JEDDAH, 5 October 2004 — Saudi Arabia yesterday called on the UN Security Council and the international community to end the ongoing Israeli genocide in Palestine and promote a culture of peace and justice in the world. The weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, expressed deep concern over the appalling events and bloody conflicts that are taking place in various parts of the world.
“This demands serious work from the international community and the United Nations to deepen the concept of dialogue and promote mutual understanding among nations and cultures,” King Fahd told the Council of Ministers.
He called for efforts “to spread the culture of peace that would respect humans, reinforce the principles of justice, tolerance and equality and rid the world of violence, injustice and racial discrimination,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Cabinet sought the immediate intervention of the international community to stop the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, especially in Jabaliya and Rafah refugee camps.
“Such Israeli aggression and terrorism demand joint global action,” the king said and urged the peace quartet to adopt a decisive stand against “these criminal actions that go against the simplest of human rights.”
Culture and Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said the Cabinet reiterated Riyadh’s call to strengthen global cooperation to combat terrorism, its supporters and financiers. It pledged support to international efforts to eradicate terrorism. “Saudi Arabia has decided to host an international conference on fighting terrorism in light of its firm stand against this phenomenon,” the king said.
The aim of the conference, to be held in Riyadh on Feb. 5-8, is to exchange information and experience in combating terrorism and to foster international cooperation in the area. It will also address measures to help tackle money laundering as well as drugs and arms smuggling.
The Cabinet meeting debated the national campaign on water conservation, which was launched on Saturday, and urged Saudis and expatriates to conserve water. “It’s your moral, social and legal duty,” the king reminded the general public. The meeting advised the Bureau of General Supervision to develop a public accounting system by adopting modern means and methods.
“Such an upgrading was essential to have correct financial statements and information on public properties and facilities, especially those listed for privatization,” Al-Farsy said. The Cabinet instructed that internal auditing units be established in all government departments. It asked government departments to speed up computerization to carry out financial and accounting operations.
