Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, President of the Saudi human rights authority, who leads the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the 34th session of the international Human Rights Council, which opened in Geneva today, voiced that his country underscores the importance of continuing the discussions at the international human rights council's table on human rights issues through attaching special attention to difference of values and cultures in their capacity as crucial factors for enhancing and protecting human rights. In a key address before the meeting, Al-Aiban said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proceeding with its efforts to show cooperation with the United Nations entities and mechanisms in charge of human rights and its capacity as a four-time member of the Geneva-based organization, noting that the Kingdom has completed all reports concerning the basic human rights agreements in which serves as an integral party. The Kingdom is working to implement all recommendations committing it to act within the comprehensive periodical review mechanism, he said, citing the recent visits by human rights council's senior officials in charge of enhancing and protecting human rights in terms of terror-combating and abject-poverty-related human rights. He said enhancing and protecting human rights is done in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia based on Islamic Sharia principles. He said the Kingdom's efforts in this regard, cover developing the legislative and constitutional frameworks for protecting and enhancing human rights through several legal reforms of the human rights authority regulations, citing the establishment of the Saudi bar, and family affairs council. He added that currently a revision of the criminal measures system is being conducted and a new penal system is being drafted to combat misuse of power in Saudi Arabia. Al-Aiban also gave an account on the Kingdom vision 2030 which calls for achieving comprehensive development according to the country's values, pillars and exploiting its vast capabilities and resources, given its strategic location and promising economic characteristics. Casting light on the means and mechanisms the vision is going to benefit, Al-Aiban cited government re-structuring, systems review, and performance assessment and measurement. He said the vision has confirmed a number of rights, like the right to health, education, work, cultural, intellectual and social rights, family protection, women participation in political and public life, and formation of associations. On the Kingdom's efforts and experience in fighting terrorism, Al-Aiban explained to the council that the Kingdom's efforts are compatible with the standards of protecting the human rights. In this regard, the Kingdom has made the initiative to form a military Islamic alliance to fight terrorism, he said, adding that it suggests that enhancing and protecting human rights in terms of terror-combating necessitate accrediting an international description for terrorism in all its forms that gives a strict definition and states the countries commitment towards it. Al-Aiban confirmed the importance attached by the Kingdom to development, and support of development in underdeveloped countries, particularly the most poor and facing the economic and social difficulties facing those countries. He stressed the importance of urging the world community to steadfast the threats engulfing the value of preserving of families against deviation, dismantling, extremism, hatred and racialism in the capacity that families are the base for society. On the international arena, Al-Aiban drew the attention to the violations committed by the Israeli occupational authorities against innocent Palestinians, a matter that necessities on the world community to shoulder its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to end the sufferings of Palestinians and put an end to the Israeli negligence to the UN relevant resolutions and its repeated attempts to foil those efforts, including those issued by this council. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia vows the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. On Yemen, Al-Aiban said that Houthi militias and Saleh supporters are still engaged in foiling any attempt to restore security and stability in Yemen, citing the assassination, killing of civilians including elders, children, and women, siege of cities, recruiting of children, attacking Saudi territories, and seizing human assistance. However, the Kingdom is working with world partners to provide, via Riyadh-based King Salman center for relief and humanitarian works, the necessary humanitarian assistance, he said, citing the implementation of some 110 projects worth more than $561 million. He said the Kingdom asserts that any political solution should be concluded within the UN Security Council resolution No. 2216, the GCC initiative and outcomes of national dialogue in Yemen. On the Syrian situation, Al-Aiban drew the attention to the scenario of a killing machine continuing to harvest innocent people, forcing their displacement and destroying the country's capabilities and wealth, amid the world's silence and ignorance, making the scene a ripe environment for flourishing terrorism. He said Saudi Arabia welcomes the resumption of negotiations in Geneva between the opposition and the regime, hoping that they would head towards a comprehensive ceasefire and a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis according to Geneva I declaration and UN security council resolution No. 2254. Al-Aiban expressed the defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the rights of the Islamic minority in Myanmar, citing the blatant human rights violations committed against them according to international official reports, including mass killings, children massacres and women raping, siege of people and other violations, calling on the UN relevant authorities and agencies to work to put an end to those racial-oriented crimes against humanity and protect the Muslim minority in the far Asian country. In conclusion, Al-Aiban said the Kingdom of Saudi Araba, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, is proceeding with its efforts to enhance and protect human rights at all levels and is gearing forward to see the international human rights council continuing its efforts to protect human rights everywhere.
