The Council of Ministers, which took the decision, said the
new visa would be called scientist and expert visa and issued free of charge.
A committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of
Higher Education, King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology, King Abdullah
City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and Health Services Council would be
formed for the recruitment purpose.
The Cabinet, which was presided over by Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques King Abdullah, also reviewed the developments in neighboring Yemen
and the decisions taken by the GCC foreign ministers after their meeting with
Yemeni opposition leaders on Sunday.
“The Council of Ministers praised the constructive dialogue
that occurred during the meeting and the desire of both sides to narrow their
differences in order to make more efforts to ensure security, stability and
unity of Yemen,” a Cabinet statement said.
The Cabinet expressed its satisfaction over the
international support received by the GCC’s efforts to resolve the Yemeni
crisis, especially the statements made by the Arab League, the European Union
and the US and French governments.
The Cabinet spoke about the National Heritage and Culture
Festival in Janadriyah opened by King Abdullah last Wednesday. “The Janadriyah
festival has become an international forum for cultural dialogue and exchanging
thoughts and ideas,” it said.
Earlier, the king briefed the ministers on the outcome of
his talks with US President Barack Obama two days ago and the content of a
message he received from Obama as well as on his meeting with Bahraini King
Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Riyadh last week.
The Cabinet praised Saudi security forces for the arrest of
individuals involved in drug smuggling and trafficking and the seizure of large
quantities of drugs.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the
Cabinet decided to sign an agreement with Tajikistan for cooperation in air
transport services and a pact with Kazakhstan in the field of agriculture. It
endorsed an accord signed with Bangladesh for cooperation in Islamic and
endowment affairs.
It also decided that the state would continue to bear 50
percent of port fees for another three years.
The Cabinet appointed Mansour Shalhoub minister
plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry; Musaed Al-Hammad director general of
the general administration for Mujahedeen at the Interior Ministry; and Mishaal
Al-Otaibi director general of health in Qassim.
