JEDDAH, 16 March 2004 — The Council of Ministers yesterday stressed the independence of the recently formed National Human Rights Association.
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah have ensured the independence of NHRA, which enjoys the authority to deal with all matters related to human rights in the Kingdom,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy as saying after the weekly Cabinet meeting..
The meeting, chaired by Prince Abdullah, also endorsed the general strategy for the development of tourism, which aims to create 489,000 jobs in its initial stage and 2.3 million jobs in all.
“It’s an important industry which could play a vital role in boosting the economy,” Al-Farsy said.
The Cabinet ratified a landmark agreement with Russia for cooperation in the oil and gas sector, signed last year during the crown prince’s historic visit to Moscow.
The Cabinet denounced “the deplorable acts of violence and sabotage in Hassake and in other towns in the same province,” and expressed hope that the security, stability and prosperity of the country would endure.
It affirmed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the train blasts in Spain and said the criminal act ran counter to all humanitarian values.
The Cabinet also approved an agreement with Uruguay for cooperation in economic, commercial, investment, scientific, technical and cultural areas as well as in sports and youth welfare, Al-Farsy said.
The Cabinet appointed Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Zaghaiby, minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Abdullah ibn Fahd Al-Laheedan, assistant deputy minister for Islamic affairs, and Saudi ibn Mubarak Al-Rafeea, director of administrative and financial affairs at the Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Shoura Council yesterday approved two new laws, for the Saudi Credit Bank and hire-purchase agreements. Dr. Hamoud Al-Badr, the Shoura’s secretary-general, said the new law would help the bank play a greater role in social and economic development, and the hire-purchase law would help curb illegal activity.
