JEDDAH, 27 March 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah welcomed Arab leaders to the summit conference that opens in Riyadh tomorrow and expressed his optimism that the meeting would help Arab countries counter their political, economic and cultural challenges.
“The summit is an expression of free and independent Arab will that addresses the hopes and aspirations of the Arab people and supports every effort that protects joint Arab interests,” Abdullah told the weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
He also expressed hope that the summit would enable the Arab nation to deal with international political forces with understanding and clarity and deepen the Islamic and national identity of Arab society.
Saudi Arabia has completed all preparations for the two-day conference. King Abdullah yesterday inspected the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center, the summit venue, and was briefed by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on the arrangements.
The Cabinet meeting, according to Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani, took a number of important decisions. It passed a new regulation allowing a foreign woman married to a Saudi and the widowed foreign wife of a Saudi to receive Saudi citizenship; approved new regulations related to Mutawwif organizations; passed laws related to combating e-crimes and regulating electronic dealings; and set up a high-level committee to prepare a national plan to tackle the problem of begging.
Referring to the renewal of the terms of existing ministers to another four years, King Abdullah said the decision should encourage ministers to carry out their missions with responsibility and trust. Earlier in the day, the ministers were sworn in before the king.
The ministers who took the oath were: Municipal and Rural Affairs Minister Prince Miteb, Interior Minister Prince Naif, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, State Minister Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd, Justice Minister Abdullah Al-Asheikh, Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh, State Minister Abdul Aziz Al-Khuwaiter, Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, Civil Service Minister Mohammed Al-Fayez, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari, State Minister Matlab Al-Nafeesa, State Minister Musaed Al-Aiban, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi, Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsy, Commerce and Industry Minister Hashem Yamani, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani, Economy and Planning Minister Khaled Al-Gosaibi, Agriculture Minister Fahd Balghaneim, Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mohammad Jameel Mulla, Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie, State Minister Abdullah Zainal, State Minister Saud Al-Muthami, Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen, Education Minister Abdullah Al-Obaid, and Social Affairs Minister Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas.
In a brief speech, King Abdullah urged each minister to inform him of his ministry’s future plans. He said that he hoped all ministers would work hard for the progress of the country and welfare of its people.
The Cabinet meeting changed Article 16 of the Citizenship Law, which now reads as follows: The interior minister can grant Saudi citizenship to a foreign woman married to a Saudi or the foreign widow of a Saudi, if she applies for it and relinquishes her original citizenship. The interior minister can also cancel her Saudi citizenship if she ends her marital relationship with the Saudi for any reason and retains her original citizenship or any other foreign citizenship. The minister can also authorize other officials in the ministry to exercise the power mentioned in the article.
On the restructuring of Tawafa organizations, the Cabinet said the existing categorization of “Mutawwifs, Adilla, Wukala and Zamazima” would continue, adding that they would be allowed to work on a commercial basis. The new system also allows the inheritance of the profession.
The Cabinet set up a committee to study the obstacles facing Tawafa organizations and make proposals to improve their services. The Cabinet endorsed the memorandum of understanding with Spain that was signed in Riyadh on April 8, 2006.
According to the new law on combating e-crimes, people involved in crimes such as Internet hacking and misuse of mobile cameras by taking photos of private life will be jailed for not more than a year and fined not more than SR500,000 or given either punishment. People caught setting up websites for terrorist organizations or promoting their ideas or spreading methods of making explosives will be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to SR5 million or given either of the two punishments.
In line with the Kingdom’s efforts to combat begging, the Cabinet decided to transfer all Saudi beggars to the Ministry of Social Affairs to provide them with necessary training and jobs. The ministry should do what is necessary for handicapped and child beggars within 24 hours of their arrest. Non-Saudi beggars will be transferred to the Passport Department to take appropriate legal action against them.
The Cabinet reduced tariffs imposed on jewelry imports and brought these items under the five-percent category.
It endorsed the scientific and technological cooperation agreement signed with Pakistan on Feb. 2, 2006. It appointed Moudha bint Fahd Al-Naeem as adviser at the Ministry of Education.
