November 11, 2005

CROWN PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ CONVEYS EID GREETINGS TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES IN THE NORTHERN REGION. THE CROWN PRINCE: THE MONARCH IS DEEPLY AND PERSONALLY INTERESTED IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE ARMED FORCES. THE ARMED FORCES WOULD SOON WITNESS NEW DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT. THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO STRENGTHEN THE ARMED FORCES BY PROVIDING THEM WITH ADVANCED TRAINING AND WEAPONRY. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, laid the foundation stones for development projects worth more than SR400 million in his visit to Tabuk region to convey the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud to the armed forces personnel in the north western region and people of Tabuk region on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Sultan Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, said the projects include King Fahd Specialist Hospital in the city of Tabuk at a cost of SR170 million for phase one; the College of Technology in the city of Tabuk at a cost of more than SR67 million; Girls High Technological Institute at a cost of More than SR82 million; Vocational Training Center at a cost of SR40 million; and the development of Tabuk regional airport. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, patronized the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new expansion of Tabuk regional airport. Upon arrival, Crown Prince Sultan unveiled the project's plaque and laid the foundation stone of the expansion works. Using a replica, engineers and officials briefed the crown prince on the contents of the 12,000 sq. m. area project. The occasion was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, ministers and a number of senior civil and military officials. Abdullah Ruhaimy, chairman of the Civil Aviation Corporation, briefed the crown prince on the project, which is designed to accommodate the growing number of passengers in the region. The project will increase the airport's present area of 33,779 square meters by 12,000 square meters, Ruhaimy said, adding that the airport would have new arrival and departure lounges and jet bridges to link the passengers from the gate to the plane. He described Tabuk airport as the fourth largest regional airport in the Kingdom and put the annual growth rate of its passengers at 4.5 percent. The airport currently serves 60 domestic flights daily. The expansion work includes establishment of new runways, aircraft parking facilities, maintenance workshops, control tower, cargo service building, an electricity plant and parking for 900 vehicles. "There will be additional parking facilities for two large aircraft and three medium aircraft," he said. There are 27 domestic and three international airports in the Kingdom, which were constructed at a total cost of more than SR50 billion. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam is the largest. The Civil Aviation Corporation has already launched a $1.5 billion expansion for Jeddah's King Abdul Aziz International Airport designed to accommodate the world's largest aircraft, including A380s and will increase the airport's annual capacity to 21 million passengers. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, left Jeddah heading for Tabuk at the outset of the annual tour he undertakes to convey Eid Al-Fitr congratulations to the personnel of the armed forces in the north-western region. He was seen off at the airport by a number of princes and officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, arrived in Tabuk at the outset of the annual tour he undertakes to convey Eid Al-Fitr congratulations to the personnel of the armed forces in the north-western region. He was received at the airport by Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, and a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud to all personnel of the armed forces in the north-western region on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. At the venue, Crown Prince Sultan was received by the Commander of the north-western region Major General Zabn Ibn Tilaihan Al-Harbi and senior officers of the armed forces in the north-western region. Using a vehicle, the Crown Prince inspected all the sectors of the armed forces who stood in rows to greet him. During a speech ceremony, he listened to the Commander of the north-western reign who welcomed him and conveyed to him the congratulations of all the personnel of the armed forces in the region on Eid Alfitr. The commander also sent their congratulations on Eid Al-Fitr to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, wishing the Saudi people and Arab and Islamic nations steady progress and prosperity. He paid tribute to the achievements of late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud who passed away earlier this year. On his part, Crown Prince told the audience that the monarch is deeply and personally interested in the affairs of the armed forces. He said the armed forces would soon witness new developments, including education, training and equipment. Prince Sultan disclosed the government's plan to strengthen the armed forces by providing them with advanced training and weaponry. During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Al-Harbi, commander of the north-western region, pledged allegiance of the armed forces stationed in the region to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, graced a lunch party held in his honor in Tabuk by the command of the north-western region. The occasion was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, princes, a number of senior civil and military officials and dignitaries of Tabuk Region. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, hosted a dinner at his palace, to honor dignitaries and people of the region of Tabuk as well as the commanders and officers of the armed forces in the north-western region. In an address on the occasion, Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, highlighted the region's development and progress. After the Governor's speech, the Crown Prince handed appropriation certificates of thirteen housing units to beneficiaries of the charity housing project of Prince Fahd bin Sultan Social Program in Tabuk region in its ninth phase as part of the 2000 housing units which have been constructed in cities and provinces of the region. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, laid the foundation stone of King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Tabuk. At the venue, he was received by Minister of Transport and acting Minister of Health Dr. Jubarah Ibn Eid Al Suraisiri and senior officials. Then Crown Prince Sultan was briefed by Engineer Mohammed Abdullah Al Qahtani, Director General of Projects and Maintenance Department at the ministry of Health, on the two-phase project. Phase one of the 500-bed hospital includes the main building which comprises an underground, five floors, services building and a tunnel, administration, out-patient, kidneys dialysis buildings, mosque, stores, and nurses boarding house. Phase two includes 12 buildings designed to accommodate the families of the hospital's personnel, and two buildings as homes for bachelors, creation center. Then Crown Prince Sultan unveiled the project's plaque and laid the foundation stone of the project, giving okay for construction works to start immediately. During the speech ceremony, which followed the laying of the ground works ceremony, the Minister of Health said, in a speech read on his behalf by Dr. Al Suraisiri that the Ministry started to build a chain of specialist hospitals throughout the continent-like country. Starting with phase one of King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, the Ministry also inaugurated King Fahd Specialist Hospital in the eastern region, followed by King Abdul Aziz Specialist Hospital in Al Joaf, the Specialist Hospital in Hael, the Specialist Hospital in Jeddah and the Specialist Hospital in Buljarashi in addition to this hospital in Tabuk, the minister said. He gave an account of the numerous hospitals and clinics in Tabuk region in addition to the future health and medical projects in the region. He also highlighted the future plans of his ministry in the region. The occasion was attended by Prince Fahd bin Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, princes, senior officials, dignitaries and people of the region. During his visit to Tabuk Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, patronized the opening ceremony of the new facilities of the Girls Technological College and Vocational Training Institute. At the venue, he was received by Minister of Labor Dr. Ghazi Ibn Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi and senior officials. During a speech ceremony to mark the occasion, the Governor of Technical Education and Vocational Training General Establishment Dr. Ali Ibn Nassir Al Ghufais said training institutes and vocational centers worth more than SR. 600 million have been built in Tabuk region, including the towns of Amlaj, Alwajh, Dhuba and Taima in addition to the city of Tabuk. Then Crown Prince Sultan unveiled the project's plaque and laid the foundation stone of the projects, giving okay for construction works to start immediately. The College of Technology, consists of 18 buildings including classrooms, workshops and administrative offices, was established at a cost of SR67 million. It will accommodate 3,000 students. The first phase of the 500-bed hospital project will be carried out at a cost of SR170 million. The occasion was attended by Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, princes, senior officials, dignitaries and people of the region. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, left Tabuk, wrapping up a visit to Tabuk region during which he exchanged Eid Al-Fitr congratulations with its people and personnel of the armed forces in the north-western region. At Tabuk regional airport, he was seen off by Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk Region, Minister of Transport Dr. Jubarah Ibn Eid Al Suraisiri, senior military commanders and officers, and a number of officials. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has agreed to provide an x-ray treating device to the tumor department at the armed forces hospital at the north-western region at his own expense. The device, which costs SR eight million, is considered among the most advanced medical technical equipment in this field. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, the Director of the north-western Region Armed Forces Hospitals Program Major General Dr. Fahd Ibn Mohammed Al Nafjan thanked Crown Prince Sultan for meeting the need of the hospital to have this advanced device. Accordingly, there will be no need for transferring patients seeking x-ray treatment for tumors to hospitals in Jeddah or Riyadh as before, he told SPA. He added that this gesture is a continuation of the care and interest of Crown Prince Sultan for the health of people in the region. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, made a telephone call to King Mohammed VI of Morocco. During the conversation, congratulations on Eid Al-Fitr and good wishes for the Arab and Islamic nations were exchanged. In Jeddah, Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received at his palace a number of citizens and dignitaries of Jeddah province, senior officers of the armed forces and national guard of the western region and armed forces personnel who came to greet and congratulate him on blessed Eid Al-Fitr. During the meetings, Crown Prince Sultan responded to the greetings and Eid congratulations of the guests, wishing them continuous health and happiness. The audiences were attended by Prince Tukri Al-Faisal, Ambassador of the Kingdom to the United States of America; Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs; Prince Turki Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information, other princes and a number of officials. Then the guests had dinner with the Crown Prince.