JEDDAH: The Council of Ministers yesterday underscored the tremendous global response to last week’s interfaith conference in Madrid and said it was an affirmation of the world’s desire to uphold common human values for the promotion of peace and stability.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Crown Prince Sultan, commended Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for taking the initiative to organize the World Conference on Dialogue in the Spanish capital from July 16 to 18. The Cabinet referred to the king’s keynote speech at the conference’s opening session that emphasized that Islam is a moderate and tolerant religion and called for a constructive dialogue between followers of different faiths.
The Cabinet meeting praised the Madrid Declaration and hoped its objectives would serve all humanity and contribute to peaceful coexistence.
The Cabinet also discussed the resolutions adopted at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, supporting Sudan in challenging the decision of the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor and rejecting efforts to politicize the principles of international justice and use it for disparaging the sovereignty of nations.
The meeting ratified a protocol for protecting the marine environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from activities on land and another for the preservation of biological diversity and the establishment of a network of reserves there.
The Cabinet allowed the National Gas and Industrialization Co. to continue the distribution and marketing of gas and its products in the Kingdom for five years from May 19, 2008. However, it emphasized that the company should provide the service in all regions including areas that are not commercially viable.
