JEDDAH, 26 September 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday urged the relevant agencies to complete the sewage projects and tackle environment pollution in Arbaeen and Shabab lakes and along the Corniche as quickly as possible.
King Abdullah gave the directives while presiding over a meeting of the weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Monday night. The meeting reviewed the progress of projects aimed at confronting dengue fever.
Currently, the ministries of water, electricity, agriculture, and health in coordination with the Jeddah municipality are carrying out a number of projects including sewage and sanitary projects in addition to aerial spraying of insecticides and health awareness campaigns.
At the beginning of the Cabinet meeting, the king briefed the ministers on the outcome of his talks and consultations with world leaders during the past week including Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al-Thani and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
King Abdullah emphasized Saudi Arabia’s efforts to strengthen the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE in addition to the Kingdom. He also reiterated Riyadh’s support for Lebanon’s independence, stability and the unity of its people.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the meeting, Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said that the king also spoke about the Kingdom’s 77th National Day, which was observed on Sunday with a variety of cultural programs. “National Day reminds us of the basic principles upon which Saudi Arabia was established including adherence to Islam as a religion and way of life.”
He said Islam promoted the values of responsibility, equality, solidarity and justice. It calls for harmony between the interests of an individual and society as well as for responsible freedom. The minister also noted the efforts and great sacrifices made by King Abdul Aziz and his men in order to achieve unification. “Saudi Arabia has been following the principles set by its founder King Abdul Aziz,” he said, adding that the policy had strengthened the Kingdom’s unity and prosperity.
The Cabinet approved Saudi Arabia’s accession to the International Agreement on Suppressing Terrorist Attacks. According to the agreement, if a person is found guilty of planting an explosive device in a public place or a government facility or in a transport network or any other infrastructure facility with the intention of killing people or causing massive destruction he/she must be punished for committing a serious crime. Every state has to impose appropriate punishment for such criminal offenses.
The Cabinet meeting also authorized the minister of health or his deputy to hold talks with officials in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to sign memoranda of understanding for cooperation in the health sector.
The meeting approved the establishment of a joint stock company to be called Ras Al-Zour Water & Electricity Company. The new company will develop, establish, own and maintain the Ras Al-Zour plant which will produce water and electricity.
The Cabinet reshuffled members of the Cooperative Health Insurance Council, chaired by the health minister. The following members have been appointed for a three-year term: Dr. Mansour Al-Hawassi of the Ministry of Health, Maj. Gen. Salim Al-Bilaihed of the Ministry of Interior, Sami Al-Mubarak (Ministry of Labor), Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Homaidi (Ministry of Finance), Ahmed Al-Abdul-Aali (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Dr. Musaed Al-Salman (representing government-run health sectors), Luay bin Hisham Nazer from the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Ali Al-Sibaiheen (representing cooperative insurance companies), and Nasser bin Sultan Al-Sibaie, representative of the private health sector.
