JEDDAH, 13 March 2007 — Saudi Arabia yesterday reiterated its opposition to foreign intervention in Iraq’s internal affairs. It also hoped that the recent Baghdad conference will bring about reconciliation among Iraq’s warring groups.

In a statement after its weekly meeting, the Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, emphasized that Iraq’s sovereignty and independence must be protected. “The Cabinet called for a halt to all forms of intervention in the internal affairs of Iraq and encouraged national reconciliation among all Iraqi groups,” Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said.

The Cabinet expressed its satisfaction over the efforts being made to put together the new Palestinian unity government. “We hope these efforts will lead to lifting the suffering of the Palestinian people with the support of the international community, and confronting Israel’s tyrannical practices,” it added.

Referring to the international conference in Baghdad, the Cabinet hoped that the one-day meeting would complete the steps to achieve national unity and create equality among Iraqis in rights and duties.

King Abdullah later held talks with Masood Barazani, president of Iraqi Kurdistan, who is visiting the Kingdom.

In another development, King Abdullah has instructed King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh to conduct necessary medical tests on a set of Cameroonian conjoined twins in preparation to separate them.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, executive director of health affairs at the National Guard, said, “The parents of the twins requested the king to help them separate their conjoined children by sending an email message,” he said. The Cameroonian twins, who were born in February 2006, are joined at the chest, pelvis abdomen.

“The possibility of separating the twins can be decided only after conducting necessary medical tests,” he said.

adding twins would arrive in Riyadh within weeks.

So far 13 sets of conjoined twins have been successfully separated in the Kingdom. Also yesterday, the consultative Shoura Council endorsed an agreement between Saudi Arabia and India on the protection and promotion of investments and a similar agreement with Singapore.