session following the arrival of the Syrian leader, who was welcomed by President Mubarak at Cairo Airport. Presidential Spokesman Ambassador Suleiman Awwad said that Egypt's stance favours appreciation of Syrian cooperation with the International Committee investigating the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, and rejects making accusation against Syria before the international inquest is over and the report drawn up neutral, objective and independent as expected. He said that there are underway efforts to avoid isolating Syria and to encourage it to cooperate in good faith with the international interrogator. The Presidential spokesman said that he does not prefer to speak about initiatives or mediation regarding the current Syrian stance but rather to speak about sustained efforts by President Mubarak for securing Syria's cooperation with the international investigation committee. He said that Egypt cooperates with all parties including Saudi Arabia on a permanent basis adding that Egypt was interested in bringing the Syrian Lebanese relations back to normal. "We are living in unstable region which is already witnessing points of tension and we are not in need of adding other points as the situation is dangerous and complicated," the Presidential spokesman said adding that Syria's stability is part of the stability of the region. ********** The mother of a slain soldier in Iraq who held a vigil outside President Bush's ranch last month was arrested along with hundreds of other anti-war protestors. Cindy Sheehan attracted attention all around the world last month when she spent 26 days camped out across the street from President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, demanding that he speak individually with her about the war. Sheehan's 24-year old son, Casey, was killed last year in an ambush while he served in Iraq, and rather than honor her son's sacrifice, she chose to use his death to make a public spectacle of her grief. Her public protest quickly catapulted her to the status of a leader of the anti-war movement. A massive demonstration took place in the capital where a crowd of over 100,000 people met to protest the war. The gathering was the largest to take place since the beginning of the war over two years ago, and it was followed by an opposing rally in support of the war. The 48-year old Sheehan and hundreds of other protestors were arrested outside the White House when they refused to move away from the gate to the executive mansion. Sheehan, carrying a photo of her son, rallied with other protestors in a park across the street from the White House. The crowd marched across the street to the front gate and demanded that President Bush come out to meet with them. When their demands were met with silence, the protestors sat down on the pedestrian walkway and began to sing and chant, "Stop the war now!" Police warned the group three times that they must move or else they would be arrested, but the protestors ignored the warnings and continued to break the law. One man even began climbing over the fence, but he was subdued quickly by Secret Service agents, and then police began arresting other protestors, many of whom said they were proud and honored to be arrested for supporting their cause, which was part of a broad anti-war effort organized by United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said that President Bush is "very much aware" of the protestors and "recognizes that there are differences of opinion" about the war in Iraq. "It's the right of the American people to peacefully express their views. And that's what you're seeing here in Washington, D.C.," McClellan said. "They're well-intentioned, but the president strongly believes that withdrawingwould make us less safe, and make the world more dangerous." The first protestor to be arrested, Cindy Sheehan seems proud that her illegal behavior may make the world more dangerous, because she smiled broadly as she was carried to the curb. She stood up to walk to a waiting police car while her fellow protestors changed loudly, "The whole world is watching." ********** MP Saad Rafic Hariri held an "excellent" meeting with United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in New York, and said world leaders and senior officials that he met in recent days have expressed a desire to support Lebanon but stressed that the Lebanese must also help themselves by taking "hard decisions." The Head of the Future bloc in Parliament met the US Secretary of State at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Their discussions focused on developments in Lebanon. Mr. Saad said the talks were "very good" and made it clear that he is New York, where world leaders have been attending the World Summit and the UN General Assembly's 60th session, to bolster backing for Lebanon and protect the country. He told reporters that revealing the identity of the perpetrators behind the February 14 bombing attack will deter others from carrying out similar crimes and assassinations, which have plagued Lebanon's history. He pointed out that no one had been held accountable before for such attacks. Asked if there are any moves to "isolate the presidency," Mr. Saad said "we are isolated internationally now," adding there are "certain matters" that the international community will not accept, so the Lebanese will have to take the hard decisions. Mr. Saad was speaking to journalists after meeting Prime Minister Siniora, who was in New York for an international meeting that aims at supporting Lebanon's economy. **********