Monday's weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, was briefed on King Abdullah's recent meetings and communications, reiterated its stance on Middle East issues, and looked at the progress of the workshop currently being held in Riyadh on the fight against terrorism and terrorism funding. Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said Prince Sultan briefed the Cabinet on the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' meetings with Chadian President Idris Deby, former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Alawi, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and First Lt. Gen. David Batrous, Commander of the US Central Forces. The Cabinet also heard a report on the latest regional developments, including the peace process in the Middle East and the situation in Palestine and Iraq. The Kingdom has reiterated its consistent stance on these issues, a Cabinet statement said. The session also reviewed domestic issues including the workshop being held at the consent of Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, on combating terrorism and its sources of funding, during which speakers referred to the Kingdom's experience in combating terrorism and funding and spoke of the need to learn from the Kingdom's experience in the field. Minister Khoja said the Cabinet authorized the President of King Saud University (KSU) or his deputy to discuss and sign with India a draft memorandum of understanding between the university and the Indian Institute for Sciences in Bangalore, and the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs to sign a draft memorandum of understanding with Morocco on training in urban planning and development and information exchange. The Council also approved beekeeping regulations which the Shoura Council has tasked the Ministry of Agriculture with putting into effect to govern the process of the rearing of bees in the Kingdom.
