24 January 2017

RIYADH: The Cabinet, chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace on Monday, congratulated President Donald Trump on assuming the presidency of the US. The Cabinet commended deep relations between the Kingdom and the US and their keenness on enhancing those ties in various fields to serve the common interests of the two countries and their people.
 
The Cabinet strongly condemned all illegitimate settlement activities practiced by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. It rejected all attempts to undermine the Palestinians’ right of having full sovereignty over the city of Al-Quds, as the capital of the State of Palestine.
 
The meeting commended security agencies for successfully carrying out their mission in the fight against terror and destroying extremists’ hideouts, cells and related elements.
 
Security forces on Saturday foiled major terror attempts by storming two hideouts in Jeddah, in one of which two terrorists blew themselves up by detonating the explosive belts they were wearing after refusing to surrender to police.
 
The Cabinet commended achievements made by the security men in Jeddah by arresting another two terrorists.

The Cabinet also praised the role of the security forces in weakening the resources on which the terrorists depend in preparing their criminal plans to destabilize the security and stability of the Kingdom.
 
The Cabinet welcomed the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the situation of Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar.
 
The Cabinet voiced the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and Mali, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and left many wounded, and offered condolences to the governments of the two countries.

The Cabinet was also briefed on other topics on the agenda including the economic impact of labor market reforms in the Kingdom.
 
Later, the Cabinet approved decisions that included: Authorizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs or a nominee to discuss with the Latvian side on a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) for political consultation; approval for an agreement on cooperation on trade and industry between the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment and the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations in Turkmenistan; approval of a scientific and educational cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education in the Republic of Belarus; authorizing the Minister of Labor and Social Development, or a person whom he authorizes, to discuss with Algeria an agreement on social development; and approved two agreements with China for cooperation in science and technology and satellite-based navigation.
 
The Cabinet also approved a MoU between the organizing agencies of the capital markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, signed earlier in Doha, Qatar.

© Arab News 2017