Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — An informed source at the Foreign Ministry Sunday said a decision recently issued by the ministry asking embassies to suspend all activities outside their official premises was not aimed against anyone in particular. He told Al-Hayat newspaper: “I hope that the decision will not be misinterpreted as targeting a specific diplomatic mission.” The ministry, in a circular, asked all diplomatic and consular missions in the Kingdom to stop organizations and societies under their umbrellas from performing any activities outside the mission premises. It asked the diplomatic missions to obtain its consent for any such activities. The source explained that activities carried out by the embassies or consulates outside their official headquarters will be subject to the rules and regulations of the host country. Sudanese Ambassador to Riyadh Abdul Hafiz Ibrahim said all Sudanese civil unions, associations, organizations, societies and associations in the Kingdom have been suspended. He said: “Some societies are involved in activities that are considered hostile to their own country.” The ambassador said the circular did not explain the reasons behind this decision but asked all the foreign diplomatic missions to obtain the Foreign Ministry's consent prior to performing any activities outside their premises. He said the embassy would contact the Foreign Ministry to obtain a license for Sudanese civil organizations to work in the Kingdom. Egyptian Ambassador Afifi Abdul Wahab said his embassy would remain strongly committed to the Kingdom's rules and regulations. The Palestinian mission said the Open Al-Quds University in Riyadh, which is sponsored by the embassy, has been closed down according to the directives of the Foreign Ministry. He said he would formally approach the ministry to reopen the university in order to enable Palestinian students to complete their higher education in the Kingdom.
