He thanked GCC leaders for their active participation in last week's consultative summit conference in Riyadh.

He said the half-yearly summit discussed ways and means to strengthen the six-member bloc and reaffirmed its support to Arab and Islamic causes. The king briefed the ministers on the content of messages he received from King Muhammad of Morocco and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. He also spoke about telephone conversations he had with US President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdallah.

Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet endorsed an agreement with Japan for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion. It also reshuffled the Health Service Council, which is chaired by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.

The 14-member council includes Dr. Bandar Al-Qanawi (National Guard), Maj. Kattab Al-Otaibi (Ministry of Defense), Dr. Suleiman Al-Suhaimi (Interior Ministry), Dr. Mansour Al-Hawasi (Health Ministry), Dr. Qassim Al-Kasabi (King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center), Dr. Saad Al-Fehaid (Education Ministry), Dr. Muhammad Al-Kanhal (Saudi Food & Drug Authority), Dr. Rasheed Al-Eid (Saudi Red Crescent Authority), Dr. Sami Al-Abdul Kareem and Dr. Nasser Al-Sibaie (private health sector). The members are appointed for three years.

The Cabinet authorized the CEO of the Saudi Food & Drug Authority to hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart to reach an agreement for cooperation in ensuring safety and security in animal products. It appointed Ibrahim Al-Sultan, director of the center for important projects and planning at Riyadh Mayoralty and Fareed Shera, undersecretary at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah received Saeed Al-Omar, the newly appointed president of Northern Border University.