JEDDAH, 4 December 2007 — The Council of Ministers yesterday welcomed the guests of God who have come from different parts of the world to perform Haj and urged all government departments to mobilize their resources to help the pilgrims perform their rituals peacefully and comfortably.
The Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Crown Prince Sultan, also expressed its hope that the Middle East peace conference would lead to reviving peace talks on all tracks on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions, the road map and the Arab peace initiative.
Transport Minister and Acting Information Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry said the Cabinet reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for ongoing efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace settlement in the Middle East. “The Kingdom has made a number of serious peace initiatives to end the Arab-Israeli conflict,” he added.
The Cabinet endorsed the GCC Trademarks Law, which offers 10 years protection after the registration of trademarks. The owner of the trademark can apply for renewing the protection for a similar period before the end of the first period. According to the law, those who forge or imitate a registered trade mark will be jailed for no more than five years and fined no more than SR1 million or given either of the two.
It also decided to extend the period for cancelation of the customs tariff on cement imports from outside GCC countries to another two years beginning from Jan. 1, 2008, Seraisry said, adding that the government would bear the five percent customs duty during the period. The state will also bear the customs duty on reinforced iron imported from outside the GCC.
The Cabinet commended the security forces for their pre-emptive efforts to stop terrorist operations planned by Al-Qaeda militants during the past two months by arresting 208 terror suspects including 32 terror financiers.
The Cabinet approved recommendations made by a permanent committee of the Supreme Economic Council on the status of Saudi Arabian Airlines employees after privatization of its strategic units.
Saudia employees can either receive their retirement benefits and join the new company or continue their services in the new company. In both cases they will receive salary and benefits fixed by the company’s board but no less than those received from Saudia.
“If the employees are not willing to move to the new companies, they will have the right to get transferred to a ministry or department or public organization,” the Cabinet said.
Seraisry said the Cabinet took a number of other important decisions. It authorized the foreign minister to take necessary measures for Saudi Arabia’s accession to the International Organization for Migration. It also endorsed the International Anti-Doping Convention.
