It also agreed to set up academic and administrative committees at schools. The move is expected to create jobs for Saudis.

Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet appreciated the international reaction to the plot to assassinate the Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States.

“The Kingdom gratefully values and appreciates the efforts made by the United States to expose the assassination attempt as well as the condemnations expressed by brotherly and friendly countries along with international organizations against this contemptible plot and those behind it,” a statement from the Cabinet said.

“Saudi Arabia renews its call to Arab and Islamic nations and the international community to shoulder their responsibilities toward such terrorist acts and attempts to threaten the stability of countries and the global security and peace,” it added.

The Cabinet decided to stop subsidies for palm seedlings and rice and continue subsidies for corn and millet (at the rate of 25 halalas per kg). It also approved subsidies for sesame (25 halalas per kg).

The government will continue to provide subsidies to small date palm farmers (with less than 50 acres or 300 palms) at the rate of 50 halalas per kg, on condition that they should apply economic irrigation systems. It will also give subsidies for mango produce at the rate of 25 halalas per kg for small farmers having not more than 30 tons.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif, reviewed major regional and international developments and hailed the statement issued by an extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers that focused on the current situation in Syria. It briefly reviewed the events that have taken place in the Kingdom over the past week and commended the security officers for their efforts to foil attempts to smuggle huge amounts of drugs into the Kingdom.

The Cabinet listened to a report read by Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assaf on the Kingdom's participation in the meetings of G20 finance ministers in Paris to discuss the preparations for the G20 Summit to be held in France next month. The Cabinet approved the final account of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities for 2009.

The Cabinet reappointed Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan chairman of SABIC and Mohammed Al-Madhi vice chairman and CEO of SABIC.

They will act as the government’s representatives in the company’s board of directors for three years.

It also appointed Abdul Rahman Al-Hamidi and Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al-Waili as representatives of the government in the company’s board. The Cabinet said Prince Saud and Al-Madhi would remain in their positions.

The Cabinet also named Abdullah bin Hasan Al-Zahrani as information advisor at the Presidency of General Intelligence; Abdul Rahman bin Rashid Al-Yamani director general of administrative and financial affairs at Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University; Hasan bin Bakar Hariri director general of the affairs of teaching staff at King Abdulaziz University; Hamad bin Ibrahim Al-Mubarak director general of administrative and financial affairs at the General Audit Bureau; and Othman bin Abdul Rahman Al-Yahya director general of the monitoring department at the General Audit Bureau.