King Abdullah chairs Cabinet session (7/4/11)
July 4, 2011
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chaired the Cabinet session held at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah this afternoon. At the outset, the King briefed the Cabinet on his contacts last week with foreign leaders, including a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and a message from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.After listening to a number of reports on current events in the Arab world, the Cabinet stressed the importance of achieving security and stability in the region, stemming bloodshed, and putting national interests above personal goals.
Addressing international efforts to revive the Mideast Peace Process, the ministers welcomed a proposal put forward by France to launch Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on a withdrawal to 1967 borders, with the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian within a timetable not to exceed one year.
The Cabinet also congratulated United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who was recently re-elected to serve another term, wishing him success in carrying out his duties to work for peace, security and stability for the world’s people.
Turning to domestic affairs, the Cabinet congratulated the Kingdom’s newest graduates and pointed out King Abdullah’s efforts to provide opportunities for them to enroll in institutes of higher education or to secure employment.
Regarding its weekly agenda, the Cabinet approved payments scales and allowances for health and military employees; approved the allocation of housing for physicians and dentists; approved a request to add the Director General of Anti-Narcotics to the membership of the National Committee of Anti-Narcotics; authorized the Minister of Justice to sign a draft agreement in the domain of judicial relations between the Saudi Ministry of Justice and the French Ministry of Justice; and approved amending the National Plan to Respond to Radioactive and Nuclear Emergencies (NPRRNE).
Finally, the Cabinet approved the appointments of Yousuf bin Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Khizaim as plenipotentiary minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Adnan bin Mahmud bin Muhammad Bustaji as plenipotentiary minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Nasser bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Dahmash as Secretary General of Court at the Ministry of Justice; and Dr. Marwan bin Hassan bin Muhammad Ismail as Legal Counselor at the Secretariat General of the Cabinet. All the appointments were made at the 14th rank.
