JEDDAH, 15 June 2004 — Crown Prince Abdullah yesterday said Saudi Arabia stood united in the face of a spate of recent terror attacks.
“You and all people, whether north, south, east or west, are one in serving your religion and your country. Islam is a religion of peace and love and mercy to all people,” he told the weekly Cabinet meeting he chaired at Al-Salam Palace here.
The crown prince welcomed the unanimous condemnation of terrorist acts and the popular support for the government’s anti-terror measures. Prince Abdullah urged Saudi citizens to cooperate with police officers to fight terrorism.
On Iraq, the Cabinet said the new UN Security Council resolution would enable its transitional government to exercise full authority over the war-torn country.
“The Cabinet underlined the importance of the resolution on Iraq unanimously adopted by the Security Council last Tuesday in which it recognizes the formation of a transitional government for a sovereign Iraq ... and the end of the occupation on June 30,” Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said after the Council of Ministers meeting.
The Cabinet said it hoped the implementation of Resolution 1546 would “contribute to bolstering the Iraqi government’s full authority and sovereignty,” according to the statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
The Cabinet also welcomed the initiative of Egypt in mediating between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to get the peace process back on track.
The Supreme Committee for Education finalized a decision to make education mandatory for all Saudis between the ages of six and 15.
