The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, also called for greater coordination among Arab countries to confront the consequences of new developments in the region and ensure their unity and stability.
The Cabinet also urged the international community to stop Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. The UN Security Council should move quickly to stop Israel’s dangerous violations and provide protection to unarmed Palestinian civilians, it said, adding that Israel should be forced to respect UN resolutions.
King Abdullah welcomed the newly appointed Housing Minister Shuwaish Al-Duwaihi to the Cabinet and wished him every success in his new career. He highlighted the importance of the new Housing Ministry in solving the citizens’ housing problems. Before the Cabinet session, he took his oath of office in front of the king.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet approved proposals related to the codification of the moral content of information technology in the Kingdom. It also endorsed a memorandum of understanding signed with China on June 4, 2010 for strategic dialogue with GCC countries.
The Cabinet approved another agreement signed by the Higher Education Ministry with the Australian department of education and employment on May 27, 2010. It authorized Hashim Yamani, president of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, to sign an agreement with Argentina for cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Khoja said.
The Cabinet appointed Abdul Rahman Al-Makhdoub undersecretary for rights at the Interior Ministry; Abdul Aziz Taher economic adviser at the Ministry of Economy and Planning; Muhammad Al-Bidaiwi and Abdullah Al-Anazi ministers plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry; and Muhammad Al-Arwan cultural attaché at the Ministry of Higher Education.
In a related development, King Abdullah telephoned Syrian President Bashar Assad for reassurance about the situation in the country following anti-government protests there. The situation in Syria is “satisfactory,” Assad told the king. The two leaders also discussed prospects of strengthening bilateral ties.
