NEOM — Saudi Arabia's Cabinet on Tuesday praised the content of the joint statement issued following a virtual meeting between Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. In the statement, both countries affirmed their determination to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields, especially energy. Saudi Arabia and Iraq agreed on coordinating positions in the oil sector within the scope of work of OPEC and OPEC+ and to fully commit to all decisions that have been agreed upon in a manner that guarantees reaching fair and appropriate oil prices for exporters and consumers. In a virtual session chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman informed the Cabinet about the phone call he received from German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in which they underlined the need to confront all forms of extremism and terrorism. During the talks, King Salman also stressed Saudi Arabia's condemnation of terrorist acts that recently took place in France and Austria, denouncing the cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The King also underscored the significance of consolidating rapprochement among followers of religions and civilizations. The Cabinet also praised the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque's recent directive to send urgent medical, humanitarian, and shelter assistance to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey last week through the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency, Acting Minister of Media Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi pointed out that the Cabinet called the Kingdom's launch of an initiative to protect underwater cultural heritage in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf a reflection of its keenness to protect all forms of heritage. The Cabinet also reviewed a set of reports on the latest developments with regard to the coronavirus pandemic both at the local and international levels. The Cabinet also reviewed the findings of clinical trials of potential vaccines. Al-Qasabi stated the Cabinet pointed to the role played by the security services and Saudi Customs in tracking the activities of the criminal networks that are involved in smuggling narcotic substances into the Kingdom and promoting them and thwarting their attempts, expressing its appreciation for their efforts to protect members of society from harms of drugs. The Cabinet renewed its condemnation of the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia's continued launch of armed drones targeting civilians and civilian facilities in the Kingdom. The Cabinet dealt with a number of issues and developments of regional and international events, reiterating the Kingdom's strong condemnation of the terrorist attack that took place in the Radwaniyah area in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which led to a number of deaths and injuries. The Cabinet confirmed its rejection of these terrorist acts and its keenness on the security, territorial integrity, stability, and prosperity of Iraq to contribute to achieving the security and stability of the region.
