RIYADH, 29 October — The government yesterday denounced the "terrorist and criminal" attack on a Moscow theater and conveyed its deep condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The condemnation came at the weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard.
"Saudi Arabia is deeply moved by the bloody events in Moscow and expresses its total solidarity with families of the victims of this criminal act," said a statement issued after the Cabinet meeting.
"The government expresses its condolences to the families of the innocent victims and reiterates its rejection and condemnation of all terrorist attacks regardless of their sources and objectives," it added.
Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said the crown prince briefed the ministers on the outcome of the contacts King Fahd and he had with world leaders over the past week, focusing on major developments in the region.
Prince Abdullah blasted the continuing Israeli aggression on unarmed Palestinians, saying the Israeli actions were "getting more ferocious and brutal."
The Kingdom backed the ongoing efforts to bring the Middle East peace process back on track, implement UN resolutions, end Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Cabinet hoped that such peace efforts would lead to ending the agony and injustice being suffered by the Palestinian people, leadership and institutions and bring security and stability to the region.
Al-Farsy said the Cabinet underscored the recommendations made by a seminar on "the future vision of the Saudi economy" held in Riyadh recently. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and a number of Saudi and international experts had taken part in the seminar.
The Cabinet decided to provide anti-polio vaccines worth $100,000 to the campaign for eradicating the disease from GCC countries. It also voiced the Kingdom’s support for joint preventive health measures by GCC states.
The Cabinet authorized the president of King Abdulaziz City of Science & Technology or his deputy to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Arab Organization for Industrial and Mining Development.
