RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday welcomed the historic Cairo speech by US President Barack Obama and hoped it would usher in a new era in relations between the United States and the Arab and Islamic world and also contribute to resolving major issues facing the region.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace, briefed the ministers on the outcome of his talks with Obama here last week, adding that the talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties.
“Our talks also centered on major regional issues, most importantly the Palestinian issue and the US plan to open a new phase of positive relations with the Arab and Islamic world,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted a Cabinet statement as saying.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet described Obama’s speech as a harbinger of better relations between the US and the Muslim world.
“It will pave the way, God willing, for a constructive, effective and real dialogue between the two sides in particular and other cultures in general in order to resolve major issues in the region and the world,” the minister quoted the Cabinet as saying.
The Cabinet statement said Obama’s call to strengthen cooperation between peoples endorsed King Abdullah’s initiative to promote dialogue among followers of different faiths and cultures, inspired by the teachings of Islam.
“The religion of Islam calls for tolerance, cooperation, peace, justice and love,” it added.
The Cabinet emphasized the importance of the GCC monetary union agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait in Riyadh on Sunday, saying it would pave the way for the establishment of a monetary council and a GCC central bank.
The Cabinet expressed its satisfaction over the successful completion of the parliamentary elections in Lebanon and hoped it would have a positive impact on the country and its people, reinforcing security, stability and prosperity.
The Cabinet commended the national reconciliation agreement signed by different political forces in Mauritania last Thursday and hoped it would come up to the hopes and aspirations of its people.
Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif briefed the meeting on security officers’ effort in foiling the smuggling of a large quantity of drugs into the Kingdom. The Cabinet praised the security officers who foiled attemps to smuggle drugs recently.
Khoja said the Cabinet took a number of other important decisions. It authorized the minister of higher education to hold talks with his Turkmen counterpart to sign a memorandum of understanding for scientific and educational cooperation.
Another agreement will be signed with Yemen’s General Organization for Social Insurance. The governor of the General Organization of Social Insurance in the Kingdom has been assigned to hold talks with his Yemeni counterpart for the purpose.
The Cabinet appointed Ahmed bin Farid Al-Aulaqi as a member of the board of directors of Saline Water Conversion Corporation from the private sector. It also renewed the membership of Khaled bin Abdul Aziz Al-Ghoneim to the board.
