JEDDAH, 30 November 2003 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd yesterday issued a series of royal decrees to reshuffle the Supreme Petroleum Council, appoint new members to the Military Service Council and approve alterations to the Shoura Council system.
King Fahd also renewed the terms of some top officials including Prince Khaled ibn Sultan, assistant defense and aviation minister for military affairs, Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Tourism, and Prince Abdullah ibn Faisal, chairman of the General Investment Authority.
Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, is deputy chairman of the 12-member petroleum council chaired by the king. Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, is its second deputy chairman. The council, which is the top decision-making body on petroleum and mineral affairs, includes Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi, Water and Electricity Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, and Abdullah Juma, president and chief executive of Saudi Aramco.
Other members are: State Minister Matlab Al-Nafeesa (secretary-general), Commerce and Industry Minister Hashim Yamani, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Economy and Planning Minister Khaled Al-Gosaibi, and Saleh Al-Athel, president of the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology. The new members appointed to the military council are: Prince Badr, deputy commander of the National Guard, Civil Service Minister Muhammad Al-Fayez, and State Minister Matlab Al-Nafeesa.
The changes to the Shoura system aim to expedite the decision-making process. “If the Council of Ministers and the Shoura Council agree on a decision, it will be passed following the king’s approval,” the altered Article 17 of the Shoura Council system said. “If the two councils differ on a decision, the matter will be returned to the Shoura and then pass back to the king,” the article said. According to another change in Article 23, “the Shoura can propose a new law or changes to an existing law and study them in the council. The Shoura’s chairman shall present to the king the council’s decision in this respect.”
Other officials whose terms were renewed for another four years include Najran Governor Prince Mishaal ibn Saud, Riyadh Deputy Governor Prince Sattam, and Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim, Saudi ambassador to Egypt.
