JEDDAH, 7 February 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday briefed the Council of Ministers on the outcome of his recent four-nation Asian tour, saying it would promote regional peace and stability.
He thanked the leaders of the four countries for giving the Saudi delegation a warm welcome, reflecting the strong relations between them and the Kingdom.
“The visits will strengthen these relations and contribute to reinforcing regional peace and stability,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as telling the ministers during the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh.
The king said he had discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern with leaders of the four countries. The Kingdom also signed several accords with them during the visits.
Abdullah began his two-week tour from Beijing where he arrived Jan. 22. Chinese President Hu Jintao gave him a red-carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People and said the royal visit would open a new chapter in Sino-Saudi relations.
The summit in Beijing saw the signing of five agreements, including a landmark pact for expanding cooperation in oil, natural gas and minerals. The agreements covered cooperation in economic, trade and technical areas. Agreements were also signed to avoid double taxation as well as for a Saudi loan to improve infrastructure in the city of Aksu in China’s Xinjiang region.
The tour also took the king to India, Malaysia and Pakistan. Abdullah was the first Saudi king to visit India in 50 years. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh broke protocol to receive him at the airport on Jan. 24. Abdullah said Saudi Arabia was ready to meet India’s growing energy needs.
The joint declaration said the royal visit would herald a new era in India-Saudi Arabia relations. The two countries agreed to develop a strategic energy partnership and promote greater cooperation to defeat terrorism. The visit saw the signing of 15 agreements.
King Abdullah arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 30 to a rousing welcome. Abdullah and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi vowed to forge closer economic ties by promoting joint ventures in vital sectors. The two sides signed a number of accords to avoid double taxation, promote scientific and cultural cooperation and set up joint ventures.
In Pakistan, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf honored Abdullah by conferring on him the country’s highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan. Five agreements were signed to strengthen bilateral political, economic, cultural and trade ties.
Yesterday’s Cabinet meeting hoped that the current political process in Iraq would lead to the formation of a government that would be able to realize unity and territorial integrity without any foreign interference. The meeting urged the Palestinians to work together to achieve their national interests.
The Cabinet decided to lift the five percent customs tariff on cement imports from outside the Gulf Cooperation Council states for a year from Jan. 1, 2006, SPA said. The government will pay the tariff during the period until the tariff is implemented. The Kingdom cut customs tariff on cement imports from 20 to five percent last year.
