THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD CHAIRED THE CABINET'S WEEKLY SESSION AT AL-YAMAMAH PALACE IN RIYADH ON MONDAY. AT THE OUTSET OF THE SESSION, THE KING BRIEFED THE CABINET ON THE CONTENTS OF THE MEETINGS, TALKS AND CONTACTS HELD OVER THE PREVIOUS DAYS WITH LEADERS AND ENVOYS OF A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES ON BILATERAL RELATIONS AND THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AT THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARENAS. DURING THE TALKS, THE KINGDOM STRESSED ITS KEENNESS TO FURTHER ENHANCE NATIONAL INTERESTS, TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE REGION, TO ADVANCE COOPERATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA, AND TO STRENGTHEN JOINT ISLAMIC INSTITUTIONAL ACTION. IN A STATEMENT TO THE SAUDI PRESS AGENCY (SPA) FOLLOWING THE SESSION, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION IYAD BIN AMIN MADANI SAID THAT THE CABINET WAS BRIEFED BY PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL, THE FOREIGN MINISTER ON THE FORTHCOMING ARAB SUMMIT IN KHARTOUM. THE CABINET HOPED THAT THE SUMMIT WOULD ACTIVATE DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE PREVIOUS ARAB SUMMITS: COMPLETE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MECHANISMS OF ACTION AT THE ARAB LEAGUE TO ENSURE SERIOUSNESS AND CREDIBILITY OF A JOINT ARAB ACTION: AND REACHE A FIRM AND UNITED ARAB STAND ON ISRAEL'S UNILATERAL POLICIES AND ON ARAB COMMITMENT TO THE INITIATIVE OF BEIRUT ARAB SUMMIT HELD IN 2002 FOR ENDING THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT BY PEACEFUL MEANS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY. IT HOPES ALSO THE SUMMIT WOULD AFFIRM THAT THE SITUATION IN IRAQ IS FIRST AND FOREMOST AN IRAQI ISSUE AND AN ARAB ONE WITHIN ITS REGIONAL AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORK. --MORE 20 04 LOCAL TIME 17 04 GMT
