CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES, KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL-AZIZ HAS EXPRESSED OPTIMISM THAT THE ISLAMIC AND ARAB UMMAH REGAIN ITS EARLY STATUS AND UNITE AGAINST ALL CHALLENGES. THE KING MADE THESE REMARKS IN AN ADDRESS AT A CEREMONY HE PATRONIZED SATURDAY EVENING IN THE PRESENCE OF CROWN PRINCE SULTAN BIN ABDUL-AZIZ, DEPUTY PREMIER, MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND AVIATION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL. DURING THE CEREMONY, HE LAID THE FOUNDATION STONES FOR A NUMBER OF PROJECTS INCLUDING THE EXPANSIONS OF THE EASTERN PARKS AND SHADES AGAINST SUN-SHINE AND PROTECTIVE COVERS FROM RAINS AT THE PROPHET)S MOSQUE. KING ABDULLAH EXPRESSED HIS PLEASURE TO BE IN THE CITY OF LIGHT (MADINAH AL-MUNAWARAH) WITH THE GRAND SONS OF THE PROPHET)S COMPANIONS. EVER SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA BY THE LATE KING ABDULAZIZ, KING ABDULLAH SAID 'WE HAVE BEEN SERVING ISLAM AND MUSLIMS AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THIS WHICH CANNOT BE MATCHED TO ANY WORLDLY THINGS.' 'IN VIEW OF MADINAH)S SACRED STATUS IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE CONVERSION OF PRINCE MOHAMMAD BIN ABDULAZIZ AIRPORT TO AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,' KING ABDULLAH SAID. THE KING ALSO THANKED MADINAH PEOPLE FOR THEIR GENEROSITY, WISHING THEM SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS. --MORE 18/06/2006 12:05 ت م
