JEDDAH, 18 April 2006 — Saudi Arabia yesterday urged the United States and other Western countries to review their decision of suspending financial aid to the Palestinian people, saying it would be a “collective punishment for a people who have been denied their basic national and human rights.”
In a statement issued after a meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the Kingdom also slammed Israel’s unilateral measures and its move to isolate the Palestinian people, saying such actions would not lead to peace and unity.
The United States and European Union have said they would suspend direct aid to the Palestinian government after Hamas took over power in Palestine after its victory in January’s parliamentary elections. They want Hamas to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements. Hamas has rejected these demands.
Crown Prince Sultan has said that the takeover of power by Hamas would not change Saudi Arabia’s unwavering support to the Palestinian people. “We believe that Hamas is part of the Palestinian people and we’ll not differentiate between Hamas and others. They are all our brothers and friends,” he told Japan’s NHK television last week.
During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, King Abdullah briefed the ministers on the outcome of his contacts with world leaders. “The Kingdom works to protect its national interests and support Arab and Islamic causes. We also promote dialogue with other cultures and communities,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying.
Prince Sultan, who returned to Riyadh on Sunday, spoke about his three-nation Asian tour, which took him to Japan, Singapore and Pakistan. According to Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani, the Cabinet emphasized the significance of the royal visit, adding that it would strengthen the Kingdom’s strategic relationships with other countries.
Madani said the Cabinet approved the establishment of two agencies — the agency for survey and lands at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the agency for registration of real estate at the Ministry of Justice. It also endorsed a new law that regulates classification of contractors.
The meeting approved an agreement with Azerbaijan for the protection and promotion of investment. It also appointed Talal ibn Mustafa Qadi, Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad Al-Bassam and Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Sibyani as members of the board of Saudi Geological Survey for three years.
Other major appointments were: Abdul Rahim Al-Ghamdi as director general of legal affairs and international cooperation at the Interior Ministry; Nasser Al-Qahtani, adviser for transport affairs at the Transport Ministry; and Muhammad Al-Amr, minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry.
